Early spring, Conch City.

When the tide is high, the tide is like a herd of horses galloping. And at low tide, the waves that push against the shore look tired, and the sound is like a sigh.

As the tide recedes, the sandy layers of the beach are gradually revealed. At the same time, the wind gradually weakened and became a normal breeze.

The black ink night quietly receded, the east took on the whiteness of the fish's belly, the sky and the ocean gradually emerged from the haze, the low clouds quickly rushed to the sky, and the sand boats stranded on the beach after the tide receded ushered in the first rays of dawn.

Sand boats, generally with a flat bottom and square head, are equipped with five to seven sails. Sand ships are mainly used to transport rice, and the carrying capacity of large sand ships can reach 240 tons.

Seagulls flew around in the sand boats, chirping and calling. This is a small sand boat, more than three zhang long, more than one zhang wide, the age of the ship must be a few years, and in some places the planks are blackened. An old canvas in the bow of the ship, covered with something that, from its shape, looked like a cannon.

There was a group of people sleeping on the deck, this one pillowing the legs of the other, the other holding the head of this one, and they didn't look like a boil. But they wore sailors' vests.

The cry of a seagull woke a man up. He rubbed his eyes, rolled over and sat up, muttering, "Damn"

This person's surname is Wu Yongchang, he is in his twenties, and he is not short. The nose is large, the skin is black, the muscles are striped, the body is thin, and he doesn't talk much, and he likes to peep behind people. Lean and black-skinned, with a biangular body of flesh. As for the dignity, it is slightly bleak, the eyes are not large, the cheekbones are slightly sunken due to the high cheekbones, the eyebrows are heavy, the lips are thick, the masseter muscles of the cheeks are always trembling, and the nose is a little funny large. The whole person looks gloomy and gloomy.

Like an old fisherman, he squinted his eyes at the sky, moved his right finger, calculated for a while, then jumped out of the boat, shook his spirits, played a few unknown fists, and then slapped the deck and shouted: "Get up!" Roll it all up. Today there is fog on the sea, go to sea. ”

A few people who were asleep on the sand boat jumped up, some slapped their buttocks with their hands, and shouted: "Go to sea, go to sea, go to sea, it's foggy on the sea today, go to sea!" ”

They jumped out of the boat, pushed the sand boat into the water, pulled up the sails, and headed out into the sea.

The wooden boat erects a mast, hangs a sail on the mast, and pushes it forward with the help of the wind, so that anyone who lives by the sea can drum it out. A galleon generally had two or three masts, fitted with a spinnaker, and later a fourth pole was added with a crosssail to allow it to sail against the wind. The hull is slightly rounded, with the bow and stern upturned and the top tower at the top. This type of boat is not bulky like the old boats, has a small displacement, is fast, and is easy to drive against the wind.

The sea is calm, and the sand boats are sailing, and they are quite comfortable together. Wu Yongchang walked around the ship, and his men took their positions, then put up their collars, leaned against the corner of the cabin, adjusted their bodies to comfort, and blinked sleepily with heavy eyelids.

Sure enough, the sea was foggy, and the fog was getting heavier and heavier, and the sand boat seemed to be driving a thick wall of fog, and the water vapor around it was very heavy, and fine water droplets condensed on the mast.

The water foot of the rudder was a little flustered, and said, "Brother Chang, the fog is too big. ”

Wu Yongchang tugged on his collar and said quietly: "Don't call Brother Chang, we are all people from the 36th standard of the official army's foreign sea division." I'm the pipe band, you're the pawn. Call me Wu Pipe Band. ”

The water foot of the rudder searched ahead and said, "I can't see anything, I'm afraid I'm going to lose my way." ”

Wu Yongchang pouted: "Damn! There was no sea fog and we went to sleep on the beach. Only when there is sea fog will we go out. ”

Sailor at the helm: "Blind and vague, even if the fast crab boat comes, you can't see it." ”

Wu Yongchang tilted his body to the side, "God treats everyone equally, you are in the fog, the fast crab boat is also in the fog, you are blind, and he is also blind." You don't need to see it, as long as you don't leave this course, the fast crab boat is coming, you don't have to look for it, it will hit you right under your nose. ”