Haibun: The Sea Kami

Haibun

The Sea Kami

The catamaran was ready to sail, we’d filled the tanks with fresh water and the galley with foodstuff.  All the regular tasks from mending sails to checking lines had been done.  The hull had been cleaned and we’d painted, patched and polished until we could see our image in the brass work, the Mary Jane looked brand new.

I’d added a new selection of books, carefully selected to keep everyone happy.  We’d even added a solar panel that would assure that we had enough electricity stored up in two special battery packs, so that we could watch a film now and again, but most importantly have our radio and GPS navigator and tracking unit always on.  We’d planned to leave that evening, but there was a storm warning out so we postponed, battening down the hatches, making sure she was well secured to her moorings.

The storm hit at midnight.  What should have been a reasonably mild storm quickly turned into a gale force 10.  The violence of the wind knocked down power lines leaving the whole area in darkness, the howling of the wind was nearly deafening.  A tree was up-rooted and fell onto our front porch.  When it finally passed around noon the next day, we went to the port to see how the Mary Jane had fared.

We knew at a glance the news could not be good.  Many other crafts had been pulled from their moorings and were piled up on the shore.  We were stunned, without hope.  Then, we saw the sight we’d never thought to see, The Mary Jane was still at her mooring.  The main mast was damaged, she’d been scraped a bit, but she was still in the water.  Our trip may be delayed, but not cancelled!

impetuous winds
uprooting trees in its rage
our sea Kami smiled