“Anchor’s on the bottom,” Wynn shouted.
Rafe cut the engines and the boat quickly drifted until it faced northwest, heading into the wind. From the stern Marissa could see that they were moored about thirty feet from the outer wall of the reef. The color of the water abruptly changed from emerald green over the reef to the deep sapphire of the ocean beyond.
Now that the boat was no longer moving ahead, it was more susceptible to the waves. The boat began to pitch from the waves ing into the channel at the same time it rocked back and forth from the wash of the waves cresting on the coral heads. Marissa began to feel queasy from the rough, irregular motion. Steadying herself with one hand, she turned around and made her way back to Wendy, clutching the rail with every step.
“Is this where we’re diving?” Wendy asked Rafe.
“This is it,” Rafe said.
“You ladies have a good time. But stay with -Wynn here, understand? I got some work down in the engine room, so it will be just the three of you. Don’t go swimming off on your own.”
“Lower that cage before you go below,” Wynn called.
“Oh, yeah,” Rafe said.
“I almost forgot.”
“Let’s get our suits on,” Wendy said to Marissa. She tossed Marissa’s shoulder bag to her, then went below.
Marissa was impressed how at ease Wendy seemed at sea. She negotiated the deck as calmly as if they were still back at the dock.
After passing through the saloon, Wendy entered one of the cabins. Marissa went to the one opposite and tried the door.
Finding it was locked, she tried another. It was open and she went in.
Within the confines of the narrow space, Marissa had some difficulty changing out of her clothes and into her bathing suit.
By the time she emerged, she was feeling even more nauseated than she had before she went belowdecks. The faint smell of diesel fuel no doubt contributed. When she got back on deck she felt better but still not great. She hoped that once she got into the water, the feeling would pass.
Wendy was already pulling her tank on over her buoyancy vest when Marissa reached her. Wynn was giving her a hand. Marissa slipped on her vest.
A terrible grinding screech resulted from Rafe’s efforts at deploying the shark cage. Marissa watched as the cage was lifted high above the deck, then swung out to starboard. With a high. he’d whir, it was dropped into the water.
PAC
Once Wynn had finished helping Wendy, he came over to Marissa to strap on her tank. He guided her to the stern of the boat.
Wendy was already on the dive platform, ready to go. Her mask was on, as were her heavy work gloves. As the swells hit the boat, she was alternately submerged to her knees and then dry.
After pulling on her own mask and gloves, Marissa struggled over the stern and stood next to Wendy. The water felt cold at first, but Marissa soon got used to it. The water was incredibly clear. Looking directly down, she could see the sandy bottom at about thirty feet. As she looked farther out she saw that the sand abruptly dropped off to incalculable oceanic depths.
Wendy tapped Marissa on the shoulder.
“Do you remember the diving sign language?” Wendy asked. Her voice sounded nasal with her mask covering her nose.
“Sort of,” Marissa said.
Wendy went over all the key signals, demonstrating them with her free hand. She had to hold on firmly with the other so she wasn’t knocked from the platform. Marissa held on with both hands throughout the review.
“Got them?” Wendy asked.
Marissa signaled okay.
“All right!” Wendy said, slapping her on the shoulder.
“You ladies ready?” Wynn asked. He had joined them at the stern of the boat, taking a seat on the gunwale.
Wendy said she was all set. Marissa merely nodded.
“Follow me!” Wynn said. He put in his mouthpiece, then somersaulted backwards into the water. Wendy followed almost immediately.
Marissa put in her mouthpiece and took her first breath of the cool, compressed air. Turning her head, she looked longingly into the boat. She caught sight of Rafe as he disappeared below.