Night settled in like a heavy blanket. The water swished gently at the hull, occasionally sending spray into the air. The waves had a bit of strength to them, but the bouncing of the boat came in a gentle rhythm that was almost soothing. It seemed like the weather prediction was going to be wrong.
We sailed silently into the night, the white sails of our competitors like ghosts in the darkness. I could hear their hulls slapping the waves and occasional soft voices calling out speeds or directions. Grant's boat skipped in front of us, dancing just out of our reach. The entire night had a peaceful, dreamlike quality to it. It wasn't long before I checked the time, my watch glowing a florescent blue: 3:27 AM. With Robbie confident at the wheel, I hopped below deck to check our navigation and speed. We were right on course and making decent time.
"Looking good, Skipper," I told Robbie as I came back on deck. I did my best to stifle a yawn, but he smiled gently when he saw it. "We're making good time."
"Good. I can still see a couple of sails ahead of us, but we still have some time yet. Grant's only a little ahead. It's calm up here, and I know you didn't sleep well last night. Go rest your eyes for an hour or two. I'll shout if I need you, but right now, I'm fine." Robbie grinned as I yawned again.
"All right. I'll be back in an hour to give you a break. When we get to the hotel, though, we're sleeping for a week," I said, covering my mouth as a yawn broke into the tail end of my words.
"Among other things," Robbie said, a naughty grin crossing his face. His smile sent shivers of anticipation down my spine and it was hard not to want to have him right there. But we were racing, and I was exhausted. Robbie was right when he said I hadn't slept well the night before. I never did before a race, but the sheer momentousness of this one had pressed down on me. A quick catnap would do me a world of wonders.
I kissed him, relaying my thanks for the nap. His lips pressed to mine and I could feel him smile.
"Go rest," he said softly, and I headed to the hold opening. I glanced back up onto the deck before I went inside, seeing Robbie's strong silhouette calmly guiding us toward victory. I smiled, set an alarm, and curled up on a bunk for a quick nap.
Chapter 18
I was awakened before my alarm by being thrown out of the bunk and onto the floor. The boat was sloshing from side to side, and I felt like we were suddenly out in the open ocean instead of an inland lake. The radio hissed a Coast Guard warning.
"...expected 70 mile per hour winds, tornado warnings... high wind advisories in effect..." the pre-recorded voice droned as interference crackled through the speakers. This was not a good time to be out on the water.
I picked up the radio, ready to call in our position, but we were too far out. The lake surrounded us like an ocean, and with the storm, we couldn't call out. We were on our own.
I stumbled to my feet, feeling the boat roll beneath me as I worked my way up the hatch and out onto the deck. Robbie stood tall at the helm, the wind whipping his hair as he kept our course straight. He smiled as he saw me. The sky was dark, but lightning was beginning to flash along the horizon, silhouetting him against the black sky.
Where the sailing had been smooth with only a little bit of chop, the lake became alive, releasing angry monsters shaped like waves. Lightning flashed in the sky, the clouds finally overtaking us and the waves no longer played gently with our boat. The water was black, tipped with harsh white. Spray crashed over the bow, sending cold droplets scattering across the deck. The sails hummed with tension.
"Robbie! We need to head to shore!" I shouted. "The Coast Guard is putting out weather advisories!"
Lightning flashed in the oncoming clouds, the horizon growing hazy with rain. The last thing I wanted was to be out in a storm. As a sailor, I had come to terms with sailing in hard weather, but that didn't mean I enjoyed it. With the dire warnings of the pre-race meeting, I wasn't looking forward to braving the storm. Bad things happened in storms. Lightning could strike the mast, sails could rip, the boat could capsize, and a sailor could fall overboard into the murky waters. This storm could easily kill us. With the angry skies surrounding our little boat, I thought heading to port was the safest choice.
"No, Sam, we can stay out," Robbie replied calmly. He glanced around at the oncoming storm, confidence filling his face. "We're winning."
I looked out across the water to see at least two boats turning toward shore. Grant was one of them. We were flying past him. I could see the look of dismay on his face as we flew past. We had the wind and were making excellent time. The others were falling back. I bit my lip, worry curling up in the pit of my stomach like a snake. The rumble of thunder echoed off the water.
"Sam, it's just a gale. Think of all the possibilities for your career if we win this?" Robbie adjusted the helm slightly. His brow darkened and he looked dead at me. "I want to win this, Sam. We didn't win last time, but we are going to blow this one out of the water. We are going to humiliate Grant. I can feel it in my bones that this is our race. We just have to take it."
I thought about it for a moment. The stronger winds from the storm could give us the edge, the speed, to leave everyone in our wake. Winning the Invitational would put my sailing career back on the map. I would get sponsors and quit that horrible waitressing job forever. With this race on my resume, I would be able to have my pick of partners and boats. I could make sailing my job, and Avery would have my income and Grace's. I needed this win.
"Okay, Captain. Reef the mainsail?" I asked. Reefing the mainsail would allow us to control the wind better, but it would slow us down.
"No," he said, a devilish smile on his face. "The Hope can handle it. Sheet in the jib, and we'll let this wind carry us into the finish line. We'll beat everyone there by a full day."
I nodded, the excitement of winning giving me courage. I hooked into my harness, making sure I was securely tethered to the boat. I didn't want an errant wave plucking me away and casting me into the choppy waters. I was a good swimmer, but there was no way I would survive the storm out there.
I grabbed one of the sheets controlling the angle of the jib, positioning the smaller triangle sail to catch the wind better. Avery's Hope lunged forward, skipping across the waves with almost childlike abandon. I laughed, feeling the boat dance as we left our competitors behind.
Rain came up from behind us, hitting the water like tiny stones. I didn't dare let go of the rope as I worked the sail. The wind was gusting and I had to control it. "Robbie!" I called out, feeling the boat begin to tip. I wasn't strong enough to do this on my own. This was why I sailed double-handed.