"Land hoooooe,'' shouted the look out boy. The crew of the ship the `Sea Venture' had set sail from Woolwich, England on the 15th May 1609, heading for Jamestown, Virginia.

After seven weeks the weather conditions started to change for the worse, it was Monday July 24th and the nine ships -- Sea Venture, Diamond, Falcon, Blessing, Unity, Lion, Swallow, Catch, and Virginia were hit by one of those freak storms that were known to plague the Atlantic Ocean.

The crew of the nine ships lost visual contact and drifted away from each other. After three days of tormenting weather and the constant bailing of water from below the ships decks, the weather broke into oblivion.

A leap of joy spread through Sir George Somers' heart (he was the Admiral of the nine boat fleet), they had finally sighted land.

He stared on to the blue outline of the ocean and began to see the contours of this land that they had come across.

He knew almost instantly that it was `The Bermudez', or as some sailors called it the `Isle of the Devils'. Sir George had once come across this island and had jokingly said to the other officers on his ship, that this island would be a good route in the future from London to Virginia.

With a reassuring nod from Sir George, Captain Newport steered his battered boat towards the complex pattern of reefs which encircled the island.

`Boooom,' the ship slammed into one of the off-shore reefs. Sir George was standing on the stern of the boat looking at the tropical outline of `The Bermudas' when he heard shouts from below deck, "Sir George, Sir George,'' shouted the ships cabin boy John, "she's leek'n more now the wa'er's com'n in real fast, she'll sink in a day or two!'' Captain Newport came over to where the cabin boy and Sir George was standing to see what all the commotion was about.

Sir George told him everything that the cabin boy had told him. The two decided to abandon ship. They started barking orders at the ship's crew.

"Henry, start gett'n all the women and children into the row boats,'' bellowed Captain Newport. The crew salvaged everything that they could from the ship in about a day. After everybody was off the ship the people who had endured so much, on the `Sea Venture', lay down on the beach and watched her slowly slip out of sight.

The tired survivors started to set up camp in a small clearing a little way into the undergrowth surrounded by palm trees.

There was no problem at all with finding enough food for everybody. There were regular supplies of fish as well as birds, eggs, various berries and vast quantities of wild hog which had been left there by the early Portuguese sailors. Sir George Somers and his group of men had worked without rest to make sure that they all ate well.

Under the direction of Captain Newport, one boat was almost completed, (`Deliverance') and Sir George had undertaken the task of building another ship to carry extra food supplies, this boat was named `Patience'.

The months passed until December, everybody was cherry with Christmas joy, the women hummed Christmas carols while they were making food for the Christmas feast, the men `whistled while they worked' and even Captain Newport, who was never in the best of moods, seemed more cheerful.

The days passed until Christmas Eve when the excitement was at a high, everybody was looking forward to tomorrows arranged festivities.

***** Sir George was sitting on a peak looking out over the ocean when he felt a cold breeze from up above and heard jingling bells. He got up and walked towards the sound. All of a sudden a big man wearing a red suit appeared out of the bushes, it was Saint Nick! Sir George was so surprised to see Saint Nick that he almost tripped over a protruding palm branch! "Haha ha hahaaa,'' chuckled Saint Nick as Sir George righted himself, "Hello George, I see you have done well here after you were shipwrecked on this island paradise.'' "How....how did you know what happ'nd to us, uuh uuuh SSSaint Nick, stuttered Sir George?'' "Ooooh! I have kept a pretty good look on what has been happening down on earth over the years, laughed Saint Nick.'' "Why have you come here, questioned Sir George?'' "I have come to tell you something of the future George,'' said Saint Nick.

"This small group of islands will grow to a wealthy point of prosperity in the future. The people of the island will be friendly and helpful, there will be many religions and languages, it will be a democratic and peacefully ruled island.

"Your small group of ship wrecked men and women will start the beginning of a long relationship with these few islands. I have come to you on Christmas Eve to give you this gift of knowing what will happen to these islands in the future.'' "How do you know this...are you sure,'' asked Sir George? "Sometimes, my cousin, god sends me visions of the future of places, people, or things that will make a mark in history.

"When I got this vision I decided that it would be the best Christmas gift that I could ever give you,'' excitedly said Saint Nick.

"Thank you very much for telling me this Saint Nick,'' said Sir George with a futuristic dazzle in his eye. "This is the best Christmas gift that I could ever get,'' thanked Sir George.

Saint Nick and Sir George both turned their heads when they heard a warning ney from not far away. "Dear, dear,'' tiredly said Saint Nick, "Blitzen is worried that we're not going to have enough time to get all the way around the world tonight. I had better go now.'' As Saint Nick got into his sleigh and gathered up his reins he said, "Merrrry Christmas George,'' and at that he flew away! "Thank you,'' yelled Sir George as he waved goodbye! ***** Christmas morning. Everybody was abuzz with something to get ready for the big feast at noon. You could hear the children's cries of joy as they woke to find a present or two waiting for them from Saint Nick.

The hours passed, everything was ready, the food and the entertainment. The crew and passengers of the almost forgotten `Sea Venture' sat down for their Christmas feast. The aroma of the food touched the noses of even the furthest person down the long table, the lip-smacking food was laid out on the table.

Everybody sat quietly waiting for Sir George to make a toast.

"Ahem....., fate led us to this beautiful island and fate will probably lead some of us away, but we shall never forget this first Christmas in `the Bermudas.'' Sir George raised his mug of coconut milk and said, "This is the first Christmas of `The Bermudas' and certainly not the last.'' "Here, here,'' shouted the rest of the gathered survivors! As everybody began eating Sir George thought to himself, "Definitely not the last.'' CHRISTMAS SHORT STORY CONTEST CPN