skiff

The skiff is the Nautilus's auxiliary longboat, a light, unsinkable vessel that serves as the crucial interface between the submarine's enclosed world and the surface of the sea. It is used for excursions, fishing, and, most critically, for the escape attempts of the three prisoners. Its design and operation reflect Captain Nemo's complete mastery over his domain, yet it also becomes the instrument of the final, desperate flight from the Nautilus.

Design and Storage

The skiff is an excellent longboat, described as light and unsinkable, and is used for excursions and fishing trips. It is stored in a cavity expressly designed to receive it on the topside of the Nautilus's hull, where it is held solidly in place by bolts. The skiff is completely decked over and absolutely watertight. Access to it is gained via an iron ladder that leads to a manhole cut into the Nautilus's hull, which corresponds to a comparable hole cut into the side of the skiff. To launch, a person inserts themselves through this double opening into the longboat, closes the hole belonging to the Nautilus, screws the skiff's own hole into place, and then undoes the bolts holding the skiff to the submersible. The longboat then rises with prodigious speed to the surface of the sea. The skiff is also equipped with a mast and sail, as well as oars, allowing for a variety of propulsion methods once on the surface.

Operational Use and Control

The skiff is deployed for a variety of purposes, always under the ultimate authority of Captain Nemo. It is used for the underwater hunting expedition in the Crespo Island forests, where it transports the hunting party to the shallows. It is also the vessel used for the pearl fishing expedition off the coast of Ceylon, carrying Captain Nemo, Pierre Aronnax, Conseil, and Ned Land to the oysterbank. The skiff is also used for more mundane tasks, such as fishing for the ship's larder. The skiff can be recalled to the Nautilus by means of an electric wire that connects it to the ship; Captain Nemo can fire off a telegram, and the Nautilus will return to the skiff. This system ensures that the skiff is never truly independent of the mother ship, a fact that becomes critical during escape attempts.

The Skiff in Escape Attempts

The skiff is the central object in the prisoners' plans for freedom. Ned Land, the harpooner, repeatedly eyes it as the means of escape. During the aborted escape attempt in the Bay of Vigo, Ned Land has already stowed provisions and a monkey wrench in the skiff, ready to unscrew the nuts bolting it to the Nautilus's hull. The plan is to wait for nightfall and then use the skiff to reach the Spanish coast. This attempt is foiled when Captain Nemo unexpectedly stops the Nautilus to retrieve treasure from the sunken galleons. Later, as the Nautilus approaches the coast of Nova Scotia, Ned Land again prepares the skiff for a final, desperate escape. He stows food and flasks of water inside, and the three prisoners plan to use it to reach the shore.

The Final Escape and the Maelstrom

The final escape attempt is violently interrupted by the Nautilus's encounter with the Maelstrom. As the skiff is about to be detached, the crew's shouts of "Maelstrom! Maelstrom!" reveal the new danger. The skiff, still attached to the Nautilus's plating, is carried around in the whirlpool's dizzying spiral. Ned Land attempts to screw the nuts back down, hoping to stay attached to the Nautilus for safety, but a cracking sound occurs as the nuts give way. The skiff is ripped out of its socket and hurled like a stone from a sling into the midst of the vortex. This violent separation leads to the unconsciousness of the narrator, and the skiff, with its three passengers, is ultimately cast up on the shores of the Lofoten Islands, ending their voyage on the Nautilus.