Love on the High Seas

We were all roused by Skipper's orders before the sun was up -- less than 4 hours after my night watch had ended. I was cold, sleepy, and ravenous. I stumbled out of my birth and into the galley, my sleep drenched senses steering me toward the heat and heavenly scents.

And there, swaying among the strapped down pots, and gimbaled spice wracks was Jimbo -- our tall, sturdy, red faced ship's cook. He'd been hard at it for the last two hours. With nothing more than a tiny kerosene stove that never got hot enough to boil water, a hot plate, and an electric skillet he had created a feast for 25 wolfishly hungry sailors. There was bacon, sausage, and ham, sautéed onions, peppers, jalapenos, cheeses, mushrooms, salsa -- whatever your heart could desire for a filling, savory breakfast.

"Hey gorgeous! What'll it be?" He leaned back against the sink, whipping together eggs and milk in a measuring cup. "I'm making omelets."

He said it with such gusto that I was intrigued -- but wary. I'd never had an omelet I really liked. Usually they were a mouth full of hard puffy eggs with a brown crust on the outside and goo on the inside. I hate gooey eggs. I despise crusty eggs. But I'd eaten at Jimbo's table long enough to trust him.

"Umm -- onions and sausage? Cheese?" I said, unhooking a mug and getting myself some coffee.
"Coming up then!" and he poured out the eggs.
"The trick," he told me while sprinkling my toppings over the eggs, "is that the eggs are just to hold the stuff inside, they shouldn't be too thick."

Half a minute later he handed me my plate, directed me to a pile of toast nearby, and shoo'd me out of his kingdom, already filling orders for two other crew members. I headed topside to eat my breakfast while watching the sun rise over the water and islands. Leaning against the tarpaulin in one of the life boats I took my first bite, admiring the steam curling off my plate. It was fantastic. The eggs -- far from being crusty or gooey -- were tender and savory and utterly satisfying. I was in love. It was the perfect start to what would be a perfect day of sun, wind, food, and friends.

_originally posted on fb 3/7/09_