Strange Tides: A Short Story

In this short story magical fantasy, an oddball group of sailors embark on a botanical research expedition. However, at the journey’s onset, the starkly differing personalities in the vessel would clash, and misunderstandings fester. As if being on a four month long journey weren’t bad enough, the crew had to contend with the possibility that the waters beneath them may purposefully have been working against their progress. Will the nearest island of Masalla satiate the growing thirst for answers? What caused the waters to behave so belligerently, despite the evidenced sunny day and the lack of clouds?