Everlasting Aeternum

Jack (Mac) McCabe sighed peacefully as he gazed over the seagulls hovering on top of gentle whitecaps as the ship pulled out of the bay. He was playing a deckhand on this maiden voyage of the “HMS” Steadfast and he was damned lucky to have gotten even this modest post. The ship was a fully functional three masted replica of a 1750's English gunship from naval history. A tech billionaire was fulfilling his lifelong dream of sailing around the world on it and had spared no expense. The vessel was entirely made of authentic repurposed timber and artifacts. The only new things on the ship were the sails and ropes and some electronics hidden below. Every person on the ship was ex military from some Navy and most were amateur historians of one type or another.

Jack was a freshly retired Navy vet of fifteen years and was dawdling around looking for something interesting to do when an old Navy Seal buddy contacted him with the idea of joining the vessel for its first trip. He landed his spot because he was good with weapons and could double down as security.

The gig was a minimum six month commitment. Perfect for clearing his head and figuring out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He was a 37 year old buff killing machine that had spent almost no time in polite society and needed this time to adjust himself socially. It was a perfect stroke of luck and Jack was going to take advantage of it.

The planned route was to leave from Miami, sail south through the Atlantic towards the Southern Ocean and around the Cape of Good Hope stopping at various ports all around the world. This was no straight speed run, but rather a pleasure cruise and media hype tour. Jack chuckled to himself vowing to stay away from all of the social media posts that were bound to start popping up all over the web.

The first leg south towards Antarctica was the longest and most dangerous and the crew was just getting adjusted to its new duties. Jack was going to be working a lot of rope and sail and was excited to be given this sneak peek into the past of how the sailors of yore went about their daily lives onboard.

Jack's buddy Sean came up behind him and clapped him on the shoulder. “I'm so pumped for this, you feelin it too?”

Jack turned around smiling. “Bro, I can't believe I am saying this, but I haven't been this excited since we spent that week in Hawaii at that surf shack!”

Sean nodded grinning at his friend. “Awesome man! I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else brother. We are going to hit up like 30 cities and get in all kinds of mischief!”

“Anywho, the Bosun wants to go over our first day assignments and rotations. We are having a meeting below deck in 5 min. I’m here to collect your daydreaming ass. I saw you staring at the ocean like a long lost girlfriend.!”

Jack chuckled. “You know me and the sea man. We have a tight bond. I have spent more time on her than on shore. Let’s head down right now I need a bottle of water.”

The two men headed across the deck companionably, unaware of how this voyage was going to change their lives… eternally.