10:00 AM local time, Sunday, February 3 (0500 Feb 3 UTC) 08 09 N 071 19 E.
Temp. 85, Humidity 100%, Cloud Cover 100%. Arabian Sea.
Greetings from the crew of Maverick.
We are a day out of Uligan on our way to Salalah, Oman. This will not be
a short passage, and it has potential to be challenging. Right now, Mr.
Shrode is hand steering us through some squally stuff while I'm warm and dry
below. The ocean has a romantic "storm at sea" look and there's heavy rain,
but the conditions are actually pleasant with only moderate winds and seas.
We received very bad news this morning. Okiva's engine has died in
Malaysia and though they are doing their best to repair it and continue, they
would be quite behind schedule even if they were to leave today for the
Indian Ocean. There is I suppose a chance they'll make it this season to the
Med, but it's a very slim one. It looks very much as though Maverick will
have to face the rest of our adventure alone.
We are, in the parlance of the day, though admittedly a different day
from the one presently on the calendar, totally down with Paul and Francis.
Their devil-take-the-hindmost attitude, and, shall we say, joie de vivre or,
let's not mince words, psychopathic tendencies, will not be possible to
replace. There's no one like them out here. It is not at all too much to say
that until the Captain's mind is beyond remembering, seeing either one
saunter into his presence will put a very big grin on his face. The thought
that we may not be able to hook up with them for the rest of our voyage is
making for a gloomy day aboard Maverick, as we think of them as part of the
crew, and probably the best part. We most fervently hope they can find a way
to continue. Failing that, the thought that we should never see them again is
a little too much to contemplate. We really love those guys.
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