Circumnavigation (99 +12) Coming to a Head

[C James]

Coming to a Head is up.

 

If you're reading and get confused about the geography of the islands, there's a link to an interactive map just past the end of the chapter text.

 

This is chapter AUD78, because we are still using Australian Math for the chapter numbering. (I did promise to being this in under 100 chapters, and I keep my promises!)

 

Okay, have fun reading, and let me know what you think.

 

 

[hh5]

mmmm, clifhanger? Will our hero die? Will he get warned in time?

Its surprising ... the military boat is chicken to a drug boat?

 

Hey with fuel dumping ... bridget can shoot the fuel for fire effects?

 

lol, did CJames delay the chapters so he won't be voted for Clifthanger awards?

but any way he can qualify for 2012 Clifhanger Awards

[C James]

mmmm, clifhanger? Will our hero die? Will he get warned in time?

Its surprising ... the military boat is chicken to a drug boat?

 

Hey with fuel dumping ... bridget can shoot the fuel for fire effects?

 

lol, did CJames delay the chapters so he won't be voted for Clifthanger awards?

but any way he can qualify for 2012 Clifhanger Awards

 

It's absolutely not a cliffhanger. The chapter is certified entirely cliffhanger-free.

 

The Coast Guard cutter has no other option than to do what it did; I could not turn and take a collision on its side. It can probably survive a head on impact but not a side-on one from a boat 1/3 its size.

 

That's diesel fuel, so burning a thin slick of it like Sea Witch is trailing isn't possible. It has a different purpose.

 

But, at least we now know what Basingstoke wanted the shark jaws, wire, and crowbars for.

 

CJ

[RobV]

Another exciting chapter, with many no cliffhangers!

 

And I like that even if Trevor doesn't end up dying by slow decapitation, you at least already had the pleasure of describing it in detail.

[sdaddy]

I am going to beg you here....Please let all 4 of them escape this thing. I agree with RobV that just the description should be enough. If not then lets see B'stoke get the bite instead. I just cant imagine what it would do to the story to see any of these 4 not make it. Anyway as usual good stuff. I am so adicted to my Tues morning reading that I am going to have serious withdrawals when it is over. You should share your insurance card number so I can charge my psychiatric visits to it.

[TalonRider]

lol, did CJames delay the chapters so he won't be voted for Clifthanger awards?

but any way he can qualify for 2012 Clifhanger Awards

One of two things can happen.

 

1. IF CJ wins the category for 2011, he will not be eligible for 2012 due to the rule that this category can only be won two years in a row by the same candidate.

2. IF CJ loses the 2011, he will be eligilbe for 2012.

 

I'm not campaigning for any of the candiates, I'm just stating the facts.

[StefanAustria]

It's absolutely not a cliffhanger. The chapter is certified entirely cliffhanger-free.

 

CJ

 

Somehow I find that hard to believe

[glimsong]

Personally .... I'd have ordered all ahead flank and rammed her. After all an armored and reinforced hull cutter vs. a fiberglass boat = the cutter wins especially as the cutter is quite a bit larger. She is hostile after all. That's three helicopters taken care of, but ....the Jayhawk gunship is coming and she's completely unaware of that nor can she take it out as easily. It would be most entertaining to be able to paraphrase a quote from a movie I like, "She's going to make it to the Bahamas alright, she'll die with in sight of it."

 

Edited for grammatical and spelling errors (fingers not typing what brain is thinking)

Edited February 14, 2012 by glimsong

[Low Flyer]

Personally .... I'd have ordered all ahead flank and rammed her. After all an armored and reinforced hull cutter vs. a fiberglass boat = the cutter wins especially as the cutter is quite a bit larger. She is hostile after all. That's three helicopters taken care of, but ....the Jayhawk gunship is coming and she's completely unaware of that nor can she take it out as easily. It would be most entertaining to be able to paraphrase a quote from a movie I like, "She's going to make it to the Bahamas alright, she'll die with in sight of it."

 

Edited for grammatical and spelling errors (fingers not typing what brain is thinking)

 

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

 

BUT what bothers me is that asset list that's hidden on Kookaburra. Isn't it kinda irrelevant if Bridget's already in jail? I'm assuming that it turns up eventually, of course. Maybe it was just a plot device to get Bridget on Trevor's trail in the first place.

 

Of course, Sanchez's fingers can easily reach into an American jail so she could be imprisoned and then taken out once there...

 

Any takers?

[glimsong]

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

 

BUT what bothers me is that asset list that's hidden on Kookaburra. Isn't it kinda irrelevant if Bridget's already in jail? I'm assuming that it turns up eventually, of course. Maybe it was just a plot device to get Bridget on Trevor's trail in the first place.

 

Of course, Sanchez's fingers can easily reach into an American jail so she could be imprisoned and then taken out once there...

 

Any takers?

 

No I don't think it would be irrelavent (at least towards Bridget). This list would cause irreparable damage to the cartel as a whole. So even if Bridget has an unfortunate accident with a propeller blade, or dies from lead poisoning (hehe), the list itself would bring Sanchez down (this has been noted in asides from Bridget when she was damning her dead husband).

 

Its too bad one of the high endurance cutters wasn't the object of her desperate escape. They are built on a 60s destroyer hull. I'd have said let her hit....it would be rather funny to watch her pulverize her boat into the armor plating.

[WinStuart]

CJ: I agree with sdaddy, I'm going to have serious Tuesday withdrawl symptoms when Circumnaviagation finallly is finished. After tracking this story week-by-week for well over a year, I'll only have Glee to anticipate on Tuesday's. And Glee doesn't hold a candle to this story.

 

And let's face it, the chapter has nothing but cliff hangers dangling all over it. Once again, seemingly all the cliffs are made out of ocean water. CJ can fashion a cliff hanger out of anything......and does.

 

Great chapter and a truely grusome form of death described. Sdaddy is correct. The desciption now makes it unnecessary to actually go through with the killings. It's had its OMG factor already.

 

WinStuart

[Benji]

.................. Mr. B is very lucky that all 4 are together, what would he have done if say Joel and Lisa stayed ashore? Bridget is equally lucky, those police helicopter pilots acted like they had never done this sort of chase before. Shouldn't they be in contact with each other and chopter 2 known that the boat was firing on them? And Billy, what can I say what a skilled shooter Great chapter!!

[MikeL]

Another exciting chapter, with many no cliffhangers!

 

Exciting chapter? Yes. No cliffhangers? I believe there are two: (1) Bridget is on a collison course with the Coast Guard cutter and (2) the evil Basingstoke is lurking in the bushes.

 

To top it off, the goat has given the chapter a title with a double meaning.

[KevinD]

So the goat continues to hang on to his "no cliffhanger" claims by the tips of his pointy cloven hooves...mighty precarious position I'd say!

 

All hail King CJ! We prostrate ourselves before thy magnificent presence...or presents, if we think of his gift of chapters delivered!

 

I thought Trev was going to call his uncle Greg when they got to the K'burra...either I'm wrong or he got distracted again by Shane's speedo clad bum that was in front of him after the swim. I guess I would have been distracted too.

 

Quite a graphic description of shark jaw use. Maybe B'stoke will step on a ray and get tail whipped/spiked and drop all of is gear in front of the four and lose his element of surprise?

 

 

[Winemaker]

One of two things can happen.

 

1. IF CJ wins the category for 2011, he will not be eligible for 2012 due to the rule that this category can only be won two years in a row by the same candidate.

2. IF CJ loses the 2011, he will be eligilbe for 2012.

 

I'm not campaigning for any of the candiates, I'm just stating the facts.

 

But Talon Rider if The 2010 award was won by someone else... doesn't that mean that CJ can win the 2011 and 2012 cliffhanger crowns??

 

Exciting stuff CJ

[Ginge_4]

Like many i have followed this story from the start, another great chapter,and i'm going to miss Tuesday nights reading the adventures of Trevor. Trevor can't die it would mean the story has been mis-titled. Unless the story is actually about Trevor boat

 

Umm Sharp objects inflatable dingies sharks not a good mix Mr B should worry about himself more

[TalonRider]

The category of King/Queen of Cliffhangers was added in 2008 for 2007's awards. The winners list is as follows.

 

2007: C James

2008: C James

2009: Mark Arbour

2010: C James

 

As you can see, CJ won the first two years and was ineligible for nomination the third year. He then became eligible again for the fourth year.

[Benji]

............... I wouldn't worry to much, Circumnavigation will be put into the book shelf, but the goat will have another evil cliffhanging saga coming up soon!! Edited February 15, 2012 by Benji

[KevinD]

Would love to know which sorties each ofmthemauthors were writing at the time of their recognition...

 

Thank you TalonRider!

[hh5]

But, at least we now know what Basingstoke wanted the shark jaws, wire, and crowbars for.

 

CJ

 

I was watching the making of Scream\Scary Movie .... I think Basingstoke is in love with offing Trevor ... now to catch him in a speedo !!!

We wonder if he will do it while he is barely conscious ... rather than unconscious ... or add plenty of struggle ... with his legs kicking around

... will Basingstoke ponder to do this bite slow or fast? .. will he leave a shark tooth? ... but it won't turn out well in autopsy when it doesn't match bite marks

[Low Flyer]

I thought Trev was going to call his uncle Greg when they got to the K'burra...either I'm wrong or he got distracted again by Shane's speedo clad bum that was in front of him after the swim. I guess I would have been distracted too.

 

Quite a graphic description of shark jaw use. Maybe B'stoke will step on a ray and get tail whipped/spiked and drop all of is gear in front of the four and lose his element of surprise?

 

He did call Greg:

 

“Sounds great to me too, but I’d better call Uncle Greg first,” Trevor said, leaning back against the railing to dry off in the sun. A few minutes later, he retrieved the satellite phone from the salon and made his call.

 

It was that phone call that raised Greg's suspicions of Basingstoke's claim to be a journalist.

 

As for the ray - one can only hope. You wouldn't think that CJ would risk killing off any of the current crew of Kookaburra but he just might.

 

It would be supremely ironic if Baskingstoke were to be eaten by a shark on his way from East to West Wallabi Island...

[Benji]

.............. I am going out on a ledge here and predict that Mr. B's demise is ahead of Trevors and compamy. How that is done is the goats devious ploy, either by deployment of his inflatuable boat or by confrontaion with the four teens. I see the confrontation if any as Shane takng the taser, Trevor and Joel reacting as Mr. B does not expect teens to react this way and they over power him. Then again there was the goats early on take of the dangeroius and deadly meetings with some of the lands deadly inhabibtants.

[RickMD]

Another great chapter. As I sit at my desk, I still can't figure out how you do it. I guess you still have to work somewhere, then throw in some social commitments and I don't know where you find the time or energy to weave this spellbinding story. We all are truly honored that you share this with us, the entertainment value is unsurpassed. Your skill as a writer is magnificent! Not to mention any impending cliffs...

 

Let's hope that the kids aren't killed, that would not be fair. I noted The Goat mentioned the sharks teeth are treated with some unnatural vinyl substance to help preserve them, let's hope that this isn't mentioned as foretelling for future medical examiners purposes.

 

I can't wait to see this on the big screen, let's hope The Goat has an agent!

 

Regarding Mrs. B, something tells me she can't stall for 2 1/2 hours waiting for Sanchez to get the 'starburst' ready, whatever that is, the gunship will be upon her by then, oh bother, my guess is somehow she will use Billy Boy and sacrifice him for her own survival!! Only time will tell, can't wait for next week! and

 

Thank you, thank you.

[C James]

I'm having internet trouble tonight (intermittent connection) so I'll reply to the above posts tomorrow. This is just a quick post to announce the name of the coming chapter, so those of you who are concerned that there is trouble ahead can rest easy;

 

Blood in the Water

[Low Flyer]

I noted The Goat mentioned the sharks teeth are treated with some unnatural vinyl substance to help preserve them, let's hope that this isn't mentioned as foretelling for future medical examiners purposes.

 

Exactly the same thought crossed my mind.

 

I can't wait to see this on the big screen, let's hope The Goat has an agent!

 

I've been mulling over the casting. The problem is going to be finding three hunky blond swimmer/surfer types who could pass for brothers. I'm prepared to help with the auditioning in any way that I can, though...