Authors Note: When I wrote this back in the summer of 1977 as part of the “courtship” between Lee Crane and Cathy Connors, I never thought it would take this long to see the light of day!

A Day at the Beach

by Diane Kachmar



Chip smiled as Stu Riley began ragging on Lee once again because he didn’t surf. Some things never changed. In truth, Crane was a better, stronger swimmer than any of them. Morton was glad to have him on the beach in case any of them got taken by a rip current or were caught unaware by a wave.

Riley was determined to get his Skipper out there. Stu was probably right about Lee being a natural, but so far Crane had declined all his invitations to try. He was content to sit with Cathy and watch out for them. Chip smiled. At least that was the excuse. Lee and Cathy had so little time outside their responsibilities that being able to lie together on the beach was probably the romantic highlight of their always busy week.

Morton glanced over his friend; arm loosely draped over Cathy’s shoulder. He had to admit Lee looked very content. Snuggled up tight under his shoulder, Cathy looked like she might start purring any moment. Any doubts about them as a married couple were gone. They were an even more formidable team now than they had been as the left and right hands of Harriman Nelson. The Admiral had been right there, no matter how rocky their courtship was. Chip snorted. It took six months for them to figure out that was what was happening between them. Lee could be so obtuse at times. Sufficiently warmed and rested, Chip went to pick up his board for another run when Riley’s words made him turn back.

“Listen, Skipper, try it. I know my wetsuit will fit you and once you get your feet wet, you’ll want to do it.”

“I’m fine with watching, Stu, really,” Lee replied, his right arm lifting to let his fingers lightly stroke Cathy’s dark hair.

“But it’s such a rush; being out there, up on the curl. You have to feel it.”

Crane looked down at Cathy. “Am I missing out on something, Cat?”

Cathy shifted so she could look up into his hazel eyes. “That’s up to you. Since we’ve been watching, have you ever wanted to be out there?”

“A couple of times,” Lee admitted. “Then I thought better of it.”

“It’s not that hard,” Stu replied. “If we can learn to do it, you can, too.”

“Seeing as you taught Chip, I agree.” Lee threw a teasing grin his way as Cathy smirked.

Morton planted his board upright. “We’d have taught you sooner, but you’ve been too busy learning to fly that yellow bumblebee of yours. I’ll stick to the water, thanks.”

Crane smiled lazily. “How about a swap? You teach me to surf. I’ll teach you to fly. May come in handy for both of us one day.”

It was very tempting to say yes, as Chip wanted to make a flight in their new prototype, only Morton knew surfing as not as easy as Riley was making it out to be. On the other hand, Lee was a natural athlete. They should be able to show him enough for Crane to decide if he liked it or not. Stu’s tricked out board was not for a beginner, but Riley wasn’t getting off that easily. “All right. My board. Stu’s spare wetsuit. Go on up to the shack. Put it on. Your bride can help you. Then report back here for lesson one.” Chip watched them trudge up the beach out of earshot.

“Okay. Give. Why are you so keen to have him surf?”

Stu shifted on the sand. “Wouldn’t hurt to unbend once in a while and have some wind in his hair.”

“Works too hard, eh?”

“Something like that.” Riley shrugged. “You know he’ll take to it.”

“Maybe.” Chip looked out at the breaking waves. “It’s not baby surf today.”

“The last thing he’d want is to be babied.”

“True. Let me ride Lee. You stay behind us to pick up anything that goes overboard.”

Stu grimaced. “You can’t fall off lying down on someone else’s board.”

“You know that. I know that. Don’t tell the Skipper until he’s ridden a few.”

Bantering voices came drifting down the beach, making them both turn. Chip heard the tail end of something that sounded like ‘banana’ before the wind snatched the words away. Riley was right about his wetsuit fitting Lee, but the red color didn’t do much for him. Morton could have loaned out his own spare blue/yellow combo, but Riley had made the offer. Chip realized Lee and Cathy had been discussing the yellow suit that Lee used on board the sub. That was not here. Riley’s red would have to do. Morton ran a practiced eye over the wetsuit top. Good enough. “Well, come on, then. I do want to learn to fly that yellow monstrosity.”

Lee grinned. “She always behaves for me.”

“You and your subs.” Chip rolled his eyes dramatically and got another smirk from Cathy.

“Kiss for luck?” Lee asked his wife.

Cathy raised her head willingly, so he didn’t have to lean down as far.

“Break a wave,” she said, after the kiss.

Crane laughed. “I think you are supposed to say Cowabunga.”

“Nah, that’s a myth, Skipper, left over from the ‘60’s.”

“So am I, Stu.”

“Cool knows no age. See you out there.”

Lee stood a moment, watching Riley paddle out. “I’m not sure I can get the board past the breakers that easily.”

“I’ll get the board out there. You are going to swim out past the breakers and wait for me to pick you up. We will ride in together so you can get the feel of the water under the board and learn to gauge what will carry you and what won’t.”

“So when do I get to solo?”

“When your wave instructor thinks you are ready. Let’s see how your balance is first.”

For all his kidding around, Lee was totally serious out in the water and seemed to understand what needed to be done in shifting their combined weight to get the best ride. Chip explained about how to read the waves and what to look for. After four really good rides; he let Lee swap places and paddle the board out. Crane got dumped over almost immediately, but recovered the board quickly and then made it out to him. Morton lay prone on the board and let Crane pick the wave. It was a bit wilder and bumpier than the ones Chip had controlled, but Lee managed to ride them all the way in.

Crane stood in the shallows, pushing the hair back off his forehead. “Keeping the fin dug in does make a difference, doesn’t it?”

“It’s the only control you have. Lose contact with the water and as they say … wipeout. Had enough of a taste?”

“I guess so. I can see why you like it. I’m keeping you from riding, aren’t I?”

Chip shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. If you want to go again, say so.”

Crane reached for the board eagerly. “See you out there.”

Morton had almost swum clear of the breakers when he heard Riley shouting in alarm. Morton brought his head up out of the water to see a very large wave slam into Crane and then break on top of him. How Lee had gotten sideways to the curl wasn’t anything they could undo now. Morton’s board came bouncing back up out of the water and went end over end three times before smacking down into the roiling water. There was no sign of Lee.

Chip took a quick bearing as to where the under curl might be rolling Lee and dove under. The tow pulled at him, but Chip went with it, stretching out with both hands, trying to find anything he could grab onto.

Something large and limp smacked into him. Chip grabbed hold of what had to be neoprene. Uncoiling, he touched bottom, bent his knees and pushed off, dragging whatever he had up to the surface with him.

It turned out to be Lee’s left arm. As Chip threw back his head to breathe, he tightened his grip. He felt someone trying to tug his burden away from him.

“I got him. Help me get him up on my board,” Kowalski urged. Chip gave a good shove in the direction he was being pulled, even though it caused him to go under again. Morton pushed off the sand to get back to the surface. He found Kowalski’s board in front of him. Ski was standing in the chest deep water, holding Crane on the board and Chip dropped his legs, so he could come to his feet and help him.

Crane moaned as Morton came in on the opposite side of Ski and helped push the board toward shallower, less choppy water. Lee’s head rolled to one side as he drew in air and he immediately started coughing. They both grabbed Crane and held him so he would not roll off the board back into the water.

Finally, Crane’s spasms eased and he went limp on the board again. Morton kept pushing toward the shore until they grounded out. Chip plopped down in the knee deep water and unzipped the wet suit several inches so he could better check Lee’s breathing.

Crane’s eyes fluttered open and his muscles tensed under Chip’s hand.

“No.” Chip pressed his hand down lightly, knowing Lee would feel it. “Just keep breathing. I’ll tell you when you can sit up.”

Lee swallowed hard and tried to clear his throat, which only started him coughing again.

Kowalski quickly turned Crane’s head to one side to help and the spasm soon passed. Ski’s fingers began searching through Lee’s matted hair for injury. Crane winced about three quarters of the way up the back of his head.

“Ice, Pat,” Kowalski said to one of the people standing over them in the shallows. Patterson left and was replaced by Cathy Connors.

Lee turned his head back and looked up, first settling on him and then over to Ski. When he saw Cathy, Crane extended his hand. Ski moved down slightly to let her plop down in the water beside him and take Lee’s hand.

“I don’t understand what happened,” Cathy looked over at Morton.

“He caught an early breaker sideways. Guaranteed wipeout! You have to go over those. Before they land on you.” Stu Riley answered, as he joined their group. “I brought your board in, Chip.”

“Thanks, Stu.” Chip saw Lee tighten his grip on Cathy’s hand. She smiled down at him as she felt the pressure. He gave her a sheepish smile in return before closing his eyes. Chip hoped his flying lesson would be far less dramatic than this had turned out to be.

“Here, Ski.” Pat presented a beach towel wrapped around something lumpy.

The ice.

“Time to get you out of the water, bud. Let Ski and me sit you up.”

“I’m all right,” Crane growled hoarsely, as he let go of Cathy’s hand. He sat up on the board and promptly started coughing again.

Chip circled his arm around his stubborn friend and held him up until the coughing stopped. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Morton asked again, bending close.

Lee took a deep breath and then squinted over at him. “I will be.”

What ever possessed you to turn my board like that to the surf? Any one of us would have told you that wave would break early and dump on you.”

Crane shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

 

The End




©Diane Kachmar, 2006. All rights reserved.