American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 350 The Plan to Traverse the Bahamas

"Watch closely, Lin," his voice echoed through the microphone in the live stream.

“Raven taught you the theory, but the ocean only recognizes experience. Mooring without power relies not on calculation, but on feeling, on your intuition that you and this ship are one!”

His words were clearly aimed at Lin Yu'an's computational model theory.

Instead of rushing to the dock, Mike sailed gracefully in an "S" shape from a distance, constantly making subtle adjustments to the sail and rudder angles.

Raven, standing to the side, took on the role of simultaneous commentator, her voice low and full of professionalism:
“Look, he’s carving. Just like top skiers use an S-shaped motion to control their speed before going down a steep slope.”

"He was gradually and precisely dissipating the boat's excess kinetic energy by constantly making small-angle turns into the wind. Each turn would reduce the speed."

When the boat's speed dropped to what Mike considered a perfect, extremely low speed, he calculated the combined force of the wind and water currents, precisely anticipated the lead time, and made a rudder angle.

The ship's hull, like an elegant dancer, drew a perfect arc visible to the naked eye, with its bow perfectly aligned with the narrow berth.

“Now, it’s the final step, the ‘water brake’.” Raven’s voice carried a hint of excitement.

Just before the bow of the ship was about to enter the berth, Mike suddenly turned the rudder in the opposite direction to the lock!
This maneuver utilizes the immense resistance of the rudder in the water, acting like an invisible underwater deceleration parachute, instantly offsetting the ship's last bit of forward inertia.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the "Wanderer" glided into its berth like a ghost. When it finally came to a stop, the distance between the ship's side and the dock was no more than ten centimeters.

Throughout the entire process, there was no roar of engines, no collisions as it docked; only a silent waltz where the wind and water flow were utilized to their fullest potential.

After a brief silence, the live stream chat erupted with the highest respect for the old captain.

There are 360 ​​professions, and every profession can produce an expert!

[I finally understand why Captain Mike is top-notch! His experience, his feel for the ship—it's unbeatable!]

This is a true master! Back to basics! I give this a perfect score of 101, and I'm not afraid he'll get arrogant if I give him an extra point!

Mike straightened up and turned his gaze to his daughter, his eyes filled with pride that said, "Look, sweetheart, this is what your dad has accumulated over decades."

Then, she slowly turned to Lin Yu'an, who was still deep in thought, and the camera, a calm smile on her face.

He cleared his throat, and his deep voice resonated throughout the live broadcast room through the microphone, like a university professor lecturing on the subject of his life's research:

"What you just saw was called the Silent Waltz, a beautiful name. But to me, it was more like the ultimate gamble of experience and intuition."

"Why do we have to learn this?" he asked himself, holding up one finger.

"First, for the sake of tradition. Before the invention of engines, this was how all captains returned home for hundreds of years."

"This is an ancient skill ingrained in the bones of sailors; it represents the purest understanding of the wind and the sea. To forget it is to forget where we come from."

"Secondly, it's about survival. Your engine could fail at any moment—the fuel might be dirty, the cooling pipes might be clogged, the driveshaft might break..."

"When that day really comes, and you have to go to port to avoid the storm, this skill is the last line of defense between you and death. It is a real survival skill."

He began to pace, like a monarch touring his kingdom.

"The difficulty of this technology lies in the fact that you have to quickly deal with all the variables. Today the wind is 12 knots, blowing from a 115-degree direction. How much lateral thrust will it exert on my boat?"

"The water flow in the harbor is 0.5 knots, flowing outwards. How much of my forward momentum will it offset?"

"My boat, the Wanderer, weighs 1.5 tons. How much kinetic energy does it store when it's sailing at 2 knots?"

"At what distance do I need to begin my 'S'-shaped deceleration so that I can use up all this energy precisely before reaching the berth?"

"Finally, it's about timing—when to make that final reverse rudder strike and create water braking."

"A second too early, and you'll be awkwardly parked outside the parking space; a second too late, and you'll hear the sound of your wallet breaking."

His words, profound yet simple, were full of vivid imagery and a sense of pressure, giving all the viewers in the live stream a completely new understanding of the difficulty and importance of this skill.

Holy crap! A single conversation with you is worth more than ten years of study!

[So much intricacies were behind that short one-minute operation!]

I can't even imagine how incredibly skilled those captains in history must have been!

Mike basked in everyone's admiration and praise, knowing that his demonstration had perfectly achieved its purpose.

He turned back to Lin Yu'an, transforming that master's demeanor into a direct challenge to the student:
"Alright, students. I've finished the theory lesson. I've also finished the demonstration. Now, drive it out. Then, bring it back in the same way."

Lin Yu'an took a deep breath. He knew this was the most difficult hurdle of the day, and also Captain Mike's challenge.

He steered the boat to the same spot, frantically replaying and analyzing every move Mike had made, every rudder angle, and every subtle maneuver using the wind in his mind.

Mike's "feelings" were quickly quantified in his brain into a series of precise data and instructions.

Then, the first attempt began.

He almost perfectly replicated all of Mike's steps, with precise speed control and elegant steering.

However, during the final step of "water braking," there was a slight deviation in the judgment of inertia, and the timing was a fraction of a second too late.

Although the ship eventually entered the berth, its bow gently kissed the dock's crash barrier.

“Failure.” Mike’s voice was merciless. “Any uncontrolled contact with the dock is a failure! In a real voyage, this would damage your bow. Try again!”

Ah...so close! What a pity!

[That's already incredibly impressive! For someone to do that on their first attempt, my ship would have been adrift by now!]

[Old Man Mike is too strict! Is it because he's the future son-in-law that he's so harsh? (doge)]

[The person upstairs should stop showing off their low IQ. I've said it a million times, Brother Lin already has two kids.]

Undeterred, Lin Yu'an immediately began his second attempt.

This time, all his actions appeared more confident.

In the final stretch before entering the berth, I glanced back at the direction in which an inconspicuous Stars and Stripes flag was fluttering on the dock.

It was this detail that allowed him to anticipate the changes in the breeze acting on the ship at the last moment!

He counter-steered even earlier than Mike! Because he calculated that the slight tailwind would give his boat an extra fraction of a second of acceleration!
Finally, the Wanderer once again glided into its berth like a ghost. This time, it came to a perfect stop just centimeters from the dock!
Mike's proud expression froze. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"My God..." Raven watched with wide eyes. Just one look and two practice sessions, and not only mastered it, but even improved upon it? This was beyond her comprehension.

She couldn't help but step forward, stroke his forehead, and ask, half-jokingly and half-seriously, her voice filled with disbelief:

"I'm really curious, what kind of processor is installed in your brain?"

This sudden, slightly intimate gesture startled Lin Yu'an.

He could feel the coolness and softness of her fingertips, and the intense curiosity gleaming in her blue, jewel-like eyes so close to his.

[Raven has made her move! A gentle head pat!]

[Raven: Let me see how your CPU is structured!]

[I hereby declare that Lin Shen has progressed from beginner to graduate! He's ready to graduate!]

Lin Yu'an instinctively tried to avoid it, but Ruiwen had already withdrawn her fingers.

He could only smile helplessly and defuse the awkward atmosphere with a slightly humorous reply: "Probably...made in China."

This answer made Raven laugh, while Mike, after his initial shock, burst into hearty laughter.

He lost, but he accepted it wholeheartedly, and was even... a little proud.

The day's lessons ended in a way that left both coaches feeling that the teaching progress was "completely out of control." Lin Yu-an also ended the day's live stream.

On the way back, the setting sun cast long shadows of the father and daughter at the dock.

“Dad,” Raven finally couldn’t help but ask, “is it... really only the second day?”

“I don’t know,” Mike shook his head, lit the half-smoked cigar, and looked at the man with a complicated expression.

“I’ve been teaching boating for twenty years, Raven. I’ve seen talented people, but I’ve never seen anyone like him.”

“Any action that has appeared before his eyes once can be immediately understood in terms of its underlying physical logic, and then copied or even optimized.”

“Teaching ASA 101 step by step would be a waste of all our time for him.” Mike made a major decision. “His physical fitness, reaction and learning abilities are far beyond those of a beginner. What he lacks is diverse marine experience.”

Raven's eyes lit up: "So..."

“That’s right,” Mike looked at his daughter and smiled, “We need to give him a real challenge in his teaching.”

That evening, Lin Yu'an had just finished a video call with Ailiya and the others when Mike called.

On the phone, Mike sounded more excited than ever before.

“Lin, first of all, congratulations. Tom from the Coast Guard just called me.”

“Based on video evidence, they located the Viking fishing boat involved in the incident at a private dock in less than five hours.”

"None of the idiots on the ship escaped; they were all taken away. Your lawyer can start preparing to pop the champagne."

"Good news." Lin Yu'an was not surprised by this.

“Now, here’s the second piece of news,” Mike’s voice became serious.

“Raven and I have reassessed your abilities and our teaching plan. We agree that teaching you ASA courses in a step-by-step manner would be a waste of your talent.”

Lin Yu'an listened quietly.

"Therefore, we have designed a brand new, completely customized teaching program for you. We will skip all the basic courses and go straight to the accelerated training mode for ocean-going captains."

"We will embark on a real 15-day voyage, departing from Fort Lauderdale, heading south, traversing the entire Bahamas, reaching the Turks and Caicos Islands, and then returning, covering a total distance of over 1000 nautical miles."

Captain Mike's voice on the other end of the phone was full of challenge: "For the next fifteen days, you will no longer be a trainee. You will be the apprentice captain of this ship."

“Raven and I are your first mates, and we will not interfere with any of your decisions except in extreme circumstances that endanger the safety of the ship. But we will keep a record of every mistake you make.”

"If you can safely bring the North Star back to Fort Lauderdale in fifteen days, and your performance satisfies us."

"I, Mike Montgomery, will personally issue you all ASA certifications from 101 to 106, and even 108 (ocean voyages) in my own name."

"We will replace all the boring courses with a real voyage."

"So, do you dare to accept this challenge, born captain?"

A flame, brighter than ever before, ignited in Lin Yu'an's eyes.

"why not?"

“Very good!” Mike seemed to have expected this answer.

"Well then, Captain, your first task begins now. Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, I need to see a simple 'Sailing Plan'."

"Remember, this isn't homework in a classroom. This is a contract that will determine the fate of the three of us for the next two weeks."

"But don't worry, I will eventually help you refine this voyage plan."

After hanging up the phone, a real mountain appeared before Lin Yu'an, a mountain that required wisdom and knowledge to climb.

Lin Yu'an didn't slack off at all and immediately entered a state of extreme work.

The entire hotel room was transformed into a makeshift command center over the next few hours.

A professional ocean voyage plan is far more complex than simply planning a route; it is a massive, multi-dimensional system engineering project.

He laid out a huge paper chart covering the entire Bahamas navigation area on the smooth floor.

Under the lights, the blue world composed of countless contour lines, navigational symbols, and danger signs slowly unfolded before his eyes.

His gaze started from the Florida coastline, crossed the deep Gulf Stream, and traveled south, sweeping over Bimini, Nassau, Eleuthera... these islands scattered like pearls in the Caribbean Sea.

First, in my mind, I broke down this long voyage of over a thousand nautical miles into a dozen or so shorter segments that were easier to manage.

Each segment ends at an island port where supplies can be replenished or shelter from the wind. It's like planning a trek through the wilderness, where you must first identify each safe campsite.

Then he picked up the divider and protractor and began the oldest and most reliable drawing work.

The compass's two legs precisely traversed the distances on the nautical chart, and the pencil-drawn course perfectly avoided every shoal marked in purple and those symbols representing death traps.

For each planned turning point, he clearly marked the precise latitude, longitude, and magnetic heading in neat handwriting.

After doing all this, he turned on his computer and logged into a professional marine meteorological service website called "PredictWind".

It is used by the world's top long-distance sailing captains and racing teams.

On the screen, the meteorological data for the next fifteen days flowed before his eyes like a symphony score, presented in the form of dynamic cloud maps, air pressure maps, and wind force maps.

He couldn't just look at "sunny days" or "rainy days" like ordinary people; his eyes were searching for patterns in the wind and interpreting changes in air pressure.

My fingers flew across the keyboard as I downloaded forecast model data from several of the world's top meteorological centers, including those in Europe, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

He imported this data into an analysis software for cross-comparison. In his view, even the subtle differences between the different models represented different possibilities.

"...On the seventh day, the GFS model predicted a change in wind direction, but the ECMWF model showed that the high-pressure system was stable..." he muttered to himself, like a chess player playing a game against the future.

His gaze finally settled on the forecast chart for around the tenth day.

There, deep in the Caribbean Sea, a spiral cloud system, representing low pressure, is quietly brewing. It is a potential tropical disturbance, the biggest variable in the upcoming voyage.

Highlight this area with a red marker and, on your notebook, begin designing three different emergency response plans around it.

With the flight routes and weather resolved, the next step was the tedious but crucial legal process.

This is an international voyage, and any oversight in the procedures could lead to delays or even cancellation of the trip.

He logged onto the official website of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, found the "Private Vessel Departure Declaration System," and entered the registration documents of the Polaris and the passport information of the three people.

I also downloaded the Bahamas entry app, scanned and uploaded all the documents in advance, and applied for a "cruising permit".

He created an extremely detailed "Voyage Plan Report Form" for this voyage.

This document was not given to any official agency, but was instead encrypted and sent to Scout's private email address.

It contained their detailed itinerary, the estimated arrival time at each port, a list and serial numbers of all emergency equipment on board, and even the blood types and allergies of the three individuals.

If they fail to report back to shore safely by the agreed time, this document will become Scout's life map for launching a global rescue operation.

In the hotel room, the aroma of coffee mingled with the sound of a printer, and various nautical charts and forms covered the entire desk and floor.

Lin Yu'an was like a general about to go to the battlefield, preparing every detail as perfectly as possible to ensure that nothing went wrong.

Finally, and most mentally taxing, was the material planning step. He opened an Excel spreadsheet and created an extremely detailed material procurement list.

Drinking water: 3 people x 15 days x 3 liters per day = 135 liters. He set a safety reserve of 200 liters.

Food: He divided the 15-day diet into three phases.

Fresh ingredients: steak, chicken breast, eggs, milk, fresh leafy green vegetables (lettuce, spinach), and fruits (oranges, apples, bananas).

Foods that store well include: potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, frozen meats, bacon, and sausages.

The list of canned and dried goods includes: various pasta, rice, canned beans, canned tuna, and luncheon meat.

Entertainment-oriented dining was listed as a separate category at the end of the list.

The label reads: "Hot Pot" induction cooker, tomato/mushroom soup base, sesame sauce, frozen lamb rolls, and a range of complementary ingredients including enoki mushrooms, tofu, and glass noodles.

High-energy snacks (nuts, energy bars); and most importantly—coffee, tea, and alcohol.

All night long, in his hotel room, the aroma of coffee mingled with the sound of the printer, and various nautical charts and forms covered the entire desk and floor.

On the morning of the third day, when Lin Yu'an arrived at the dock again, the air seemed to be filled with a completely different atmosphere from the previous two days.

Mike and Raven didn't wait for him by the Wanderer, but instead stood in front of a spacious T-shaped berth at the deepest part of the dock.

There, a graceful and majestic white beast rested quietly.

(End of this chapter)