janestarz | Ready for Aon in 4...3...2...

The rolling deck beneath her feet hadn't made her sick in weeks now, but the endless water-filled horizon started to get on her nerves. It was high time they'd make it to Esperanza. The captain had turned her away gruffly last time she'd asked him how much longer their journey would take, and not even Caleb-Johann could persuade her to stop pestering the poor man.

She held onto her hat. It would be a poor sign indeed if it were to blow off into the sunset now, when she supposed their journey was so near to its end. Oh, how she longed for rolling hills instead of rolling waves. The chatter of chipmunks instead of the cries of seagulls.

Seagulls? That meant land must be nearby!
Henriëtte jumped down from her perch near the ropes and ran to the aft deck. "O!" she cried. "Odelia, we're close to land."
The bookkeeper looked up from where she had been counting the columns of her cash book. Trust Odelia to keep an eye on the finances, even so far out to sea. James sat close by, scratching his scraggly beard.
"How can you tell?" he asked, his eyes peering curiously from underneath the brim of his large leather hat.
"Well..." Henriëtte began, but she was interrupted from by a cry from the crow's nest. "Land!"
"Told you." Henriëtte grinned.

Odelia followed her belowdecks and they started to pack their clothes. Henriëtte carefully folded her other blouse but kept it for last. The cabin was small, but her posessions were few. A cup, a knife, fork and spoon joined the assorted jars in her backpack. The blouse went in last, so as not to crease it.
"What do you think Esperanza will be like?" Henriëtte asked Odelia.
"We shall see..." Odelia replied, a twinkle in her eye.