Book excerpt: CHASING LATITUDES A crazed cockamamie Caribbean tale: The Caribbean. The name alone conjures up images of sun, surf and fun. Fun being the ideal word for the sometimes mysterious Caribbean. A place where anything can happen and usually does. Years ago Captain Yellow-Top inherited his grandfather's 1942 seaplane, a Grumman Goose called the 'Latitude Jumper'. A free spirited freelance computer programer, and an ex-Navy man; the Captain has a love affair for the old reliable seaplane. Every summer he flies to the Caribbean, catching up with his wild and crazy friends, including, his 'on again and off again' girlfriend named "sexy-D." This one particular summer, half way to the Bahamas, he discovers a stowaway aboard his plane. Afraid that someone is trying to shanghai his plane he retaliates, only to find a sixteen year old runaway aboard. Frustrated, with no desire of turning back, Captain decides to take the kid under his wing and teach him the ropes. The kid inherits the name Tex and the two develop a friendship. Willingly, Tex is thrust into the wild side of the crazy Caribbean, zany over the top characters and has a crash course living a pirate's life where he discovers an irresistible gumbo of fast boats, fast planes, bandits, pirates, Rock-n-Roll and hot girls. Suddenly the two find themselves involved in a daring adventure and rescue at sea. For the renegade seaplane pilot Captain Yellow- Top and his side kick Tex, the adventure is turning their summer upside down.