The following is based on a report as told on Motherboard...
April 21, 2016. Dakar, Senegal.
The Tamaya 1 left Dakar's crowded port behind. The large, 64-meter oil tanker slowly cruised the channels until it got well away from shore. The Tamaya 1's Nigerian captain set a course for Panama, and once the oil tanker was five miles from shore, he set the auto-cruise to nineteen knots and joined his crew in the galley for some breakfast.
Some of the passengers had joined them, as well, but the others were either asleep or probably roaming the authorized parts of the ship. It was customary for tankers and freight vessels to take on passengers for some extra income, and the Tamaya 1 was no different.
The captain looked around at the diversity of his passengers. The usual were represented -- Portuguese, Spanish, Moroccans, and plenty of Nigerians -- but one family struck him as odd. A Japanese family of four sat at a table by themselves. Along with their food, they shared whispers among themselves. Atop their table sat familial trinkets, religious items, and four incense sticks with smoke snaking up from them and to the ceiling.
The captain noticed some of his crew members were annoyed by the smell of the sticks, but before they did anything rash, the captain walked over to the family and politely asked them to put out the incense. However, none of them spoke French, Wolof, or English. He asked the room if anyone spoke Japanese, but no one volunteered. Vexed, he did his best, to the amusement of his crew, to mime his request. A few moments later, the Japanese father realized what the captain wanted and complied, putting out the incense sticks and storing them away.
Shortly, thereafter, the Asian family gathered their things and exited the galley.
Except for some minor maintenance problems and the occasional sea sickness, the rest of the day was uneventful. The captain's first mate took the night shift and he relaxed until he fell asleep in his cabin.
The captain awoke to the rocking of the ship. Rough seas were enough to shake the Tamaya 1, and by the feel of it, the first mate had engaged the stabilizers. However, the rocking was unusually rough, so he checked the weather reports. Before they pulled out of port, the forecaster reported clear seas for three days. And, even now, the report said clear skies and smooth seas. His curiosity got the better of him.
The captain signaled his first mate, who was on the bridge. By his first mate's description, he had gotten the impression something was wrong, so he got dressed and hurried to the bridge.
When the captain arrived, he saw the chaos ensuing outside. They were in the middle of a storm that was not supposed to be there. He checked their heading; right on course, and the reports said clear weather. What he saw outside, and felt under his feet, was to the contrary. He tested the radio, but no signal came through. His confusion led to high anxiety.
As he rechecked the Tamaya 1's instruments, he felt someone patting his shoulder. His first mate got his attention and pointed out in front of them, out at the storm. The dark, grayish chaos surrounding them had a slight greenish glow coming from within. As they watched, the glow grew brighter, bathing everyone inside in emerald. And, as fast as the light came, it had gone, along with the storm.
The sun's brightness shone through the clear panes of the bridge. Outside, everything was calm. The huge waves that had pummeled the sides of the Tamaya 1 had disappeared leaving a mirror-like visage as far as the eye could see. Not even a wisp of cloud floated in the sky.
The captain, followed by his first mate, hurriedly walked out onto the metal deck into a wall of humidity that made him sweat almost instantly. He knew if they were in the middle of a hurricane, he would see cloud formations at the horizon, but he saw none. The air smelled of forest flowers and decaying vegetation, which was impossible being out on the ocean. The salt air should have invaded their senses, but did not. He rushed back into the bridge; the compass spun wildly and the electronics did not respond. Nothing seemed to work, not even the radio. He pulled out his cell phone, but he knew he was too far from any cell tower. He checked it anyway, but got no signal.
He realized they were in the doldrums, where the ocean was unusually calm, light unpredictable winds popped up, and sudden storms appeared. Normally, with an oil tanker like the Tamaya 1, the captain would simply steer the ship out of the area to their destination. However, nothing on the ship worked, and the engine was quiet... everything was quiet.
Confusion spread throughout the Tamaya 1, and the captain gave orders to his crew to make sure everyone was comfortable and assured they would safe and okay.
As his crew went about their orders, the captain went to his cabin to retrieve his satellite phone. He had to get word to someone that they needed help. Out in the doldrums without an engine could have been dangerous. There was no telling how long help would arrive, or how long it would take to fix the engine, or if the engine could even be fixed. Not to mention food. If the Tamaya 1 was a sailing vessel complete with sails, he could hope for winds to move them. But the oil tanker was a 64-meter, oil heavy vessel dead in the water. Unless they could fix the engines, they wouldn't be moving anyplace. The best he could hope for was another storm to move them out into one of the shipping lanes.
He tried his phone, flipping on the switch and clicking the transmit button. The read-out on the display gave him an error message: NO SIGNAL RECEIVED. TRY AGAIN LATER. That's impossible, he thought. There were satellites everywhere in orbit around earth. He should have been able to pick up a signal from at least one of them and transmit a call to his employer, or one of the major ports.
He tried the phone again and felt the unit warm in his hand. And then it got too hot to handle. The captain dropped it to his cot, and it quickly burst into flames. the small fire spread, consuming his sheets, pillows, and mattress. And before he knew it, the blaze spread throughout his cabin.
He found his fire extinguisher, but realized the air in the room was also being consumed. He would lose consciousness if he didn't act quickly. He dropped the extinguisher and reached for the door. He had to get out of there. The door opened wide and the captain stepped out of the room, the fire clearly getting out of control.
Eying the extinguisher at arm's reach, he grabbed it, pulled the pin, and squeezed the trigger. A white cloud of potassium bicarbonate sprayed out, but the fire seemed to resist it. Remember your training, he thought. He pointed the nozzle at the base of the fire and quickly got it under control. By this time, some of his crew appeared at his door asking if he was alright. They were curious as to what had happened, and he started to explain, but his first mate came shouting down the passageway about something happening up top. Everyone followed him to the deck.
When the captain of the Tamaya 1 emerged onto the deck, he witnessed an incredible sight. The Japanese family gathered around someone whom they appeared to recognize. They spoke in excited tones and even hugged him. The incredible thing about him was his visage. He gleamed of gold and white, and had a brightness radiating from his back, which the captain swore could have been wings.
As the family enjoyed the company of the familiar stranger, other apparitions appeared out of thin air near the other passengers and crew members. Every one on board the Tamaya 1 were delightfully surprised and genuinely happy to see them.
The captain didn't understand what was happening. He didn't believe what he saw, nor believed what these spirits could have been. His agnosticism was strong and his skepticism sound. These begins could not have been what they appeared. Angels just did not exist... until one appeared in front of him.
He recognized the apparition immediately as his father. The shine of gold and white was overwhelming. The captain's heart skipped a beat at seeing him and he reached out to embrace the vision. His father let him in, told his son that there was a much better life than this one, and everyone here was accepted to this new life.
The captain gave in to his dear father, whom he had missed oh so much, and was ready to go with him.
One week later, the Tamaya 1, a 64-meter oil tanker, washed up on the shores of Robertsport, Liberia... with no one on board.
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