SIX PACK 20⁰ N, 160⁰ W - Ch 14

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KULO LUNA - Grace and beauty, these giant fins propel the whale at considerable speed over thousands of miles from feeding to breeding grounds.

For 2020, the Kulo Luna story is undergoing conversion for the possibility of publication of a Special Edition graphic novel, by artists in the Sussex region of the UK.

This edition is condensed for a quicker visual experience with 5 chapters as 24 scenes:-

The start reminded Steve of the Oxford and Cambridge university boat races. An imaginary line had been drawn on the ocean between two Marshall boats. Each contender had to be behind this line ………. It took several attempts to line the boats up, even with only a mild sea.

Six contenders were doing their best to keep their vessels in line for a fair start, not that a few meters would make a lot of difference in a race that was likely to last one hundred and fifty days or more. Perhaps quite a lot less for the winner. These were the Elizabeth Swan, Khufu Kraft, Photon Planet, Seashine, Starlight and Sunriser.

The Elizabeth Swan was the hottest contender and the odds on favorite to win because of her clocked speeds during trials.

Starlight was held to be the next fastest boat with Photon Planet third, followed by Seashine, Sunriser and last but not least the Khufu Kraft. Each design was quite different from the other, some large and some small.

Starlight was captained by Sarah Jones, coincidentally, a former partner of John Storm from many years ago. They had been partners for years enjoying sailing and diving together, but disagreed on politics and career paths and soon became friendly rivals as the wounds healed over the years to allow them to compare notes even and still go home separately.

The Photon Planet was a much faster version of the PlanetSolar, the world's first solar powered boat to circumnavigate the globe in 2012. This entry was from a German-Swiss consortium, enthusiasts who were keen to keep younger family members of the original team in the frame.

Seashine was quite a large vessel fielded by a Canadian team, where their Prime Minister was doing all he could to combat climate change and other marine conservation issues.

Sunriser was an Australian entry developed from the Solar Sailor concept, a vessel designed by Robert Dane before 2000. The Solar Sailor was a harbor ferry, the Sunriser was an ocean going vessel.

The Khufu Kraft was an entry from Egypt and other Middle Eastern backers, with the son of a Sheik at the helm. This boat harked back to the days of the Pharaohs, styled on the lines of those ancient craft, brought into the modern world.

Staying on station with a tide pushing them back and forward required a little jostling on the part of the captains using forward and aft thrust, but finally all of the entrants were in a line of sorts and a flare was fired to signify the start of the race followed by a very loud horn that echoed across the harbor deafeningly.

Great swirls of water jetted backwards from the propellers of all six racers to an uproar of appreciation from the gathered crowd who whistled and clapped, some throwing hats and anything else handy into the air. Others jumped up and down and hugged the person standing next to them, some even kissing in the excitement, then realizing too late they didn't know the person who they had just kissed.

The cheering died down as the Elizabeth Swan made it out into open water way ahead of Starlight, who was way ahead of Photon Planet, with the other three stragglers bringing up the rear.

As the gap widened and the boats grew smaller on the horizon, silence descended on the crowd, just like the start of the Volvo Ocean Races. Then, to fill the void, the event organizers opened up on loud speakers:

"Your Royal Highnesses, Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to thank you all for coming to make this event what it is. As you saw for yourselves these boats can move - the future of zero emission ocean transport perhaps. I'm here with .......... "



Media paying attention due to potential for technology impact on global warming .......

KULO LUNA - Is the story of a giant humpback whale and her young friend Kana who is killed by pirate whalers in the south pacific ocean. Enraged by the death of Kana, Kulo attacks the pirate ship, finally sinking it, but getting herself wounded in the process.

On hearing of the sinking of one of their suppliers, a Japanese cartel put a $multi-million dollar bounty on her head, when another whaling ship gives chase. Before not too long the media hear of the hunt and betting begins all around the world. At this point our hero, John Storm, abandons a solar boat race to try and help the whale where his boat, the Elizabeth Swan, is not far away from the last sighting.

John rescues Kulo from being eaten by sharks, but that is just the beginning of their adventure, as the pirates whalers close in for the kill........

The map above shows you where Kulo's epic fight for life begins and concludes. Copyright © Jameson Hunter 2006 and 2018. The right of Jameson Hunter to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988. In this work of fiction, the characters, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or they are used entirely fictitiously. Blueplanet Universal Productions & Electrick Publications, London, England. ISBN: 0-953-7824-01