The port town was forced to convert to construction and boatbuilding

Is it bad that I imagine this conversion involving religious missionaries and guys in funny robes and hats?

Anyway, it was kind of hard to follow the worldbuildingness but as soon as it switched to a narrative form my interest piqued. And I found myself thinking "You shouldn't have explained it yet! We're supposed to find out the reason for all this as the story evolves!" But then, this is your journal and not a story site, so you probably had to ramble all that in order to set up for writing it. *grin* And that's what it's for!

Good luck with your next installment! Or whatever you end up writing next.