American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 367 Anchored on Rose Island

The crisp calls of seabirds, along with the melodious chimes of the Queen's Steps Church, together awaken the morning in Nassau.

After a good night's sleep, the fatigue from the previous day's voyage was completely washed away by the gentle rocking of the waves.

Lin Yu'an opened his eyes and looked out through the small porthole. He could see the morning light above the dock, which dyed the calm harbor a warm, pale gold.

As Lin Yu-an stepped out of the cabin, he was immediately enveloped by a refreshing ocean scent and the rich aroma of coffee.

Captain Mike, barefoot and wearing only a pair of beach shorts, was on the deck, carefully rinsing the salt crystals that had clung to the hull and rigging from the previous night's voyage, using a fresh water hose, just like a diligent old farmer.

"Good morning, Mike." Lin Yu'an handed him a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

"Good morning." Mike took the coffee, took a big gulp, then gestured with his chin toward the kitchen with a helpless yet indulgent smile.

“Raven is really showing off her skills inside. She says you stole the show at dinner last night, and she has to defend the honor of the Montgomery family’s kitchen at breakfast today.”

"She also warned us that we would be consuming a lot of energy today and that we had to finish everything she made."

Lin Yu'an smiled upon hearing this, walked into the kitchen, and saw Ruiwen humming a light rock song, wearing a cute apron, and simultaneously processing bacon and eggs in a frying pan.

Although her movements were not as methodical as Lin Yu'an's, they possessed a casual yet skillful quality.

Sunlight streamed in through the skylight on the ship's roof, casting a golden glow on her shoulder-length hair. At that moment, she didn't look like a powerful captain capable of navigating storms.

She's more like a girl next door enjoying her holiday while preparing breakfast for her family.

"Good morning, Captain." She turned around and smiled when she heard footsteps, playfully shaking the spatula in her hand.

"Do you need any help?" Lin Yu'an leaned against the door, arms crossed. "I'm afraid our chef might mistake salt for sugar."

“Hey!” Raven glared at him, feigning anger.

A hearty breakfast consisting of perfectly fried sunny-side-up eggs, crispy bacon, toasted bread covered in butter, and fresh fruit that Lin Yu-an had bought the day before was quickly placed on the teak dining table on the aft deck.

The three of them enjoyed this rare moment of tranquility in the bright morning light and refreshing sea breeze.

On the dock, other boat owners also came out of their cabins one after another, greeting each other loudly across the waterway a few meters wide, and exchanging their opinions on today's weather.

“The weather is nice,” Mike said, looking at the weather map on his phone. “Wind 10 knots, southeasterly, no clouds. It’s a good day for swimming.”

After breakfast, Mike volunteered to wash the dishes, while Lin Yu-an and Rui-wen held a brief pre-flight meeting at the dining table.

Raven opened her iPad, pulled up the nautical chart, and officially took on the role of captain. "Today's agenda is simple. According to the plan, our main task is to teach diving."

She zoomed in on the nautical chart, and the specially marked area of ​​sea appeared as a mesmerizing light green, like a translucent piece of jade on the screen.

"Our destination is this shallow beach on the north side of Rose Island. We will set sail at 9:30 a.m. and expect to arrive in one hour."

“I have assessed the seabed topography, water depth, and current conditions here,” she said, pulling up a hydrographic map.

"With a sandy seabed, an average depth of 4 meters, and three sides of coral reefs serving as natural barriers, it perfectly blocks the swells of the open sea, making it a perfect location for calm water skills training."

"We will stay there for about three to four hours to complete the first unit of the OW course."

"What about this afternoon?" Lin Yu'an asked, turning his gaze to Ruiwen.

"Hehe, if you're lucky enough to pass Coach Raven's test, I'll take you here for an open-water shipwreck exploration."

Raven tapped the shipwreck marker with her finger, her face full of confidence and a hint of challenge.

"Of course, the premise is that you, this genius student who only studied for one night, can truly turn the theory into muscle memory and successfully pass all the skills tests this morning."

“Otherwise…” she drawled, “the afternoon’s plan will have to be changed to watching Coach Raven explore the shipwreck on her own from the boat.”

“It’s a deal then.” Lin Yu’an accepted the challenge without backing down.

[Bahamas time, Day 3 of sailing, 10:45 AM]

After nearly an hour of easy sailing, Rose Island, which looked like a green crescent moon on the nautical chart, was clearly visible at the bow of the Polaris.

Lin Yu'an turned off the autopilot, took control of the steering wheel, and began to slow down.

Raven then went to the bow, opened the anchor chain locker located below the deck, and prepared to drop anchor.

“Alright, Captain,” her voice came through the intercom at the bow, clearly echoing in the cockpit.

"Before you become a 'fish,' let's complete the last task of being a sailor—dropping anchor. This will also be a small test of your captain's abilities."

Lin Yu'an smiled; he knew this was part of the teaching process.

"Please speak, Coach Raven."

"See that patch of sand that's the lightest color?" Raven pointed to a circular area in front of her that looked milky white in the sunlight.

“That’s our ‘parking lot’ for today. Our goal is to get the boat in the middle of the sand and make sure our anchor is firmly in the sand, not caught on the coral next to it.”

"receive."

“Now, all you need to do is steer the boat slowly across that sandy area with the bow facing the wind,” Raven began issuing a series of precise instructions.

"Tell me when you feel that the ship's position is about 15 meters beyond your ideal anchoring point."

"Remember, the ship has inertia, and we need to anchor it as it drifts forward."

Lin Yu'an calmly steered the Polaris, and the huge ship, under his control, glided silently against the breeze, as if gliding on ice, heading towards the sandy area.

His eyes were fixed on the numbers on the depth sounder and the GPS chart, while his brain rapidly calculated the combined effects of wind, current, and ship inertia.

“Water depth 4.5 meters... wind speed 8 knots, headwind... current speed almost zero…” He silently recited the data in his mind.

When the bow of the ship passed the center of the sand, he did not give the order immediately. Instead, he let the ship continue to drift forward for about two ship lengths.

"Now!" he decisively ordered over the walkie-talkie.

“Roger!” Raven immediately pressed the “lower” button on the electric anchor winch located at the bow of the ship.

"Crash, la, la, la-"

The thick galvanized anchor chains, like giant steel pythons awakening, began to rush out of the anchor chain hold at high speed, plunging into the clear seawater with a tremendous roar!

The huge, plowshare-shaped "triangular plowshare anchor" at the front, under the force of gravity, precisely struck the pristine white sand.

"Anchor has touched the bottom!" Raven reported loudly, looking at the depth marker on the anchor chain. "Depth 4.5 meters! We plan to deploy 25 meters of anchor chain, with an anchor-to-moor ratio of approximately 5:1!"

“Agreed!” Lin Yu’an responded, while gently shifting into reverse, allowing the boat to slowly move backward.

This maneuver was crucial, its purpose being to utilize the recoil of the ship to allow the plowshare anchor, which had sunk into the sand, to "plow" deeper into the sand, generating maximum grip. He could clearly feel a powerful pull coming from the bow the moment the anchor chain was fully taut.

The entire Polaris suddenly stopped, then came to a steady stop in place, like a horse completely tethered by an invisible rein, without any further drifting.

"The anchor is firmly in place!" Raven shouted at the bow, confirming that she could even tell from the vibrations on the deck beneath her feet that the anchor had taken a firm grip on the seabed.

They successfully created a stable and peaceful temporary home for themselves in this paradise-like bay.

Lin Yu'an turned off the engine, and instantly, the whole world fell silent.

The low growl of the diesel engine disappeared, leaving only the gentle murmur of the breeze rustling through the mast and the soft sound of the waves lapping against the hull.

The distinct layers of turquoise seawater rippled gently beneath the ship, revealing the clear, fine white sand at the bottom. Sunlight pierced through the clear water, creating a shimmering golden net of light on the seabed.

Several brightly colored coral fish darted curiously beneath the boat. This place was practically a palette of colors left behind by God in the Caribbean.

“Well done, Captain.” Raven walked back to the cockpit with an approving smile. “Your judgment was spot on; the mooring position was almost perfect. Test passed.”

"So, may I begin my lesson now, Coach?" Lin Yu'an replied with a smile.

“Alright, my dear student,” Raven clapped her hands, officially entering coach mode.

Her tight-fitting sun-protective wetsuit perfectly accentuated her fit figure, exuding professionalism and strength.

"Before we put on this 'spacesuit' that can take us to another world, the first step is to learn how to assemble and inspect it as if it were our own life."

"Lin, now, treat it as your weapon and familiarize yourself with every part of it."

She pointed to the Atomic T3 regulator, Halcyon backflight system, and brand-new aluminum gas cylinders on the ground, preparing to begin the most basic instruction.

Captain Mike, standing to the side, crossed his arms, wore sunglasses, and had an expression of watching a good show.

He leaned against the ship's railing and winked at Lin Yu'an: "Lin, study hard. Raven was much stricter as an instructor than as captain."

"If you dare to make a mistake underwater, she will show you what a real 'devil' is."

"Dad! Stop messing around!" Raven glared at him.

She cleared her throat, picked up her BCD (buoyancy adjustment vest), and began to explain.

"The first step is connecting the BCD and the gas tank. The BCD is your underwater flight backpack, and the gas tank is your 'fuel tank'."

As she explained, she prepared to demonstrate. "The first step in connecting them is to wet the BCD's cylinder securing straps, which increases friction."

"Then put it on the gas cylinder, making sure the valve is level with the back of your head..."

However, before she could finish speaking, she saw Lin Yu'an pick up the BCD and skillfully dip the straps into the seawater.

Then, precisely slip it onto the gas cylinder, adjust the height, and finally pull the fastener outwards and then inwards with a "click," neatly and cleanly fastening the strap.

The whole process was so smooth and natural, it was as if they had done it hundreds of times before.

Raven's explanation stopped abruptly, and she froze: "No, you... you didn't watch the PADI tutorial videos last night, did you?"

"I only glanced at the structural diagram in the instruction manual," Lin Yu'an replied calmly.

“Okay…” Raven felt her teaching rhythm had been disrupted again.

She took a deep breath, forcefully bringing the lesson back on track, and pointed to the regulator that gleamed with the luster of titanium alloy.

"The second step is to connect your lifeline—the regulator. This is the most intricate part of the entire system."

She picked up the regulator, ready to explain how to distinguish between DIN and Yoke interfaces, and how to connect the first stage head.

But she was a step too slow again. Lin Yu'an had already picked up the regulator, unscrewed the dust cover on the DIN interface, and checked whether the O-ring seal on the gas cylinder valve was intact.

Then align the threaded end of the regulator with the internal thread of the gas cylinder valve and rotate gently until tightened.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Mike couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted with a laugh.

"Lin, are you here to cause trouble? At least give our coach some face. Can't you just pretend you don't know anything?"

Lin Yu'an stopped what he was doing with a sense of helplessness.

Raven was both amused and exasperated. She felt less like she was teaching a student and more like she was giving a review test to a "veteran" who was pretending to be a novice.

She decided to skip all the operational steps and go straight to the core theory.

She pointed to the regulator in Lin Yu'an's hand and asked, "Okay, now that you've figured it out, tell me, what are the functions of a Level 1 helmet and a Level 2 helmet?"

Lin Yu'an picked up the regulator, which resembled a work of art, as if introducing a familiar tool.

"The first stage is the core of the entire system. Its function is to reduce the high-pressure air in the cylinder, which is more than 200 atmospheres, to a medium pressure, which is about 9.5 to 10 atmospheres higher than the ambient pressure."

"Then, through these pipelines with different functions, medium-pressure air is delivered to each component."

He pointed to the main secondary stage and the backup yellow secondary stage: "These two are secondary decompression devices, which reduce the medium-pressure air to the same level as the ambient pressure at our depth for us to breathe."

He then pointed to the thin, high-pressure hose connected to the pressure gauge: "Only this one is a high-pressure hose. It connects directly to the high-pressure chamber of the first stage head and is used to monitor the remaining pressure in the cylinder. The hoses connecting the BCD filling valve and the second stage head are medium-pressure hoses."

Before he could finish speaking, Raven couldn't help but interrupt him. She felt that if she didn't regain the initiative, today would not be a teaching session, but rather his personal knowledge popularization show.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" She waved her hand, half-laughing and half-crying. "That's enough! That's enough! You've already graduated from the theory part! Let's skip it! Now, put it on and get ready to go in the water!"

Mike shook his head and laughed. He stood up and stretched.

"Alright, it seems there's nothing more for me to do here." He walked to the side of the boat and began to untie the rope of the small inflatable kayak at the stern.

"You two young people can have fun. I, this old man, won't bother you any longer."

"I'm going to sunbathe near that coral reef over there, and maybe I can catch a few groupers to add to my dinner."

He turned to Raven and reminded her, "Remember, safety first, don't go too far."

"Got it, Dad!"

Mike paddled his little yellow kayak slowly toward the distant coral reef, leaving this paradise-like bay entirely to Lin Yu'an and Ruiwen.

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(End of this chapter)