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Looks like I let a little more time slip by between posting than I had planned...
Anyway, looks like I'm up to date on getting the first two Stone Island Sea Stories republished and/or updated. I am seeing a few things that I want to change, but all in good time, and they should not be of any big effort.
I've also been trying to update my web-site somewhat. Still have more to do, but one of these days...
Looks like Spokane Authors and Self-Publishers is looking for a new meeting place again. About a year ago we decided to leave the local Golden Corral where we had met for several years because the were seating customers in the meeting room that weren't a part of our group. We ended up in a local city library branch, and at first they were very welcoming, even "sponsoring" us if that is the correct term. But it appears the overall library board overruled those at the local branch and we are no longe guaranteed a place to meet at all. A couple of us visited a local senior center the other day and possibly we will be meeting there in the future. We will have to change our current day of meeting, though, and I'm not sure how it will work out. I can't see it being that much of a problem, but you never know. We've always met on the first Thursday of the month, and more recently on the second Thursday. We made that change in order to get a slot at the library. Now it looks as if we'll have to go to Fridays.... I'm guessing the second Friday of the month.
Haven't done it for a while, and honestly I forget where I left off, but here is a brief excerpt from Darnahsian Pirates:
With his vessel underway, Stanton eased concentration on the evolutions aboard and left close monitoring to another, evidently the first lieutenant. He watched three vessels lying at anchor. As Defender proceeded for the open sea, these vessels upped anchor and set sail to follow. Pierce watched these evolutions carefully as well. Two got underway with no trouble. Their procedures were the same as he had just witnessed aboard Defender, smart and seamanship like. The third however, had the various steps out of time. As he watched, there was a flurry of activity at the bows before the sails caught the damp air and the vessel began to move. Pierce thought they had been forced to cut the cable. He determined not say anything unless asked, but would observe Stanton’s reaction.
As they neared the final obstacle to being in the open sea, Stanton ordered leadsmen into the chains. They began calling out the depth measured, or the welcome. “No bottom with this line!” Pierce had seen charts of these waters, and in fact had sailed Island Expedition out of this bay a couple years ago. He had thought it unnecessary to sound his way out. Had the bottom changed, was Stanton overly cautious, was it for drill, or a show for him?
In late afternoon, when they were well out to sea, Stanton took time to introduce his officers, apologizing for not doing so earlier. After greetings were exchanged, a flurry of signals rose on the halyards as Stanton began communicating with the other vessels. One was a fourteen gun brig-sloop, the second a twelve gun gun-brig, and the third, a cutter with eight guns. The gun brig had been the one to evidently cut her cable when getting underway.
So far Pierce had said nothing about what he had seen, and Stanton had not commented either. As they stood together on deck, Stanton acknowledged Pierce’s presence and noted. “A fair job of it, I think. We can be a little rusty if we haven’t been out in a while.”
“I was impressed for the most part. Well done, and it seems everyone works well together.”
“I’ve asked Captain James for a report at his earliest convenience.”
“The gun-brig? It seems they were forced to cut the cable.”
“Aye.” Stanton went on. “Unless you have anything specific in mind, I plan to work on station keeping, formation maneuvering, and basic signaling the rest of the day. We might try night signaling as it gets dark.”
“You must remember, I am only an observer, a passenger if you will.”
If anything, I hope this gives you a feel for the story.
Should also mention that I'm currently reading Vampire Justice by fellow SASP member Bob Manion.
Dave
Looks like I let a little more time slip by between posting than I had planned...
Anyway, looks like I'm up to date on getting the first two Stone Island Sea Stories republished and/or updated. I am seeing a few things that I want to change, but all in good time, and they should not be of any big effort.
I've also been trying to update my web-site somewhat. Still have more to do, but one of these days...
Looks like Spokane Authors and Self-Publishers is looking for a new meeting place again. About a year ago we decided to leave the local Golden Corral where we had met for several years because the were seating customers in the meeting room that weren't a part of our group. We ended up in a local city library branch, and at first they were very welcoming, even "sponsoring" us if that is the correct term. But it appears the overall library board overruled those at the local branch and we are no longe guaranteed a place to meet at all. A couple of us visited a local senior center the other day and possibly we will be meeting there in the future. We will have to change our current day of meeting, though, and I'm not sure how it will work out. I can't see it being that much of a problem, but you never know. We've always met on the first Thursday of the month, and more recently on the second Thursday. We made that change in order to get a slot at the library. Now it looks as if we'll have to go to Fridays.... I'm guessing the second Friday of the month.
Haven't done it for a while, and honestly I forget where I left off, but here is a brief excerpt from Darnahsian Pirates:
With his vessel underway, Stanton eased concentration on the evolutions aboard and left close monitoring to another, evidently the first lieutenant. He watched three vessels lying at anchor. As Defender proceeded for the open sea, these vessels upped anchor and set sail to follow. Pierce watched these evolutions carefully as well. Two got underway with no trouble. Their procedures were the same as he had just witnessed aboard Defender, smart and seamanship like. The third however, had the various steps out of time. As he watched, there was a flurry of activity at the bows before the sails caught the damp air and the vessel began to move. Pierce thought they had been forced to cut the cable. He determined not say anything unless asked, but would observe Stanton’s reaction.
As they neared the final obstacle to being in the open sea, Stanton ordered leadsmen into the chains. They began calling out the depth measured, or the welcome. “No bottom with this line!” Pierce had seen charts of these waters, and in fact had sailed Island Expedition out of this bay a couple years ago. He had thought it unnecessary to sound his way out. Had the bottom changed, was Stanton overly cautious, was it for drill, or a show for him?
In late afternoon, when they were well out to sea, Stanton took time to introduce his officers, apologizing for not doing so earlier. After greetings were exchanged, a flurry of signals rose on the halyards as Stanton began communicating with the other vessels. One was a fourteen gun brig-sloop, the second a twelve gun gun-brig, and the third, a cutter with eight guns. The gun brig had been the one to evidently cut her cable when getting underway.
So far Pierce had said nothing about what he had seen, and Stanton had not commented either. As they stood together on deck, Stanton acknowledged Pierce’s presence and noted. “A fair job of it, I think. We can be a little rusty if we haven’t been out in a while.”
“I was impressed for the most part. Well done, and it seems everyone works well together.”
“I’ve asked Captain James for a report at his earliest convenience.”
“The gun-brig? It seems they were forced to cut the cable.”
“Aye.” Stanton went on. “Unless you have anything specific in mind, I plan to work on station keeping, formation maneuvering, and basic signaling the rest of the day. We might try night signaling as it gets dark.”
“You must remember, I am only an observer, a passenger if you will.”
If anything, I hope this gives you a feel for the story.
Should also mention that I'm currently reading Vampire Justice by fellow SASP member Bob Manion.
Dave