The Sea Break by Antony Trew

Author:Antony Trew [Antony Trew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780709096535
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 2011-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“Operation Break Out” went into action at five o’clock that afternoon when Widmark and Rohrbach took their cars to garages in different parts of the town, handed them over for storing, luggage locked in the boot, charges paid in advance.

At six o’clock the Newt, telephoning Widmark from a public booth at the docks, said he had counted nine men getting into the 5.30 p.m. launch when it went alongside the Hagenfels to take liberty men ashore.

At about the same time Rohrbach and Johan le Roux took a taxi from the Cardoso to the boat harbour; with them went their bathing bags and fishing gear. Domingos Parao handed over the boat and bait, expressed regret that they had disregarded his advice to take ladies with them, and wished them good fishing. As usual, and notwithstanding his protestations, they paid him in advance. They left the harbour and set course down river; to port the Aterro do Machaquene, the native fish dock, and Ponta Vermelha passed in quick succession. The evening wind had begun to come in from the east, there was a light lop on the water, the sky was overcast, and there was the feel of rain in the air.

When Ponta Vermelha was abeam they turned to the southeast and by six-thirty they were off the reef at Ponta Maone. Johan stopped the engine and they anchored, put the baited lines over the side, and although they had no great desire to catch fish that evening it so happened they caught many. It began to rain and at seven o’clock when it was dark they weighed anchor, started the engine and steered in on the light at Esparcelado; at seven-fifteen it was abeam and they made a wide alteration of course which put number nine buoy ahead. When they reached it they switched on navigation lights and ran in for the fish dock. It was raining, visibility was poor, and they had some difficulty in finding the entrance. Once inside, Rohrbach ran the boat gently up into the shallow waters of the beach until the bows grounded. There were a few fishing boats in the harbour, but no signs of life in the darkness other than the flicker of two oil lanterns and the murmur of African voices around a fire under the trees. At 7.30 p.m. three flashes of blue light showed up in the darkness to their left. Johan raised his torch and gave three flashes in reply. There was the scuffle of feet ahead of them: Johan called “Tally-Ho” and they heard Widmark’s reply “Break out.” Soon afterwards, he, McFadden, Hans le Roux and Mike Kent came out of the darkness, dropped their bathing bags into the boat and climbed aboard.

There were last minute handshakes, whispered “Good lucks!” Johan said: “Sorry you types weren’t invited to the party,” and he and Rohrbach went off to where the taxi was waiting. Complaining that the fishing was poor, they asked the driver to take them to the Cardoso.

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