Breaking Down the Wall

Chapter 7

When Brooke woke up in the morning the weather was dreary and awful. A chilly air had been swept in by the ocean, dumping all the moisture on the island. For hours it rained, soaking side walks and roads, buildings and docks. By the early afternoon, Friday harbor was saturated with the drizzle; cracks in the sidewalk were swamped and stagnant, soil turned into mud, and grass was pressed into the earth by the abundant rains.

Brooke was didn't mind the drab, gray weather. However, she always cherished staring up at a clear sky and feeling the sun's emanating warmth.

"Yo, Brooke! I need I need a hand at the helm!" Nick shouted. Brooke was on board the research boat Solomon II. She was currently perched a top the crow's nest, scanning the endless churning waters for the spouts or splashes of an orca.

"Coming, Nick!" Brooke hollered. She clambered down the Crow's Nest, carefully placing her hands and feet in secure positions, trying not to slip on the slippery steps.

Nick was getting the hang of driving the boat, but he wasn't completely confident is his abilities. By the end of the summer, Brooke thought, He'll be a tough sailor.

The water licked at the boat as it cut through the waves. The boat passed several seals sprawled out on a barnacle-infested rock. Brooke reveled in the daily boat escapades, probing the sound for orcas. Everyday they saw some sort of marine life, whether it was a tangle of kelp drifting along the current or porpoises playing in the surf.

Despite this weather, Brooke concluded, today is a good day.

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After wolfing down breakfast I headed to the docks, carrying a backpack and the film equipment. I was to meet Brooke Williams as the boat called Solomon II, which is easier said than done. I searched the jumble of boats in the harbor, looking for the Solomon II, but ended up asking for directions. Because of the heavy rain the day before, I nearly slipped on the doused pavement.

With the help of some fishermen I was able to navigate my way through the jungle of tourists and vessels. At last I found the dwarfish seine boat, tied into place by a thick rope. The words "Solomon II" were inscribed on its side, faded, but decipherable.

"Yo, Armstrong!" a scrawny young man climbed out of the boat. He had sandy blond hair, that resembled that of a dog's. A faded T-shirt clung to his chest, wet with the moisture in the air. "That's your name, right?"

I slowly nodded my head, trying to process the words. "Yeah, but you can call me Keith."

The man smiled, "Awesome! Well, Keith, you can call me Nick!"

Hoards of tourists scrambled on to a boat several yards away, titled The Sea Lion. Some quickly snapped family-photos as the climbed on board, chattering enthusiastically. Children were dressed heavily in life-vests, as their parents hurried them on to the boat.

"Whale-watching companies get a lot of business this time of year," Nick said, noticing my wandering stare, "It's definitely a tourist hotspot, no matter the weather."

I had never enjoyed watching animals. They always did nothing when I was around, yet there were thousands of videos online of them doing something crazy online. I found trips to the zoo always boring when I was a child; I didn't understand what was so fascinating about seeing chimpanzees groom each other, or tigers sunbathing on a rock. Even neighborhood cats never caught my attention as they balanced on the backyard fence.

"Nick, you forgot to pack the sunscreen. Again." A woman appeared from the cabin of the boat. She had rich black hair, pinned up in a bun. They way her face was held, in all its proportions, gave her a Native American look. She wore a jacket with "The Whale Museum" labeled on the front pocket. When she noticed my presence her scowl turned into a toothy grin. "You must be that film guy that's here to make a movie about the orcas!"

"Yep, that would be me, " I said, cowering behind my camera bag.

She snatched the bags out of my hands and tossed them on board. Her demeanor was excited and spontaneous, that of a child.

"Hey, be careful with that!" I yelled as she swung the camera bag around her shoulder, " That contains some fragile stuff!"

She turned to me, still grinning, "Relax. I won't break anything!" And with that she ducked into the cabin, giving me no time to protest.

I turned to Nick for assistance, but he just shrugged. "Sorry, about that. Mary's a bit crazy and energetic. You'll get used to it." He tucked his hands in the pockets of his pants, "She'll probably be going through your things, so I should probably go check on her."

He climbed into the Solomon II, gripping the railing with both of his hands. "You coming?" he turned and said, staring at me, as if he was trying to analyze my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm coming." I replied, and followed him aboard the Solomon II.