Marine Spooctology

120.

"Man its a joy to be out here with you Mr. Dunkley I've hunted Nessie for years!" Gilbert regretted the trip immediately upon meeting Matt Stoakes, a fast talking chain smoker who among his other bad habits kept a car that was so filthy Gilbert couldn't tell if any part of it was clean. Gilbert was going to let the Nessie thing go, it was one of the few "monsters" normal people believed in, though it was one of the few things he pretty much knew was bullshit. Krakens? Yes. Ancient Dinosaurs inexplicably alive millions of years later? What are you nuts?

"Well I hope your ship is sea worthy." It was the least of Gilbert's concern, but he was very concerned with how badly Stoakes appeared as a driver and the sorry state of his car.

"Oh she'll take you guys out there no issue, ghost submarine right? That can happen?"

"Well the sub isn't a ghost, its just currently being run by a ghost, but the sub is very real and potentially dangerous."

"Ghosts can do that?"

"This one apparently can, its a first for me, though I did deal with a ghost pirate ship once." Gilbert chuckled to himself at the memory.

"How did that go?"

"Not too bad convinced him to sail somewhere else for a while, I've heard tales of ghost pirates amusing tourists as far away as New Zealand." The ghost wasn't dangerous just confused and Gilbert felt bad to end his voyage when he just wanted to have fun for as long as he could. They arrived at the ship and Gilbert jaw almost dropped. It was a top of the line vessel that didn't look to have the same filth and debris that Stoakes car had.

"Here's my ship."

"Wow how do you afford that?" Clarissa spoke up for the first time. She didn't feel like interrupting Gilbert and Stoakes when she was just looking at the english country side.

"Some billionare loves the hunt for nessie, forget his name, but he's been basically funding my research, that and the SyFy network, they have me on every once in a while for a special, but the boat is nice even if the captain can be a bit of dick." The captain in this case was an old grizzled sea dog in crisp whites and grey trimmed facial hair. Gilbert felt safer already.

"Master Stoakes, I assume these are the passengers for the sea voyage today?"

"Gilbert Dunkley and Clarissa Shipley, they'll be our guests for this Captain Turner." Turned held out his hand and Clarissa and Gilbert shook it, he had a grip like a vice.

"Pleasure to have you aboard for the latest snipe hunt."

"Captain Turner." Stoakes chastised the older man, but he waved it off.

"So we looking for a dinosaur or some other malarkey?"

"WW 1 sub being run by a ghost." The old man didn't seem phased by it.

"For sure?"

"Well the royal navy doesn't think so, but I do yes sir I believe it's a problem, how dangerous is what we are here to find out." He harumphed and walked away.

"He's a bit of a hard ass, but a great captain, let me show you to your bunks." Stoakes directed them to the lower birth and Gilbert took a look at the sea before going under. It was a calm sunny day, and he was immediately suspicious of what was out there.