The First Mate

A search for a berth at the London Docks brings a young seaman face to face with an unusually elaborate yacht and its outspoken owner, Mrs Vansittart. Her invitation aboard the Stella Maris introduces a vessel fitted with luxurious rooms, carefully arranged crew quarters and an impressive collection of charts and navigation instruments. Harry Collingwood tells this sea adventure through the observant voice of the sailor, whose enthusiasm for the ship gives the opening its practical detail.

The voyage later leaves the party dealing with a shipwreck caused by an unsuspected coral reef. Mrs Vansittart struggles with responsibility for the disaster, while Walter proposes drying the living quarters and sending requests for help in sealed bottles. Their shared calculations of the wreck's position show navigation becoming a means of survival. Readers interested in sailing stories can follow both the shipboard arrangements and the decisions that an emergency demands.