Abandon Ship! Man the Lifeboats

This started off as a simple idea and just grew. I've had fun writing it and even did a little research; although anyone with knowledge of navigation and Victorian sailing will probably say I should have done more. Enjoy x

"Man the lifeboats! Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

We had been at sea for ten days when the storm hit, our splendid vessel battered and broken into no more than firewood, all the passengers and crew seemingly lost.

I came to, my legs dangling in the water and my arms and upper body atop some flotsam. The sea around me was calm, with small pieces of wreckage everywhere. I tried to look around, the throbbing pain in my head and the low morning sun making it hard to focus; no one to be seen, just me.

I pulled myself up onto the driftwood, too tired to think, my mind too blurred to do anything other than curl up and sleep.

Davy, Davy Arthur that's me, eighteen years old and on my first ship. I'd grown up by the Thames, my father worked on the tugs but died when I was young. It was in my blood and I'd always dreamt of being at sea, then my mother died and I got a job as a stoker on the SS Cadwallader, sailing to the new world.

"Hello, Hello. Are you ok there, are you alive?"

I tried to follow the voice, a ladies voice, young and a bit screechy as she shouted out to me, "Hello, I'm over here, can you see me?" I slowly turned my head and body to the left, maybe thirty, maybe fifty yards from me was a small wooden life boat, a lady frantically waving her arms at me. I managed to raise one arm to let her know I was alive and she started to paddle with one oar, the boat turning sideways rather than towards me, I think I passed out again.

"Hello, are you alright, can you move?" The voice was much closer now, kind and posh, like the ladies I had sometimes heard in London. The boat was only a few feet from me but I felt hardly able to move, all my strength needed to perch up on one elbow.

"I'll hold out the oar, see if you can grab it."

I held on for dear life and found myself getting closer, till a soft hand grasped my wrist. "You'll have to help me, I can't pull you in by myself. Can you get onto your knees?"

I did as she said and plonked myself onto the small lifeboat, almost tipping us as I did so. "Oh you poor thing, you're all cuts and bruises." As she said this she supported my head and offered water to my lips, "Drink slowly in case you get sick."

I looked up at her pale lips and beautiful green eyes and wondered if she were an angel and I were dead; my thoughts slipping as my eyes closed; the ripping of material and my angel saying "We must cover you from the sun." being the last sounds I heard.

I felt a wet cloth on my forehead and heard soothing words being spoken, the smiling face of my angle looking down at me as I opened my eyes. "Hello again." I think I smiled back and then tried to sit up "Take it easy, let me help you." I felt the wonderful softness of her body against mine as she set me upright.

The spinning in my head slowed as I tried to focus and clear the fog in my brain; shipwreck, lifeboat, angel. "Do you remember going overboard and the ship sinking?" My angel asked.

I shook my head, "I think you must have banged your head pretty badly, you have a nasty bruise on the side of it." I put my hand up and felt the tender area above my ear. "I think you have what Professor Gower refers to as a concussion, are you familiar with Professor Gower's work." I again shook my head.

"He's the eminent neurologist of our time. I think you should be ok in a day or two."

I nodded. "What's your name, are you an angel?"

She looked taken aback and then burst out laughing. "Oh my dear thing, no I'm not an angel and you are very much alive. My names Jemima Fairweather but you may call me Jemi, all my friends do. What's your name?"

"Davy Arthur."

"Nice to meet you Davy Arthur, may I call you Davy?" I nodded, "now, how do we get out of this pickle."

I followed her gaze as she looked around, nothing but water and us in a small wooden boat, no more than fifteen feet long. I looked around our boat; there were three small wooden boxes, only one rowing oar and Jemi, her fine morning dress torn in several places and what looked like some of the dress material tied around her head. Seeing me stare Jemi blushed slightly before explaining, "I lost my hat as I got into the boat and needed to cover my head from the sun, I used the rest of it to cover you."

I became aware that I was wearing a sort of cloak over my shoulders, my vest nowhere to be seen and my already threadbare britches now even more tattered as they clung to my legs. Another small square of the dress was by my side and I guessed that that had covered my head.

"Thank you for rescuing me."

"No need to thank me. Now tell me Davy, what did you do on board, do you know how to navigate?"

"I was a junior stoker, I don't know how to read charts and such but I know the tides on the Thames like the back of my hand."

Jemi smiled sweetly. If she wasn't an angel then she was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen, her cheeks reddening as she caught my stare. "Well I've read a few books on navigation and if we can work out which way we need to go then maybe we can make a sail. Do you want something to eat?"

I didn't know there was any food and must have looked confused, "I was put into the lifeboat first and then they handed down some boxes of provisions. As the other ladies went to get into the boat the ship listed badly and I broke away, soon after it sank." She looked as if she would cry.

"I'm very sorry for you if your husband or family were on board."

She smiled, "No husband and my family are all in England. Actually if you promise not to tell anyone." She smiled wider as she looked around at the vast, empty sea, "that's why I'm here. My father wanted me to marry the horrid Marcus but I wanted to continue my education and become a scientist. My grandfather had left me an endowment for when I was twenty one, so I bought a ticket and ran away. I plan to attend university when I reach America." The sad look returned as she said this.

Not wanting her to be sad I started telling her about myself, how I'd never been to school but enjoyed working on the tug and now wanted to see the world. How I'd courted Mary Deacy but when it had gotten serious I decided on the sea rather than marriage.

She smiled, "So we're both running away." I nodded and smiled back

"I think we have another few hours of sun before it gets dark. Cover your head and we'll eat something, then we'll see if we can make a sail." I hadn't a clue about how she planned on making a sail and was still a bit shook from the bang on the head. I knotted the dress material around my head and waited to see what food we had.

"If we ration ourselves I think we have enough food and water for three or four days, maybe more. It's mainly bread and some cured meat, also a little cheese which we should eat first." She opened one of the boxes and passed me some bread and cheese, trying to remember my manners I waited for her to start.

"Bon appétit."

Gently smiling at my puzzled look, Jemi said, "It means enjoy your meal in French."

"Bon appétit." I tried back.

Jemi spoke rapidly as she ate "Where do you think our closest land is? I think we might be closer to the West Indies than we are to America. We should head north westerly; also I think they'll be more trading vessels in that direction, more chance of being rescued."

I smiled at her enthusiasm and at her knowledge, "How are we going to make a sail?" I asked.

She pointed at one of the benches in the boat, "That one has a hole in it, we can stand the oar up in it and use you belt to lash it tightly, if that works we'll use some of my dress to make a sail. As the sun goes down we'll know which way is west."

She must have seen the worried look on my face, "Don't you think it'll work?"

"It's not that."

"What then?"

I went bright red, "My britches will fall down without my belt."

Jemi tried but couldn't stop herself from laughing, "Oh Davy that's so funny, you'll still have your underpants on."

I went even redder and Jemi realized, her own cheeks flushing. "You haven't got any underpants on, have you?"

I shook my head, struggling to look at Jemi's smiling face, "Well we really need that belt, and I'll be down to my undergarments also."

We finished the food in silence, Jemi smiling the whole time and I beginning to see the funny side of it and realizing that in the grand scheme of being stranded at sea, me losing my britches didn't matter. Worryingly, I found my penis beginning to twitch at the thought of it.

"How shall we do this, do you think we should fix the mast first or try and fashion a sail first?" As Jemi asked this she stood up and moved forward, the small boat instantly becoming unstable and beginning to rock "Well these ruddy boots will have to go for a start, I struggle to walk in them at the best of times, not alone balance on a small boat." She sat down and hiked her garments to her knees, giving me a delectable view of her stocking covered calf as she went about unfastening her boots. I quickly looked away as she caught me staring "Oh Davy you are funny, I think we'll be seeing a lot more of each other before we get off this boat." There was a slight mocking tone in her voice that I didn't like.

Sensing my unease and embarrassment, Jemi continued in a softer tone "Davy, I want you to look at me." lifting my head I saw that her dress was still at her knees and Jemi was smiling at me, her beautiful face and eyes alive with merriment and mischief. She lifted her hem higher, parting her legs slightly as her fingers searched inside her chemise for the top of her stocking. I knew I should look away but couldn't, Jemi's fingers slowly rolling down her stocking and that first view of her gloriously soft, pale thighs. I think I may have stopped breathing, only Jemi's sigh bringing me back to life. Her cheeks had a high flush to them and her eyes appeared glazed as another deep breath escaped her soft lips, her legs parting once more as she felt for the other stocking.

As she removed her stocking and lowered her dress Jemi looked straight at me, "Did you enjoy that?"

I was in awe of her confidence and brazenness but found myself shocked, confused and upset at her forthrightness. "Miss, I may only be a stoker but please don't treat me as a fool."

She moved closer and sat down in front of me, taking both my hands Jemi said, "Oh Davy I'm not treating you as a fool. I'm sorry if I shocked you but I've always wanted to feel a man's eyes on me the way yours were, their desire almost burning my skin. We may die on this boat and there's so many things I want to experience before I die." She paused as if thinking, "Have you ever kissed a girl?" before I could answer or even shake my head she leant in closer and kissed me, the sea saltiness of her lips soon replaced by the warmth and softness of her probing tongue.

I kissed her back and went to hold her tighter but Jemi broke the embrace, smiling and then blushing as she looked down at the bulge in my britches "Later, we haven't got much time before nightfall, sail or mast first?" I took a deep breath and tried to clear my head.

"I think it would be difficult to attach any sort of sail standing up, we'd probably fall overboard. We should attach it first, then pull it out when the mast is secured." Jemi agreed with my suggestion and retrieved a knife from the provisions box. She turned around and sat down between my legs, "Help me undo this dress."

Sensing my hesitancy Jemi spoke again, "Come on Davy, we need this dress if we're going to make a sail and beside I'll still have my chemise on." Her voice faltered as she said this, as if suddenly remembering something, "What?" I asked.

"Nothing really, we'll address it later." I didn't know what it was but I could tell she was blushing, the back of her neck reddening also.

I was all fingers and thumbs as I undid her buttons, the situation not helped by Jemi animatedly deploring the gowns women were expected to wear and wondering why they shouldn't be allowed to wear britches and shirts also.

"I don't know, that's just the way it is." Was the best I could offer.

"Poppycock, that's no reason for anything." I smiled at her temper and spirit.

When all the buttons were undone Jemi still struggled to get her arms out of the tight sleeves "Don't just sit there, help me." This involved me leaning forward, putting my arms around her and pulling the sleeves as she pushed back, our bodies pressed tight together and my head wedged beside hers. I thought to kiss her cheek but daren't.

With the top of her dress now off Jemi sat upright and began to remove her petticoats, I took the liberty of staying where I was, with Jemi's dress covered bottom wedged firmly between my spread legs. As the last petticoat came off I saw the back of her corset, the gaps between the tight ties revealing her sleeveless chemise and the beautiful soft skin of her upper back. I had seen washer women stripped down to similar garments as they pummeled wet clothing in the street, but none seemed as alluring or forbidden as this.

Jemi sat there waiting for me to move, "Come on Davy, undo this blasted corset."

"Yes ma'am." I said this cheekily and was delighted to hear Jemi giggle.

"Finally, I can now breath." I knew what Jemi meant but if I was to be honest I didn't see much difference, her slim waist and shapely back looking the same to me. "We'll need some of those bones to keep the sail stiff." Jemi said as she laid the corset down.

I had no real idea of the time or how much daylight we had left, maybe 11/2 hours. I was in no hurry, happy to admire Jemi's back, but I could tell she was restless and a little uncertain; eventually she turned and looked at me.

"How much do you know about ladies undergarments?" She could tell by my face that the answer was nothing.

"This is the latest chemise design, all in one piece, the bloomers connected to the top, far less bulky than wearing multiple layers." I nodded, having no idea where this was going, watching Jemi's face as it went beetroot red, "As such it is open in the middle, when I take my dress off you'll be able to see everything,"

It was my turn to blush as the meaning of this dawned on me, Jemi's hand touched my reddened face gently, "Oh Davy, you're such a sweetie. Now you must promise not to laugh."

"Why would I laugh?"

"Well the garments look ridiculous and you'll see everything."

"I promise."

"Good, now lie back."

"Yes ma'am." Was my answer to Jemi's latest order, she pursed her lips and gave me an evil stare before smiling.

I lay down and Jemi turned again, lying down between my legs, her whole weight against my crotch as she set her feet and lifted her hips, using her hands to wiggle the dress down. I knew I shouldn't be looking but couldn't help myself, my eyes first drawn to her high bust and the hard little nubs that poked through her chemise, then to the little wisps of golden hair, clearly visible as she arched her pelvis upwards to get the dress off.

I was suddenly mortified, Jemi must undoubtedly be aware of my own hardness, rammed as it was between her shoulder blades. I was struck by a funny memory of some of the rather lewd terms I'd heard other sailors use for a penis; rudder, maypole, tallywacker to name but a few. My memories were interrupted by movement, rather than sitting upright and slapping my face as I'd expected, Jemi was pushing backwards, her body grinding against mine till our heads were level and never before felt sensations were pulsing through my rudder.

When she stopped she turned her head and kissed my cheek, "Thank you for the help with my dress." She sat upright, seemingly happy that she had left me with my mouth open and mute, "Now for the sail." She said as she grabbed the knife.

At best it would be a rather simple sail, with one of us holding one side to help direct the boat. We saved half the dress to cover ourselves and used the other half to mimic a sail, small enough to handle, but hopefully big enough to be effective. Jemi was surprisingly proficient with the knife and had soon cut the materials and threaded the whale bone so that the sail was ready.

Being busy and working as a team temporarily took my mind off Jemi's state of undress, the situation only coming back to me as I secured the sail to the oar and Jemi told me to lash it upright using my belt. I did this from a sitting position and then Jemi sat smiling at me, her knees bent up and slightly apart, as she told me to stand and hold the sail stiff.

The little glimpse between her parted legs, the thought of soon being exposed to this woman and her whole confident, sexy demeanor had my eighteen year old maypole devilishly stiff as I stood up, my britches falling as I knew they would and Jemi staring wide eyed.

"Is that a normal size?"Jemi asked as she moved closer to study it as if it were an exhibit, I shrugged my shoulders not really knowing the answer, "It looks very big to go inside one's body." I again shrugged my shoulders, my maypole twitching involuntarily as I wondered if that was what she had in mind. Much to my surprise Jemi then started giggling, "What a funny thing, it seems to have a mind of its own. Do you think it could get that hard and large every hour, we could use it as a sun dial." She obviously thought this very amusing as her laughter increased, and I found myself laughing also and beginning to enjoy the close attention she was paying.

From out of nowhere I shocked myself by saying "Do you want to touch it?" "No not yet, maybe later." Jemi replied as if it was a normal conversation. "Do you have a name for it?" I didn't really but thought about it and decided on tallywacker, "Good description, from the Latin Talia, meaning large club or rod." For some reason I felt quite proud, even though I'd stolen the word.

"Do you have a name for your, umm, lady bits?"

"Oh yes, of course. I've always called mine my fuzzy wuzzy, although as you've already seen it's really more light and wispy." I was beginning to redden even more but Jemi just smiled and continued, "some of the girls I know have virtual forests that you could get lost in for hours." I shook my head and tried to concentrate on the sail.

I think we were both surprised by how effective the sail was, the boat jolting forward as I held it out tight, Jemi's comment that I was now at half mast taking a while to sink in and her finding it very amusing that just talking about it made it grow hard again. "What an amazing appendage, if we get out of here I think I'll make studying them my life's work." By the silly grin on her face I couldn't tell if she was serious or not.

It would soon be dark and we decided to let the sail down, drinking a little water before lying side by side and staring skywards, a large, bright moon rising from the east.

I couldn't hold it any longer, "I need to pee." I told Jemi. "So do I, it's a lot easier for you, you can just do it over the side, I don't want to pee in the boat." I thought about this for a moment and came up with an idea. "I'll go first and then support you so you can go over the side too." Jemi looked skeptical but I said I'd show her.

I knelt up and got ready to pee, surprised to see Jemi lean up on her elbow to watch me, her face less than two feet away from my ready to burst tallywacker, "What are you doing?"

"Well if I'm going to study it I have to see everything it does." I was so desperate that I didn't care, a stream bursting forth into the ocean. I was aware of Jemi saying "wow that's a lot." But wasn't expecting her to put her hand out in the stream, the shock of her doing so causing me to pull my tallywacker up sharply, my pee spraying wildly, some of it, I'm sure, hitting Jemi.