Rufuz and I were just out for a short cruise & up popped a storm of some pretty strong magnitude. So we did batten down the hatches as it were and engaged the auto-pilot. Still, even though the boat was running on her own, we stayed in the pilot house, worrying for our safety.
After a few hours of storm related winds and high seas, we found ourselves in what I thought was an “eye” of the storm and heading towards an island chain. Thinking I must have screwed up the directions and were approaching Bermuda, I shut down the auto pilot and brought us into a cove. The cove
was surrounded by lush, tropical greenery & a waterfall could be heard at a short distance. I dropped anchor about 50 yards from the beach, then called the Coast Guard or anyone of authority.
No answer did come through the radio, only static, nor did even the AM-FM radio have any sounds but the same white noise. It was getting to be night time so Rufuz and I did settle in for the night. The night air cool with a bright moon and, weirdly, unidentifiable stars in the night sky. Still I was not struck to think anything might be wrong as the generator did run and we enjoyed some music from a CD & went to bed after getting a buzz.
The next morning dawned bright, blue & warm and the cove looked so clean and ready for a swim, so I took Rufuz to shore in my dingy & let him take care of his business while I had an awakening & refreshing swim. After my swim and his self-walk, we went back on board, I had a shower and we both then had breakfast. Still, after a good 24 hours I had not felt anything was wrong or abnormal.
We stayed another whole day and into the next morning, reading books and checking on charts, but not noticing any problems. And again went to bed to awake the next morning quite refreshed and feeling for some reason, quite alive and almost completely pain free. What the heck, why complain, it must be the wonderful sea air.
That morning after a swim and walk for Rufuz, I started the boat and gently edged her out of the cove. That is when I first even noticed that the GPS was blank and the compass was not only off a few points, but it spun, swinging from one direction to another. Well, I guess I got out of the spin in space of a satellite that makes the GPS work, so let me get out in the ocean a bit and see what occurs then.
Once into the sea, we traveled maybe 5 nautical leaving our cove to our stern, but then off the port bow another island, not too dissimilar from the one we just left appeared and got closer.
To my starboard side dark clouds did roil and coil on the horizon so I thought it best to anchor out at this islands cove.
Was it my imagination or was this cove the exact duplicate of the last? Well I guess that’s possible as most islands are close in appearance in the tropics. I seemed quite tired and went to bed early that evening & we both slept like logs through the night and did not awaken till mid-day the next. I realize it was night when we did anchor out here last evening, but was it so dark that I did not notice that dock assembly jutting out from the beach. Well, that must mean someone is about, so let me tie up there, making it easier for Rufuz to do his business on his own when he wanted too.
After a morning swim and Ruffie taking care of his business we went exploring the island to find it WAS an exact duplicate of the previous island, actually it seemed it was the SAME island though I was sure we left it in our wake. Another funny or unusual thing was that while we slept we seemed to be refueled as I should only have 2/3rd of a tank, but somehow it registered on full. As well, any foodstuffs we used, including Ruffies dog food and milk and green tea seemed to reappear, though I am at a loss to say why.
Everytime from that day forward, whatever we used was replenished somehow and when we tried to leave our private cove, we were met with a harsh looking storm and another cove, totally the same, not far away.
So, were we being kept by some “otherworldly” force, or was it merely the triangular effects just to the west of Bermuda & east of the Florida coast. Neither Rufuz nor I complained, we were well fed, feeling younger and stronger and pain free, so we stayed till we were no longer wanted and allowed to leave. Though that has yet to have happened, you see. We are still here (there?). And this story? It didn’t as well happen, must be the effects of the Triangle, Bermuda to be exact…
© ed 10/07/08
