Page 51 of Tiger's Voyage

“The captain, his assistant, three crewmen, a chef, two maids, and, eventually, our diving instructor.”

“Isn’t that, you know, a lot of people around? Can’t you drive the boat yourself? We are doing top secret stuff, remember? Why do we need a chef when we have the Golden Fruit?”

“Trust me, Miss Kelsey. These people have been in my employ for quite some time. Nilima has thoroughly checked their backgrounds, and they have proven themselves loyal, trustworthy, and well trained. The only newcomer is the diving instructor, but his background has also been checked, and I believe him to be aboveboard. We need a chef because the staff needs to eat as well, and they might be alarmed if food was produced without us taking on any supplies.”

I whispered, “But what if we facedragonsor something? Won’t they freak out? What if they all run away, and we have to drive this giant ship ourselves?”

Mr. Kadam laughed. “If something like that happens and our crew mutinies, then Nilima and I are fully capable of getting our ship back to shore. Don’t over-worry, Miss Kelsey. These people will not shirk in the face of danger. Come. Let us meet the captain and put some of your fears to rest.”

We stepped onto the bridge, which was a pristine gleaming window box of white and stainless steel, and found a man staring out the window with binoculars.

“Miss Kelsey, allow me to introduce Captain Diondre Dixon.”

The man lowered his binoculars, turned, and smiled. “Ah! Kadam, my friend. Is dis de young lady you been tellin’ me so much aboot, den?” He stepped closer and clapped Mr. Kadam on the back. He wore loose white pants and a green Hawaiian shirt. I recognized his accent immediately.

“You’re from Jamaica?”

“Dis is true, Miss Kelsey. De lovely island of Jamaica is de place I call home, but de sea, she is my wooman, eh?” He laughed, and I immediately liked him. I guessed he was about sixty-five. He was slightly plump, his skin was light brown, and his cheeks and forehead were darkened with freckles. He had a white beard and mustache, and his thick white hair was combed away from a receding hairline.

I shook his hand warmly and said, “It’s very nice to meet you.” I took a quick peek out the window. “How far up are we?”

Captain Dixon joined me. “I believe we be currently aboot fifty feet aboove de water line. Come. Let me show you de wheelhouse.”

Two large leather captain’s chairs sat on a dais in the middle of the room, overlooking a long console full of buttons and knobs. On top of that, at an angle, rested a row of monitors showing various readings. One was set to weather, another showed the depth of the water, and another displayed measurements that I couldn’t identify. The wall behind us had two large panels of instruments encased in glass.

“This boat is so huge! It’s amazing you can maneuver something so large using just a few buttons. It’s beautiful up here!”

“Yes. It’s a nice view. Hav’ you been on de cruise before, Miss Kelsey?”

“No. It’s my first one.”

“Ah, den I will try ta make your first cruise as comfortable as possible.”

Mr. Kadam interrupted, “Come, Miss Kelsey. The captain has many things to do to prepare for our departure, and we have a tour to complete.”

Captain Dixon smiled. “It’s good ta meet ya. I hope you enjoy de journey. Anytime you want ta visit, please stop by. Maybe we let her drive de boat aways. What you tink, Kadam?” he teased.

“I believe Miss Kelsey can do anything she sets her mind to. I’ll be back to visit you again soon, Dixon.”

“Wonderful! Until we meet again, Miss Kelsey.” He dipped his head and turned back to the window.

We left Captain Dixon behind, as Mr. Kadam took me back down the steps to show me the rest of the deck. As we walked, he told me more about the ship.

“Her length is 210 feet, 3 inches, with a beam, or width, of 41 feet, 10 inches, and a draft of 12 feet, 5 inches. She can hold approximately 30,500 gallons of fuel and 7,500 gallons of water and she has two 3,516 horsepower diesel inboard engines. She can make twenty knots, but usually cruises at sixteen.”

I was just about to tell Mr. Kadam all those figures were lost on me when he said something I finally did understand.

“This is called the sundeck,” he said and guided me to the even more impressive front of the ship where I spotted an exterior observation seating area and a sunken lounge.

The lounge was extraordinary. It looked like a fancy living room sitting right on top of a boat. A sofa and two love seats were set back against the wall. A hatch opened on either side leading back into the interior of the boat, while across from the sofa, there was a semicircle of cushioned seating in cream and black with a small oval dining table in the center. It was the perfect setting for a romantic dinner under the stars.

We entered the hatch and moved on. The sundeck had an interior lounge as well, where we could watch movies. Mr. Kadam said we also had a satellite dish that could get any channel in the world. The sundeck aft featured al fresco dining for up to twelve people and had a bar and buffet. Mr. Kadam told me we’d most likely breakfast there.

The next level down was called the observation deck. A stunning lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the ocean. In the stern was an enormous onyx-and-marble pool complete with a fountain. A spacious, professionally equipped gym and exercise area, a changing room with showers and restroom, and a juice bar completed the deck. We skipped the next deck and headed to the lower deck.

“This is where the crew cabins are located,” Mr. Kadam explained. “All of them stay here except the captain. No one is allowed on the Main Deck where our rooms are without Nilima’s permission. We can’t have them catching a glimpse of our tigers, now, can we?”

The crew quarters were set around a central lobby. Each cabin had a bathroom, which Mr. Kadam called a head, including a shower.