Episode 16 - Worse Things Happen at Sea!
17th day of February, 1640.
After almost two weeks at sea, the four hardy ships continued ploughing their way through the southern Caribbean toward the Spanish Main.
Dark clouds began to gather, and the first drops of cold rain began to fall as lightning bolts flashed on the horizon.
The moderate breeze that once pushed the ships steadily forward, was now growing into a strong gust that stretched the sails at the seams.
Within thirty minutes the storm hit the fleet - with vengeance.…..
"WE'S GOTTA GO AROUND HER!" shouted Quinn, as he tried in vain to make himself heard above the violent wind and lashing rain.
"NAY LAD," came Coggy's muffled reply, as he held onto his hat and Arfur the parrot.
"WE'S GOTTA STAY ON COURSE" he added, as the rain transformed into a torrential downpour.
"SQUAWK-GIT-ME-OUTTA-'ERE!" squawked the panic stricken bird.
The winds grew stronger and the ship was violently tossed around as waves battered her hull.
"YER CRAZY, WE WON'T MAKE IT THRU!" called the anxious Davey Jones, looking at the on-comming storm.
"COGGY… LISTEN TO US… WE'S GOTTA TURN BACK!" added Morgan, anxiously.
Coggy ignored his mates' pleas and concentrated on his overwhelmed sailors, "GIT THOSE ROPES LASHED DOWN" he called, as rigging tore free and dangerously swayed in the hurricane-force gusts.
Over to the port side, Cog could see Tews flagship, Darkness, taking a heavy battering from giant waves. To the starboard side, the Man o War, Fear, was listing heavily, almost capsizing in the ever-increasing white squall.
Moose's Baron Boat lay a few hundred yards astern and was finding it difficult to catch up.
"CAP'N… LOOKS LIKE MOOSE HAS LOST A SAIL!" screamed La Foot.
Coggy continued barking orders to his men, whilst Morgan, Quinn, and Davey Jones headed below decks.
"LA FOOT," shouted Coggy, trying to attract his attention - but the Lieutenant was swamped by a large wave and thrown towards the side of the ship.
Coggy quickly battled through the wind and rain lashing his face, and reached the young Lieutenant - pulling him to his feet, "LA FOOT, GET THOSE BARRELLS BELOW DECK - NOW!" he anxiously called, as the ships cargo of rum and coconuts where scattered across the deck - knocking over the distraught crewmembers.
As lighting flashed all around, the sea's became more treacherous. For the first time, Coggy had a look of concern on his face as he watched the other three ships take a horrendous battering from the hurricane.
Another giant wave ripped over the deck and several of Coggy's crew where washed to a watery grave.
"CAP'N… WE'S GOTTA TURN BACK - NOW, SIR" begged La Foot.
Coggy was inclined to agree, but he stubbornly continued to order his men to fight the raging storm.
The Reaper took a violent hit from another wave and almost capsized - throwing Coggy, La Foot, and the crew to one side.
"REEF THOSE FRIGGIN' SAILS!" he barked atop his voice.
His crew bravely tried to carry out the order, but yet more wind and waves hammered the hardy vessel.
Aboard the Baron Boat, Moose was equally occupied with trying to save his ship.
"SIR, BRING US ABOUT - PLEASE!" pleaded a drenched sailor.
"STAY WITH THA FLEET - ELSE I'LL THROW EVERY BLEEDIN' ONE OF YEW GUTLESS BUGGERS OVERBOARD MESELF!" screamed Moose, as another wave almost swamped the deck.
On his Man o War, Admiral Tew held onto the ships wheel and tried to hold the ship steady as the sails where ripped from the rigging above.
"COGNITO - YOU BASTARD!" he screamed, as he glanced towards the listing Grim Reaper.
For more than two hours the ships battled the raging storm..…..
After being battered around the decks below, Morgan and Davey Jones fought their way back to the Bridge where they confronted the exhausted Coggy.
"COG… WE'S HAD ENOUGH!" screamed Morgan as the storm raged on.
"TURN US BACK NOW, ELSE WE'S TAKIN' THE SHIP!" he added with increasing anger.
Coggy stood his ground, "IF'N YEW TINK ME MEN 'ILL FOLLOW YE - YER WELCOME TA TRY'N TAKE HER!" he screamed back at Morgan, as the two men squared up to each other.
"COGGY, YER INSANE.... YER GONNA DROWN US ALL!" pleaded Davey again.
Morgan and the Captain continued their menacing stir at one another.
Another wave slammed into the ship throwing the men to the deck - but Davey Jones was washed dangerously close to the edge. He held onto a piece of rope for dear life as another wave hit and knocked him overboard!
Coggy and Morgan instantly leapt to their feet and rushed to the side of the ship where Davey helplessly looked up to the peering men trying with all their might to pull him back over the wooden rail.
After what had seemed an eternity, the two burly men managed to drag the bedraggled Jones back onto the deck.
All three men were exhausted. After getting to their feet again - they held on to each other.
"OK MORGAN… SHE'S BEATEN US," called Coggy with resignation, as he finally surrendered to the storm.
"LA FOOT… TELL 'EM TA BRING US ABOUT AND SIGNAL THA OTHERS TO DO THE SAME" called the tired Captain.
Within minutes, all four ships began to slowly turn away from the onrushing gusts and began to run down wind of the storm - heading for calmer waters.
After twenty minutes, the winds finally began to die down a little. The clouds started to break up and slowly but surely the first rays of sunlight appeared overhead.
Coggy and the others gingerly cleared the debris from the wind swept deck and looked over to the other three ships.
"They're still with us... thank god" called the relieved Morgan.
Coggy stood and watched as the clouds parted and the heavy rains turned into a moderate shower. The sea too, gradually calmed as the strong winds gradually eased.
"Yew crusty old sea-dog, yew!" called Morgan to Coggy, "Yew beat tha bugger afterall. The storms' blownin' itself out!" he sighed, with relief.
The four hardy ships finally broke through the remains of the storm and again turned south - back on course.
Later that day...
Moose and Admiral Tew came aboard the Grim Reaper to report their ships' damage.
"Tis not good news, Coggy" explained Moose as he outlined the Baron Boat's damage.
"Aye, yew crazy wharf rat!" added an irate Tew, "I almost lost me ship thanks to yew!"
"We made it, didn't we?" replied the stubborn Cog.
"Only just, mate… only just" said Moose, nodding his head.
"Cognito, if'n ye has anymore of yer crazy ideas - we's finished! The Dark Water Alliance will not be dragged ta 'ell by tha likes of ye!" Tew added, with a menacing scowl.
Coggy realised how lucky they'd been and accepted the blame for his actions, "Ok lads, we wus lucky this time. But on the positive side, we's still on schedule. When we reaches Cartagena - the Spanish won't be expecting us, so in the long run me hearties, tas benefited it us greatly"
The group of officers and men briefed each other on the storm damage and prepared their crews for a few days of running repairs.