Drake had used two pencils on the chart.
The older marks showed the storm passage as they had learned it on the outer-sea voyage. The new ones showed the current pilot report, the convoy’s position and a longer route around the protected shelves.
His finger followed the shorter line.
Merrit put the damage sheet over it.
“I can see the chart,” he said.
“Can you see your signature?”
It lay directly beneath his finger. Reduced lateral settling. No sharp wind-change turn. Forward trim fitting isolated.
“The turn can be taken on the rise, if we come across the first gust and let the stern—”
