Watchmen's Cove

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It wasn't long before Helen started to feel uneasy, when fifty yards away she saw a small boat foundering. "Larry, Larry," Helen called to her husband. Larry lifted the hatch; looked in the direction Helen was pointing to and quickly found the binoculars. It was a small dingy, and as he watched he could see a woman clinging to the bow. "What do we do now?" Larry said, "With this motor trouble we are having we won't be going anywhere." Then Larry laughed out loud, causing Helen to look startled, "What is so funny?" she said.
"I realized that our main tank has run out," Larry said, "I will connect the emergency one and we will be away in a shortly."

"Can I use the binoculars?" Helen said. She tried to focus on the boat, and then let out a cry.

"The boat's gone!" she said.
The cabin cruiser started immediately, with that healthy purr that was so familiar to both of them.

Quickly Larry looked again, and even with the magnification of the binoculars failed to sight the craft. "She's gone alright," Larry spoke with a note of finality. "Just a minute," he said excitedly.

"What have you thought of?" Helen said, very curious about her husband's attitude. She knew from experience that by his manner, it was a good revelation.
"If I have got my bearings right, there is a small island about near where we spotted the boat," Larry said hopefully, "We will go over to near where the boat was," he said, "You take the tiller and I will guide you."
As they got to about where they thought the boat has been, they stopped. "Look there is the island," Helen said, "there are some low bushes on it," but no sign of any life."

As they were approaching the shore, a tremendous gust of wind struck the boat, heaving it over and sloshing some water inside. As the boat righted it self, the tiller flew from Helen's hands, and span around sending the boat in a circle. Desperately Helen tried to control their, craft, while Larry attempted to bail some water out. Suddenly there was a crunching sound, as the boat was hurled up the beach, and came to rest beside some rocks. Larry said breathlessly, "Darling, are you alright?"

They embraced, while reassuring each other that they were fine.
"The boat!" Larry said, as he took stock of their situation, She may be impossible to repair, let alone launch." An overwhelming fear filled their minds, a sense of helplessness.

They were pitched into the Mediterranean, and were separated in the rough sea. When Larry had nearly given hope of ever seeing Helen again, she swept up beside him. In front them was the island Larry's father had described in such detail. The couple pulled themselves inch by inch up the beach, fighting a frightening rip that would have overcome less powerful people. They lay on the sand, exhausted.
Helen, between sobs, said, "I know it will sound silly, but I just remembered the reason we are here."

"I don't understand," Larry said, "What do you mean?"
"It is weird." Helen said, stopping momentarily a strange look on her face, "Do you remember when we first met?"
"Hey, that is a long time ago!" Larry exclaimed, "We were both about ten. Let's see, we were both mad about boats, even at that age!"
"And your father encouraged us with our passion." Helen said, "Do you remember the time he told us about this island?"
"How do you know that it was this island?" Larry said, "it could have been another one."
"Remember, that your dad told us about the time …" Helen said mysteriously.
"What time, what are you talking about?" Larry said.
"I remember when he told us about the time when he had stopped and explored the island, and while he was there lost his watch."

"How did he lose it" Larry asked, "did he drop it into the water?"
"No, it was a strange thing," Helen said, her misting over as she thought about the unusual circumstances of the loss of Norman's watch. "Remember, he said that while exploring the island he found a cave which he called Watchmen's Cove."
"Go on," Larry urged.
"Well, there was this crack in a rock there, wide enough for Norman to see something shining. He said it could have been a ring or something valuable," Helen said.

"But you still haven't said what happened. Sometimes you can an annoying woman. Funnily that's one of the reasons I married you," Larry said in a matter-of-fact way.
"Patience. As I was saying, he managed to put his arm into the hole, but got it stuck. As he pulled his arm out, the watch bracelet broke, and it dropped down out of reach," Helen said continuing with the story.
"I remember now," Larry said reflectively, "dad said that it was possible to recognise the watch because there was enough light. This is how we will know whether it the same island."

"Perhaps someone else has taken it in the meantime," Helen said cautiously.
"I doubt it, dad has a long reach. I doubt that the watch has been removed," Larry said confidently.

When they had made themselves as comfortable they took the chance to rest.
"It won't be too long before we are missed by our families," Helen said worriedly.
"Not for a while, didn't we say we would be home about 5 pm?"
"Yes, and by the position of the sun it must be after 5 pm," Helen said, "Your brother will raise the alarm soon," Helen continued.
"What am I thinking of?" Larry said happily, "conditions have improved, so we will be able to reach the boat. Might even get some emergency rations, first aid kit, or hopefully a flare."

'Kim' was stranded on the beach, with only part of the cabin area intact. Broken planks were lying on the beach, while a life jacket floated by. The sea had flattened, to a beautiful, almost uncanny calm. Overhead the sky had lost its threatening look, and the clouds had rolled away Suddenly there was a roar of a boat, coming at speed. Larry cried out, "Start waving," he said, "wave your top, it is bright."
They shouted out and waved, but the speedboat's crew were obviously looking else where as they flew past.

They stood waving out, but knowing that it was impossible to be seen, stopped.
"I think we should attempt to save anything possible. "You go Helen, you know that I am not a strong enough swimmer", said Larry feeling upset that he wasn't able to attempt the salvage.
As Helen waded out from the shore she felt a pulling on her body as the sea flowed back down the beach. This was fine but with standing in loose shingle, she lost her footing, but managed to stand. Finally Helen attempted to reach the wreck by going out with the waves as they went back. When she reached the boat, she managed to cling to part of the cabin and assess the situation. .Most of the boat was totally destroyed by the waves, their own design thought Helen as she reminisced about the building of their once elegantly painted clinker built craft. A large wave caught her, and just in time she caught a part of the cabin.

Feeling lost and disappointed Larry and Helen did what they had always done when things were looking bad. They had their competition of who could think of the most advantages they had in their lives.
"How many have you thought of Larry?" Helen asked.
"Eight," Larry replied.
"Is that all!" Helen said in surprise, "come on you can do better than that."
After a small silence Larry said, "Thirteen, how's that?"
"I have found twenty!" Helen said proudly.
"You win," Larry said.
"What is the most valuable blessing you have?" Helen asked.
"The knowledge that God loves me," Larry said.
"That was my first choice to," Helen said.
They were silent for a few minutes, then Larry said, "We are very fortunate people," he said, "there are many who would swap places with us if they could."
"Sure," Helen said, laughing.
"What's so funny?" Larry replied.
"Perhaps they would think twice at the moment, after all we don't know how long this island will be our address," Helen said thoughtfully.
Suddenly, there was a growling behind them, and a wild dog ran out of the low fauna.
Helen threw herself into Larry's arms for protection. They both shut their eyes as it sprang towards them …

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