“87 Degrees” – Moonrise

He grasped the wheel and looked down at the binnacle where the compass card wallowed lazily, its luminous face visible in the darkness. The boat was heading eastwards. He released the lashings on the wheel and peered forward. His eyes strained to see anything beyond the boundaries of the boat. There was no horizon and he felt that he was sailing through dark nothingness. The only light came from the stars overhead, their occasional reflections on the surrounding sea and the glimmer of the hurricane lamp in the cabin around the hatchway. The only sounds were the hiss of the bow-wave and the occasional slap of a wave on the windward side. He could feel a gentle breeze on his right cheek.

Gazing ahead, quite suddenly he became aware of a bright silvery blue light bobbing in the darkness ahead of the forestay. As he watched it grew larger and brighter. It was the full moon rising in the sky. 

As the moon rose it seemed to separate the sea from the sky. For the first time waves became visible in silver track between the moon and the bow of the boat. Absentmindedly, he stepped around the wheel and, holding it with one hand, switched on the echo-sounder. Returning to the steering position he watched the flickering red bar. No definite indication of a bottom at all. He was sailing alone, over a bottomless ocean towards an unknown destination. He turned his attention forward again towards the moon rising in the cloudless sky.

 (20th December 2016 – 256 words)