The Sea Devil by Sam Jefferson

Author:Sam Jefferson [Jefferson, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-08-21T15:33:12+00:00

the sea devil

treacherous to the sailor. There are currents that can set you many

miles off your course before you even notice, leaving you lost for days amid labyrinths of reef, as well as low-lying atolls. Even von Luckner, for all his years of seafaring, had spent precious little time in the South Seas, and this was a place where expertise was really valuable. As he

observed, ‘As beautiful as the Seas are, they are the least favourable

for the sailor. There is nothing more charming and nothing more

treacherous in the world.’6

The South Seas were not the natural cruising ground of a big 245-foot

sailing ship. Schooners were the trading vessel of choice within these

patterns of islands for good reason: harbours were often intricate and

reef strewn, while strong currents added another dangerous challenge,

particularly for a big ship, which was handicapped by its deeper draft and general unwieldiness in an area where manoeuvrability was often vital.

Novice sailors were frequently known to get hopelessly lost, and although the Germans were excellent navigators and accomplished sailors, they

were not in their element here. At times, von Luckner was not afraid to consult the American skippers whom he had captured to tap into their

expertise and detailed knowledge of the area.

On the morning of 29 July, Mopelia hove into view, obscured right

until the last as it was so low lying – initially just a tuft of palms apparently poking out of the open sea. Yet as they neared, they came to see just how beautiful the island was, as von Luckner recalled: ‘It was as if we had a fairyland before us. The island greeted us with its tall palm trees and gum trees like a true paradise. The coral reefs descended below the water level to a depth of many metres, giving new colours and images in the

reflection of the sun-shimmering water at each stage as a result of the white corals.

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