A Deadly Affair in the Pirate's Lair: An English Seaside Small Town Cozy Mystery (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries Book 2) by Simon Michael Prior

Author:Simon Michael Prior [Prior, Simon Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Cozy Cabin Press
Published: 2024-08-05T00:00:00+00:00

Boots sat on one of the marine rescue training room chairs, performing yoga and licking a part of himself I certainly couldn’t reach on my body, even with all the Pilates classes I’d attended over the years.

“Shall we sit here, Emily? Boots is saving a row for us.”

“Okay. Have you brought your workbook?”

“Um, no. Could I share yours?”

“Yes, for tonight, but if Murph signs us off on anything, clearly you’ll need your own.”

I sighed. “Yes, I’ll bring it next time. What are we learning this evening?”

“Good evening, team,” called Murph to the trainees assembled in front of him. “Tonight, we’ll revise lights and day shapes. There’s an entire computer presentation that goes with this but, as usual, I can’t get the laptop to work, so I’ve given up and slammed the lid closed. We’ll use these printed cards instead.” He held up an A5-sized flip chart, which made me wish Boots had saved us a seat nearer the front.

“Vessel and danger mark day shapes,” began Murph, “come in circles, squares, crosses and triangles.”

“This is like Play School,” giggled Emily. I smiled and shushed her.

“And the colours black, red, green and yellow,” continued Murph. “For instance, if you see a boat with one black circle hoisted, that means it’s anchored. We call that one black ball. A vessel in trouble might display two, or even three black balls.” Murph flipped the page over to the next diagram.

“So,” I said, “the more balls you’re showing, the more trouble you’re in.”

Emily found this double entendre funny and bit her bottom lip hard. Boots wasn’t quite so amused and yawned so widely I thought he’d dislocate his jaw.

“Well done, Shiraz,” said Murph. “You’re absolutely correct. Two black balls show your vessel can’t be controlled. It’s known as being ‘not under command’. And three balls indicate you’re aground. The most serious situation.”

His presentation continued. The sight of black and green triangles, red squares and yellow crosses didn’t amuse Emily so much, and she made it to the end without further hysterics.

Murph closed the flip chart. “As tonight’s content’s short, I thought we’d have some fun. Who knows any Morse code?”

“I know S-O-S.” A young man on the opposite side of the room raised his arm. “Dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash, dot-dot-dot.”

“Very good,” said Murph. “That’s the only Morse code most people recognise. We no longer train in its use now that we have modern communication methods such as radios and mobile phones. But if you’re stranded at sea, your mobile’s battery’s flat and your radio’s dead, it might save your life. Who has a torch with them?”

Everybody glanced around, but no one raised their hands.

“On a boat, you’d carry a torch as part of your emergency equipment, right?” He exaggerated a nod at us. “In the training room this evening, you could use the lights on your mobiles. Let’s practice sending each other an S-O-S, one by one. Who wants to go first?”

“I will,” said the chap who’d spoken earlier. He switched his phone light on and off in an attempt to make the flashes long and short.

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