miles inland. We've had six tsunamis in the last month, that's over one a week—"
"Then," Jason asked, "just where can we go?"
"Not here."
"We're US citizens," Makayla said, hands on her hips, "and you're telling us we can't enter the US?"
"That's about the situation, Ma'am," the guardsman said.
"Now, just wait," Jason said, watching the mother boiling to a good steam, "surely there is some assistance you can render. Coordinates to where we can put in, somewhere to get more food and fuel for our stove. How about going up to Alaska or Canada? Can we put in there?"
"We can't prevent you from putting in at Canada, but their coasts have been evacuated too. Even if you survive getting to shore, there will be nobody for miles."
"What about returning to Hawaii?" Ava asked.
"There isn't much there to return to," the guardsman said.
"Look," Gina said, "you've given us a long list of can'ts, how about a few cans."
"They're radioing in on that right now. It takes time. Usually about an hour."
"Well," Makayla said, wagging her finger at the armed men, "you've been here at least that long already!"
Jason jumped in again, "If I get the maps, can you show us where the new currents are, maybe some indication on how the trade winds have shifted and such, some hazards to look out for? We've heard some things about Panama, but can't get any information about how it affected the currents down south."
The guardsman silently nodded, "Keep at least three hundred knots from Panama, you'll never survive it."
The other guardsman spoke up, "And that's if it doesn't get any worse, and that's the one direction that everything seems to be flowing."
"What about looting and riots?" Nathan asked, "Is that why you boarded so fast with guns drawn and everything? Are the riots that bad?"
"Some. Looters are about all you'll find on the coasts."
"Should we be worried about pirates—" Jason started.
"No, I wouldn't—"
"Alaska out of the question?" Jason asked again.
"For your boat, it is," one guardsman put it bluntly.
It seemed like they had survived a biblical flood, and were still somehow screwed. It didn't hardly seem fair.
After three hours of waiting, the family was given a choice by the coastguard. Because they were verified as citizens, they could officially put in a mayday and be rescued. The coastguard would deliver them a hundred miles inland by helicopter, and release them with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The guard would also be required to sink their crude little boat with all of their possessions.
The second choice was that the coastguard would release them with an official warning to venture no closer than one hundred knots from the coast of the US. Any closer would be a violation punishable by fines, confiscations, and possible imprisonment.
It was not an easy decision, and the coastguard was in no mood to wait long for their answer.
[Chapter 17]
Jason studied the modified maps that made California look like a chain of small islands, then checked the GPS again before turning it off. Going without vegetables wasn't pleasant, but it was doable.
He looked out the back of the tiny control room at all of the seaweed drying in the sun on top of the sea container's roof. That was their vegetables now. Kelp.
The rice, peas, and beans were all but gone. They had kept a small handful of each, those that looked most promising as healthy seeds, in the event that they should ever get enough kelp to decompose and make a soil for the seeds to grow in. They had the space, if they could manage the dirt.
They had put down anchor where the ocean was shallow enough, radio reception was clear, the climate seemed moderate enough, the fish abundant enough, and the current seemed strong enough to keep the batteries charged. The massive sail was stowed away for when they could eventually decide on where to go.
They were in limbo. Canada was where everyone was leaning, but according to the radio, Canada was now experiencing
"Then," Jason asked, "just where can we go?"
"Not here."
"We're US citizens," Makayla said, hands on her hips, "and you're telling us we can't enter the US?"
"That's about the situation, Ma'am," the guardsman said.
"Now, just wait," Jason said, watching the mother boiling to a good steam, "surely there is some assistance you can render. Coordinates to where we can put in, somewhere to get more food and fuel for our stove. How about going up to Alaska or Canada? Can we put in there?"
"We can't prevent you from putting in at Canada, but their coasts have been evacuated too. Even if you survive getting to shore, there will be nobody for miles."
"What about returning to Hawaii?" Ava asked.
"There isn't much there to return to," the guardsman said.
"Look," Gina said, "you've given us a long list of can'ts, how about a few cans."
"They're radioing in on that right now. It takes time. Usually about an hour."
"Well," Makayla said, wagging her finger at the armed men, "you've been here at least that long already!"
Jason jumped in again, "If I get the maps, can you show us where the new currents are, maybe some indication on how the trade winds have shifted and such, some hazards to look out for? We've heard some things about Panama, but can't get any information about how it affected the currents down south."
The guardsman silently nodded, "Keep at least three hundred knots from Panama, you'll never survive it."
The other guardsman spoke up, "And that's if it doesn't get any worse, and that's the one direction that everything seems to be flowing."
"What about looting and riots?" Nathan asked, "Is that why you boarded so fast with guns drawn and everything? Are the riots that bad?"
"Some. Looters are about all you'll find on the coasts."
"Should we be worried about pirates—" Jason started.
"No, I wouldn't—"
"Alaska out of the question?" Jason asked again.
"For your boat, it is," one guardsman put it bluntly.
It seemed like they had survived a biblical flood, and were still somehow screwed. It didn't hardly seem fair.
After three hours of waiting, the family was given a choice by the coastguard. Because they were verified as citizens, they could officially put in a mayday and be rescued. The coastguard would deliver them a hundred miles inland by helicopter, and release them with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The guard would also be required to sink their crude little boat with all of their possessions.
The second choice was that the coastguard would release them with an official warning to venture no closer than one hundred knots from the coast of the US. Any closer would be a violation punishable by fines, confiscations, and possible imprisonment.
It was not an easy decision, and the coastguard was in no mood to wait long for their answer.
[Chapter 17]
Jason studied the modified maps that made California look like a chain of small islands, then checked the GPS again before turning it off. Going without vegetables wasn't pleasant, but it was doable.
He looked out the back of the tiny control room at all of the seaweed drying in the sun on top of the sea container's roof. That was their vegetables now. Kelp.
The rice, peas, and beans were all but gone. They had kept a small handful of each, those that looked most promising as healthy seeds, in the event that they should ever get enough kelp to decompose and make a soil for the seeds to grow in. They had the space, if they could manage the dirt.
They had put down anchor where the ocean was shallow enough, radio reception was clear, the climate seemed moderate enough, the fish abundant enough, and the current seemed strong enough to keep the batteries charged. The massive sail was stowed away for when they could eventually decide on where to go.
They were in limbo. Canada was where everyone was leaning, but according to the radio, Canada was now experiencing
Similar Books
