All was ready. The list had been checked and double checked. All the gear stowed and secured. All the food and water had been purchased and stowed aboard. All the clothes had been packed aboard and stowed. Fuel for the small diesel motor was topped up and the motor was tested and ready. All the good-byes had been said, hugs given and received all around. It was time to go. Amidst cries of "Be safe!" and "Good luck!" he cast off and slowly made his way out to sea, turning back to wave one last time before rounding the point.

Five days at sea, and he noticed a large amount of water in the bilge. The pump was working all the time, but the water kept getting higher and higher in the boat. It took time, too much precious time to find the cause of the leak, but once he found it, he thought it should be an easy fix. He just had to replace the packing in the seals for the small diesel motor shaft. All the gear was stowed, the list double checked, but packing was not on the list. There was none on the boat.

Soon the water had risen to the point of shorting the batteries and communication was lost.

After a long struggle, he found himself in the arms of a beautiful mermaid drifting through the sea, up towards the light, his boat falling into the depths below him. All because he forgot the packing.