Posts Tagged ‘shipping’

Weather or not

by on Friday, October 9th, 2015

The overcast, greenish sky and unusually rough water, together with yesterday’s shipping report, have made some locals worry that New Toulouse is due for some nasty weather.

According to library staff, the Kate Chopin Library has been docked in “a safer location” for the time being. Those with books due back in the next few days needn’t worry about being fined for any days when the library is unavailable.

Over a party telephone line last evening, someone predicted that “The Flood” was on its way, but it is unclear whether the speaker was an engineer with inside knowledge of the city pumping system or the prophet of some doomsday cult. But at the corner of Royal and Nightingale streets, there are already sandbags in evidence at the Institute of Liberal and Technical Learning, and who are we to argue with the liberally and technically learned?

An unusual number of small birds have been seen about the city, chirping their fool heads off about who knows what. Taloosters already plenty equipped with firearms and liquor are stocking up on still more firearms and liquor, just in case. And, presumably fueled by the report of the storm-damaged steamer Calamares and its flooded cargo of coffee and bananas, someone has bought up all the available coffee beans, and currently there are none to be had on the open market. Look for cafe and restaurant owners to adjust their price for a cuppa joe accordingly. (There is still room for a would-be banana tycoon.)

Speaking of the Calamares, a new report has come in, just as we are going to press:

  • Oct. 9: Steamer Calamares, running before the storm for home port of New Toulouse with a ruined cargo and fifteen sick passengers, reports heavy winds and seas, and all pumps operating at full output. When asked for a shipboard report, radioman Tucker said, “Captain LeBlanc says, ‘No! No time for that! Hey, Gremillion, what happens if you shoot it?'”

Jack Mondieu thought the sky was falling, but it was only a sticky projectile cast off by a chirpy bird.

Shipping News

by on Thursday, October 8th, 2015

Radio reports indicate that New Toulouse’s own Calamares, inbound from Guatemala with a cargo of coffee, bananas, and citrus, is leaking and in danger of sinking after encountering a storm in the Gulf of Mexico. Newly built by Workman, Clark and Co., of Belfast, and under the command of our very own Alcide LeBlanc, the Calamares is one of the newest, best-equipped refrigerator ships in the world. Captain LeBlanc’s parents are vacationing in the north and could not be located for comment.

The Tattler has compiled the following reports related to this treacherous storm:

  • Oct. 2: Reefer Limon reports a tropical storm 100 nautical miles north of Grenada, wind speed estimated at 35 knots.
  • Oct. 3: Weather station Kingstown reports a severe storm passing west of St. Vincent Island, wind estimated at 50 knots.
  • Oct. 4: Steamer Argentine reports a tropical storm 240 miles north of Caracas, Venezuela.
  • Oct. 5: Weather station Port-au-Prince reports a hurricane passing directly south, at some distance, moving northwest. Landfall on US Gulf Coast expected October 10 or 11.
  • Oct. 6: Weather station Kingston (Jamaica) reports a major hurricane passing directly south, track estimated to be northwest, range estimated at 150 miles, winds in excess of 100 knots.
  • Oct. 7: Weather station Havana reports a major hurricane passing 200 nautical miles west, storm track is north-northwest, landfall is expected between Galveston and Mobile on October 11.
  • Oct. 8: Measured winds indicate that the storm is 300 nautical miles south of New Toulouse, landfall expected on Louisiana coast in 48–72 hours.
  • Oct. 8: Reefer Venus, position unknown, reports heavy seas and hurricane-force winds.
  • Oct. 8: Steamer Calamares reports storm damage, taking on water, sinking imminent, 100 miles southwest of New Toulouse. Cargo of coffee and bananas flooded, running north before storm to attempt grounding before swelling cargo ruptures hull.