Jimmy nods firmly to Leaf and looks to Ly.

"And Captain Kim, are you ready to go now as well?"

 Capt'n Kim grins "Just bring any extra buckets you can for those without sea legs. The deck will be slippery enough"

"Then all aboard that are coming, time to cast off!"

Jimmy boards himself again, and does more last minute checks.

"I'll get the bow line.", Lina said as the walked to front of the boat. She untied the bow line from the piling and coiled the line.

"Clear on the bow.", she said as she coiled the rope and got ready to step on board.

Elliot checks the lines securing any cargo and then takes his seat for the roller coaster ride to come. "The Pacific Ocean is lovely this time of year," he jokes.

In reply to Elliot Charles Pendergrass (msg # 9):

Elliot's dry humour was spot-on. The trip started out from New Da Nang peacefully enough in the sheltered waters of Puget Sound. They chugged around and past several Puget Sound islands to finally get to the open waters of the Georgia Straight. (So-named not after the American state or Soviet Republic but King George III.) Off to the north was the faint line of Vancouver Island, but they hugged the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula.

Once they got out into more open water the boat began to heave as the waves got higher and topped with foam from the westerly wind. Rain started to fall from grey skies.

PD Note: everyone may make an CON check at SB (Skill Base = Attribute x 2%) to avoid seasickness. This is a Simple task so your SB is raised by +20%. Post rolls in you post or the Skill check thread.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:44, Thu 10 May 2018.

Jimmy commences to being violently seasick.

"I would take the drammamine if I could keep it down.. ugh..."

The rolling and the tossing of the boat soon took their toll on Mahalina. After a brief fight, her breakfast refused to stay down and decorated the side of the boat and a portion of the port rail. She sheepishly wiped at it with her hand and let the spray rinse it off.

Sitting in the semi sheltered lee of the cockpit, Lina wondered how much further it was to their destination.

Elliot is able to handle the pitching and rolling. He keeps a good check on the cargo while the rest of the crew is settling down and becoming uncomfortable.

Andy looks a little green as the boat rises and falls with the waves.  Seeing some of his teammates lean over the side, He kept his eyes out on the horizon.

Seeing Elliot checking the gear, Andy pitches in to help, keeping alert to the water around them and any needs on deck.

In reply to Andy Maxwell Flasch (msg # 14):

The rocky bay where they anchored in for the night was sheltered. Those feeling seasick (Jimmy, Tina Marie, Andy, Lina, Jenna) still felt ill, although much improved. Trees began whipping with the wind and rain came in intermittent gusts as what seemed to be a storm built up.

In reply to Project Director (msg # 15):

Leaf said approvingly to Kim, "this is a really Skookum* boat you have! That trip would have taken days by kayak and we're only halfway there.

"Jimmy, this is Amerind lands. I know the people, though. Makahs, and I have friends here. If we're going to anchor here tonight do we want to go ashore? If we remain anchored here out in the bay we probably won't be bothered, especially in this weather, but it won't be very pleasant at all.

"If we do camp ashore I should probably go check with the local Makah sooner rather than later. If you like I can do this. Should take a couple hours before I'm back."

*PD Note: Jimmy can attempt to translate this Native word using Linguistics.

A grin from Jimmy "Very Skookum indeed, Leaf.  I ever mention to you I am half Amerind myself?  Other coast, from the Iroquois tribes."

He looks to his team-mates.  "It means Impressive, Brave, strong."

He stabilizes, though certainly still feeling a little green.

"Might be good for morale for some of us to spend some time on land.  Hold some food down for a few hours."
"Sure Leaf, if we can get in safely."
"Captain, how many do you need to stay aboard?"

Capt'n Kim scratches his his chin "Me and one other, going to sleep well tonight in my own bed being rocked to sleep"

"I'm sorry, Kim.  Someone else will have to stay on board. I need to get back on shore for a bit and I'll be good.", Lina said simply.

She was dead tired and hungry but the thought of food brought her back to the edge of nausea. A couple hours off of the boat would do her good.

"I'm up for it," Elliot says. "I'll stay on board with the Captain."

It was good to have the taste of salt on the wind and in his beard again. The weather was nothing to an ex Royal Marine who had spent most of his early career on boarding parties in the South Atlantic and North Sea. But he was sympathetic to the others on his team and did the best as he could keeping people hydrated and semi comfortable on the crossing.

Making friends and allies was good practice as was not pissing off the locals so Tim was keen on Leaf Water Wind to go and talk to anyone who maybe able to help. A little local intel would be good as well.

-

"Some of us should get camp set up then, and would like to make sure we aren't surprised during the night."

Andy nods at Leaf's suggestion.  "I would think you should take one of us with you.  Probably best to travel in pairs at least."

OOC: Andy passed his seasickness check but with only 1 level of success.

Jimmy nods to Andy.

"I was planning on accompanying Miss Leaf, picking up some local language and customs while at it."

He grins.  "My primary job duties were originally Contact Specialist.

He gestures to the Zodiac.

"Once Captain Kim gives us clearance I want the Zodiac readied and our shore party packing and getting ready to go.  Miss Leaf, were you planning on using your own transport?"

Capt'n Kim gives a thumbs up "All ashore who is going ashore.... bi-yo de-Nachos"

Lina grabbed her pack and carbine and placed next to the zodiac for loading.  Then waited to see that everyone else was packing.

In reply to Andy Maxwell Flasch (msg # 23):

"Andy, I can take care of myself and the Makah and my people are old friends. But I think that's fine and they'll be cool."

She nodded at Jimmy offering to come. "You got it, Jimmy! I guess if you are coming with me we'll need another boat? Let's leave the Kayak here, take the Zodiac."

In reply to Leaf Water Wind (msg # 27):

They were anchored just off a small inlet immediately to the east of Neah Bay. Neah Bay had been a central part of the Makah Reservation (aka "Rez") before the war.

With a bit of organising Leaf and Jimmy went ashore. They navigated the Zodiac through a gap in the rocky shoreline, finding a tiny inlet inside nestled among the thickly forested hills. A couple small cedar dugout canoes and three large ocean canoes were pulled far up on the sandy beach to almost beneath the trees. If they were given permission to anchor in the tiny inlet they would be quite sheltered from the wind and waves.

Standing at the verge of the sandy beach and the trees was an elaborately-carved totem pole carved from a massive cedar log.

After a few minutes trek west and up along a path in the deep woods they came to a traditional-looking Pacific Northwest native lodge nestled in a clearing under the trees. Water dripped from the trees around them, and salmon were smoking on several racks over a fire. The outside cedar-plank walls were decorated by native totems from legend and religion. It looked like maybe 60 people could fit into this flat-topped long house. There were also another large cedar totem pole in the middle of the clearing featured familiar-seeming west-coast totems. A half-completed large ocean canoe under construction was propped on a low log trestle under a lean-to, surrounded by tools and a thick carpet of cedar chips.

Leaf went up to the door, knocked and spoke a few words in Makah. An Amerind man without clothing came to the door and greeted her. They spoke a little and the man nodded at Jimmy. She said something in reply and the man seemed to accept her explanation.

PD Note: Jimmy can make a Linguistics check to understand the conversation, plus a Culture check (for Anthropology) about the totem poles.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:58, Mon 04 June 2018.

In reply to Project Director (msg # 28):

Part of the conversation included the English phrase "Morrow Project". From what Jimmy could follow it seemed the exchange was relatively friendly.

Leaf translated, "Sea Otter is the local clan head and is basically welcoming us. I told him who you were, but he's never heard of the Morrow Project. Around here Amerinds usually steer clear of white men as most of the time they are bad news if they don't know them or aren't allies like us Fishers. I haven't told him about the political outcome in Seattle, but I can if you like.

"He says we can trade if we want and that we are welcome to anchor offshore or even come in and camp on the beach. He hasn't heard of anything unusual from down south on the coast."