Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-25

tubs" said Friel. Some of the fellows
1--WE never been seasick. I don't think
| b bothers me-" volunteered. A mo-
ment later I would have swallowed the
remark. A peculiar headache was TAX
ing hold. How those walls did boble!
Guess I'll go on deck again. Cooler
up there" lurched toward the COM
! panionway, hauled myself up. The boat
| was rolling around like a cedar pole in
millrace. Waves sloshed and ham,
mered over the deck, and the darkness,
if possible, was worse.
There is about feet of space be-
tween the matches and the rail on a
patrol board The matches afford little
in the way of gripping objects. And the
rail isn't really rail, but steel cable
supported by slender steel rods which
rise only 80 inches or so above the
deck. Hand over hand / dragged my
self along this cable while the boat
rocked and dived. I was feeling very
poorly.
I reached the pilot house again, and
Cutler, Northam and I stood in silence,
only the occasional squeak OF the radio,
exchanging messages in code, breaking
the monotony of up and down.
about 20 miles," said the skipper
when asked how far out. The waves
were much worse now. Probably won't
be any business tonight" somebody
said. pretty rough" Again I decided
to go below
This, I found the minute reached
I>ae galley, was bad tactical error. the
headache, throbbing quietly in the pilot
house, now became raging demon.
For the benefit Of victims of NAL de
mer (high hat for seasicknesS) the
Coast Guard has amidships and for
ward comfort rooms for those in dis
tress. We had always been told this was
distinctly a matter to be taken up at
the rail But not on the c. G. boats. :.
You'd be swept over the first heave," "
they told me. 49,,
Somehow I reached the precious little
room. Nice little room. So handy
The skipper generously told me l
could have his bunk. IT never sleep
on these patrols Very little sleep on
patrol" he said. How true. For an
hour I lay wondering why the boat
hung together MAC" came In. ;.
$50 you we're the guy who doesn't
get seasick," he jibed;, !, II ,l knew J,
And he was SUI The bos'n's mate kindly
turned over the opposite bunk to Mac. "
We groaned In unison. The sea got
Did YOU ever watch cork on a
windy pond? A G. G. patrol boat on
the ocean is the same. Between trips
to that wonderful little room Mac ana
agreed sailors life is not an easy one;
The Coast Guard, said we, was entitled
to any credit it gets. Those boys earn
it on patrol.
Well, 1t Wasn't Their Boat!
About am. was tossed to the deck.
There was an -shattering clatter IN
the galley. The opposite bunk was
where the ceiling should be and the
boat was diving for the bottom. Both
propellers racing in the air as the stern
stuck out of water, howled a dreadful
song:
"Whoa-oa- oa -oa -ooooorrrrrr! A fear
full thought struck me.
The boat was drifting! ! could tell
from the murderous pitch as we slid
over the seas that her nose was not
pointed into the wind. Had the helms
man fallen asleep? Again that deafen-
ing clatter from the galley.
. willie is trying to cook" thought
and staggered out.
But there wasn't a soul in that rock
ing galley. Dishes, secured in crates,
and the stove, lids dashed, pots tied
down, were. nevertheless, jangling like
baby's rattle in the grip of mad
dened giant. I looked at ships clock
lis am. Just then the boat hung on
crest and with propellers screaming
that horrible tune, timbers wrenched
and a mournful groan, accompanied by
a shudder, ran through the c. G.. 112.
MAC, wake up! think the boats
sinking!" I shook him. Half awake,
he groaned, LET 'er sink. It's not our
boat" We rolled again. Mac" hit his
head on the bunk and fell back. I was
pitched to the opposite wall.
(Next-Cruisinc With the Coast Guard