Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

Lucius passed the lines out, and they all tethered themselves, with
Jack helping to steady the wheel as first Matthews, then Banks,
secured theirs. Then Jack tied on his own line, tying the two half
hitches and tugging, to make sure they weren’t going to slip. The
Wicked Wench wasn’t pitching all that hard—yet. But this was just the
beginning.
“Who’s on lookout?” he yelled, shielding his eyes from another
splash of spray, and just making out a shadowy figure forward, by the
windward rail.
The lookout was posted up toward the bow, and it was his job to
watch for anything in the ship’s path—such as another vessel.
“It’s de Ver, Cap’n Sparrow,” Featherstone shouted back. “He
should be fine up there. Everyone knows frogs like being wet.”
Jack rolled his eyes. One day, I swear, I’m going to give them
both lashes if they don’t stop, he promised himself—though, truth to
tell, he’d never yet ordered a crewman flogged.
The Wench heaved and rolled hard. Jack staggered, and this
time had to grab a line to keep from being flung to his knees. Carefully,
he crabbed sideways and looked down into the binnacle at the
compass.
The compass needle was jerking wildly, as he’d expected. Jack
watched it for more than a minute, noting where it pointed most often.
He finally concluded that they were most likely moving south-southwest.
Which, under the circumstances, was acceptable. He clapped
Matthews on the back and shouted, “Stay on the wind, Matthews!
We’re still making some westing, mate, despite this gentle shower!
Just keep her as close to the wind as she’ll lie, and we’ll weather this
just fine.”
Matthews laughed, got a mouthful of water, and spat off to port
before replying, “Aye, Cap’n!”
Lightning bolts streaked the sky all around the plunging ship. Jack
eyed the tops of his masts worriedly. They were certainly the tallest
things out here. He’d seen masts and rigging struck before…had
helped to remove and replace charred masts and spars when he’d first
signed on as a merchant seaman.
Even worse than the thought of lightning hitting a mast was the