Kwanzaa Dolphins

Short Story

Kwanzaa's Dolphins

The well-built seafaring ancient dhow, MvDestiny, left the port city of Haven of Peace on a full moon night, for the famous Swahili port town of Heartdrop to celebrate the festival of Kwanzaa. She steered from her sanctuary on serene motion, passing larger liners, and titanic cruise ships, anchored at sea. Navigating out to the open sea the same route she has taken since her christen, half century ago. Destiny's passengers were already in a festive and joyous mood, singing and dancing in their native Swahili beat telling of the first harvest celebrations. The stars were dazzling and glittery, and the calm night sky was showing off her bright full moon when a sudden change in weather started lashing violent Thunder, heavy rain and colossal tidal waves. By midnight, half way through her twenty-five mile journey, it appeared the vessel was tilting down on the left side with her over-capacity human cargo on board. Destiny was taking in water. Nevertheless, her experienced Captain shrugged the startled occurrence sailing with shrill risk of speed. Captain was an Islander and tall, his shoulder length curly black hair parted exactly dressed in a full piece, blue overall with his trademark binoculars always dangling on his chest. For a few moments, he stood steadily watching the passengers as they frantically struggled to keep themselves still from the pounding of the waves.

"Calm down everyone, move to the right side of the deck Captain said sternly.

A woman carrying her infant baby girl struggled to the other side, in frantic, other passengers pushed her to the edge. One of Destiny's crew, a short bulky man dressed in traditional Bantu dress, grabbed the woman and her baby before disaster struck. Passengers were praying and some seem to recite their last rites as the dhow was taking more and more water despite the hard work of the crew who were desperately flushing out the incoming water. Captain Sultana was trying to steer the vessel to the shore that was nowhere to be found through his binoculars. As last resort all cargo on aboard had to be thrown out to sea. Gunnysacks of coconuts, sugar, and cream of wheat, destine for big celebration were being thrown out to sea. Chaos, disorder, and mayhem possessed the once joyous and blissful voyage. Captain Sultana had no choice but to make ultimate decision and order to abandon the boat. As the first passengers were about to desert Destiny, jump the boat and seek their faith. The boat was balancing on the rough waters and was guided without the captain on the wheel. The captain, his crew, and the passengers stunned by phenomenon. An immediate gaze at both sides of the soon to be defunct boat revealed the miracle; two guardian angels on each side of destiny.
Two juvenile male bottlenose dolphins, one on each side of destiny were maneuvering the course of Destiny and balancing against the rough waters of Indian Ocean.
The legend goes on, telling of two more female dolphins joining the rescue pack to save Destiny from tragedy. Blessed with maternal wisdom, the matriarch dolphin, who had adopted the orphans Kaka, Rafiki and Besty took her position at the back where nearly all of crying, weeping women, and children were to be found. The men were situated on the right side of Destiny some where seen helping the crew throw the excess cargo trying to tilt the balance of destiny. Besty seemed to be a born leader, after a brief chat with Mama Dolphin she positioned herself, in front Destiny, prepared to use her sonar's ability to signal the safest passage, Destiny would take towards Heartdrop. Thrilled and overjoyed Captain Sultana gladly relinquished his authority en route to Besty taking control of the voyage. Destiny was cradle, embraced, and navigated from side to side above furious sea. The two boys' dolphins from the first pack had their speed, endurance, and agility proven crucial; on trying to grip the boat, they competed with the strong current, which constantly pushed them sideways and sometimes pulled them down just when they needed a breath of air. Kaka was the youngest and largest of the boys'. He was six-foot-five and two hundred pounds of pure muscle and grit; he had responsibility to lever the tilting side. Captains' favorite was Rafiki, the other of the boys'. Good looking of them two, he constantly went back and forth where the children settled with their mothers flashing his big wide smile and belly flop for the children, and got patted with the Captain every time.
"There are sharks in these waters as well, what if they come after our rescuers? asked a young man who just got order, from the captain to unroll the ship rope they had on board.
"H'm¦. We shall see then. Meanwhile get others' of your age join us unrolling the twine urge the captain, himself sweating profusely, settling for just a sleeveless t-shirt with over-all top fasteners hanging front and back and his face smear with oil from the engine. Captain and his crew were going to throw the rope to fasten Besty to pull destiny but Besty was noticeably fatigue she was slowing down and taking too long catching each breath, soon as the rope was in waters, Kaka the strongest of the dolphins' trade places with her sister Besty. And as the captain was fastening Kaka, a sound came overwhelmingly upon them. The frightening screech of a Great white shark fell upon their ears, sending a chill up rescuers spines.
A Great white was the most dangerous of all the dolphins' foe. Sharks have been known to bite a young dolphin in half with one grotesque bite. Immediately they went on the lookout. Mama Dolphin turned a sharp right circling away and back, Rafiki did the same to the left. Besty did a loop roll and flew out of the water, coming up behind looking backward. Kaka dove upright and looked underneath. Destiny was on free float swinging side to side. People on the vessel started panicking again after relatively calm time, now another episode was unfolding to destiny's' passengers. It was still long way to port city of Heartdrop furthermore only God knows if Destiny is going to survive the ordeal.