MIA

Once again every crew member on each vessel ran to the orders of each captain as we prepared to set sail.   Before our anchor was pulled up, something caught the side of my eye.  A reef sailed past our stern.  Sure enough, it was Rambo Ray, dressed in camouflage with a  scarf blowing in the wind.  

“Go! Go! Go! Go!!!”  I shouted to the crew, holding the muddy anchor chain in my hands.  One by one all five vessels headed out of Marathon.    Hazak’s motor stopped running suddenly, so we pulled it behind Aleph Tav.

Several adjustments had to be made to the crews prior to our departure.   La Victoria lost Captain Raymond’s son in law Ben, who decided to crew on Cimeron.   She also lost Matt, the Pizza maker, who decided to return to Steinhatchee to make pizzas.  A young man named Kaile, interested in mission work, came and joined La Victoria’s crew.

Aleph Tav lost Andre and Karah who now had to crew their own vessel.   Our nephew Zachary promptly accepted the invitation to join us.   He had no funds to fly in to Marathon, but he stepped out on faith, and once again Ad-nai provided…

There were no changes on Yod Hey’s crew. 

Off we went, sails raised high and heeling to starboard.   Even Hazak who was under tow, raised her sails proudly.   We were thrilled.    Although we had traveled for over two months just to get to this point, THIS moment felt as if it was the very beginning of our journey.   We were leaving the US, and heading to Haiti with a 150 year Torah scroll that survived the haulocost.

Night fell and the last faint lights of the the United States vanished behind us.  At about 2am the gentile shush of the hull moving over the waves was interrupted by a call over the radio.   “Cimeron, Cimeron,  do you copy!… Over.”

It was Captain Raymond.   I had dosed off and didn’t realize Captain had been hailing Cimeron for somtime with no response.

A faint fuzzy message came all broken up: “… 30 miles off course… (fuzz)…Fell asleep… Trying to get bearing….”

“Cimeron, what is your lat and long?” Asked Captain.

“…(fuzz).. Off course (fuzz)..”

“Cimeron, your lat and long!!! What’s your lat and long?” Insisted the Captain.

“…(fuzz)…” The radio went silent.

Without knowing their position, we had no way of helping or even sending them help, especially in international waters.  As time passed, our only hope and prayer was that Cimeron turned back.

To be continued