by DB Daglish
“Yes they do, but they are happy. You have to remember they started doing this some eighteen years ago. It’s their life now and they enjoy it.”
“Well what do they get in return to providing produce for the Japanese?” asked Janie.
“More than you would think,” Ricki replied. “Traditional medicine, acupuncture, massages, liquor…”
“Liquor, like what they served to us?”
“No that was old wine. They have their own brew that they enjoy. I had a taste. It is truly horrible, but they all like it.”
“Saki?” she asked.
“No silly - that needs rice. This one is brewed from one of the local trees. So you see - everybody wins. I’m just glad we didn’t offend them!”
“True that?” Karen interrupted. “I think we’ve learned a lesson here. Now, by any chance did you bring anything back?”
“Well yes we did my darling,” Ricki said. “Six cartons of red wine they put on bike trailer for us.”
So that night, they laughed at the events that had occurred and the more they drank, the more they laughed, until no one even knew what they were laughing at any more.
For three days they stayed, helping the community fishing or gardening, while one or two spent time in the city. During that period, those of the Redcliffe community moved back and forth to experience sailing into Moreton Bay. The whole atmosphere was like a fun working holiday and it seemed the communities were stronger than first thought. Word was sent to Coolangatta and they began to communicate once more as well although distance was a problem when you only have a boat, a bicycle or your feet. In many years to come, feet or horseback would be the only things possible and if bridges collapsed, as they ultimately would, these communities would become increasingly isolated.
One more adventure was now planned. And so farewells were said, the yachts loaded with supplies and fresh water, and they proceeded out of the bay and into the Pacific once more. This time they swung north and ventured into the barrier reef and some of the smaller inland islands off the north Queensland coast. While in Brisbane they had found some snorkeling gear that was still in usable condition due to its quality. They spent two glorious days in the warm air and crystal clear waters. They fished, swam and relaxed in absolute perfect conditions, eventually pulling anchor and bearing south for the long run to Sydney for one final visit before heading to Lord Howe and back home again. They had been having such a great time exploring they had forgotten how much they missed their family and friends, but they could not do this forever.
The run to Sydney was exciting, and the crews had yet another race but this time, Tia could not get the Hope to equal the speed of the schooner. Yet she remained second all the way not being able to keep her speed in the increasing swell and increasingly fell behind.
Dirk was on the radio giving Fin a hard time. He was enjoying his time away from the island and connected well with the younger boy from New Haven.
“Tell Tia she needs to pick up the pace – over.”
“We are giving you guys some space before we blitz you as we come down past Manly. Better we take you at the end and rub it in – over,” he teased.
”Yeah, like we’ve…”
His sentence was broken as he watched the Hope appear to stop suddenly, lurch forward and broach slightly sideways, the bow disappearing under the waves. Then he watched in horror as the yacht rapidly rolled on its side.
“Whoa!” Dirk yelled as those on deck looked back. The Taranaki was the following boat and they could see the keel was missing and within seconds the yacht had sunk, a massive hole allowing copious amounts of seawater surge inside. Tia and Ho were on deck and had been immediately thrown into the ocean.
Angel managed to escape out of the cabin but was caught under the sail and dragged down. Fin and Dee never even got out; so violent was the impact and they were thrown, around knocking one of them unconscious and the other injured and unable to swim.
Within thirty seconds the Taranaki was at the scene. Both Geo and Sam dived in but could not see anyone other than Ho and Tia who were quickly hauled aboard. The schooner was turned around and arrived before the Southern Spirit had caught up. Nick now jumped overboard with the snorkel gear and swam down several meters. Visibility was quite good and he could see the damaged Hope far below him. As he turned he spotted someone drifting with their arms stretched out and he recognized it as Angel. Holding his breath for a little longer he swam to her, kicking toward the surface as he held her arm. It took great effort and he was near giving up when Geo dived down again taking Angel from Nick so he could surface for some air. He hit the surface beside the Taranaki and was immediately grabbed by some willing arms that hauled him aboard.
Geo now surfaced with the limp body of Angel and a rope was thrown to him, and they dragged him back also. Angel was pulled aboard and immediately mouth to mouth was performed. They tried for several minutes before finally giving up.
Many were crying or screaming in shock still. Debris was scattered across the ocean surface.
“So close, so close,” Don said pointing to what they recognized as Newcastle in the distance.
The schooner now came close by and Nick leaped aboard as it did. “Is she…oh,” he said as he saw her limp form. “Any sign of Fin and Dee?”
Don shook his head and he went below to where Tia and Ho were wrapped in blankets, still shaking from the shock.
“Are you two alright?” he asked. They both shook their heads. “Sorry, stupid question – are either of you hurt?” They both shook their heads again and he went back up to the deck while Nim went below to comfort them.
“What did they hit, does anyone know?” a call came from Harry.
Ryan raised his hands to show he had no idea and then went below. A call came across the radio.
“A whale? A container? Did any see anything?”
“Maybe it just sheared off?” Bryce’s voice came over the radio. “I’ve heard of that happening before!”
“Maybe, but there is nothing we can do here guys,” Harry said. “We should call into Newcastle again, sort out everyone and reassess our predicament.”
“I’m not leaving Fin and Dee!” Tia screamed from below.
“Tia doesn’t want to leave the other two – over.”
“I understand. What do we do then?”
Nick then came below into the cabin. “Tia…” he said as he crouched down beside her. “I was down probably six meters or so, the Hope was far below me and all I could see was Angel’s body. I doubt Fin and Dee ever got out?”
This made Tia cry even louder and Ho cuddled her tighter than before. Nick then motioned for Don to come up on deck.
“There is nothing we can do, just turn into the harbor,” he whispered and then he stood near the mast and pointed to the coast. Ryan nodded and gave instructions to his crew. Harry copied and slowly the Taranaki followed suit. Tia could feel the change of course but she said nothing. She knew!
They arrived inside the harbor an hour or so later. There had been no talk on the yachts other than what was necessary for sailing. Tying up where they had been on their previous visit they all clambered ashore. A few were in deep shock, so sudden had the accident been. A few were consistently weepy but most were quietly depressed. Chris was angry and although it was a common reaction, Don suspected why.
“You think we should have checked the keel when we got to Sydney the first time don’t you?”
“Yes,” Chris said as Harry and Dirk now joined them.
“Discussing the cause?”
“Yeah. Chris believes we should have checked the keel after Tia’s impact coming over here weeks ago.”
“Maybe we should have, but Dirk here says the boat came to a sudden stop as if it hit something,” Harry pointed out.
“Yet Nick said there was no sign of a container or a whale when he was underwater and the visibility was good,” Chris replied.
“Yet something forced the bow down suddenly, like an impact
on a keel would.”
“Maybe it just sheared partly off and the drag caused the bow pitch and that sudden action ripped the bottom of the boat off…anyway, the reason is irrelevant. We have lost our friends…our family!” and he too fell silent.
Angel was buried up near the old fort, looking out over the ocean in sight of where she had died, some distance up the coast.
They stayed there in Newcastle for two days. The same foreboding feel they had experienced the first time still lingered in the streets, though they did not care this time. Nothing was as difficult as the pain of losing three of their own in such a sudden and shocking way.
Venturing further into the harbor they inspected various moored yachts for a replacement. Some had sunk at their moorings due to a bad state of repair or because of storms over the years. Few were in any immediate sailing condition but they selected something suitable and took fresh sails for the yacht club rigging the whole vessel in new gear within several hours. It was already named Gloria, and they cleaned it out, washed it down and re-crewed it for sailing. Tia however, refused to accept the request that she skipper it.
“Come on girl, the sinking wasn’t your fault!” Harry pointed out, doing his best to make her feel better.
“I’m not taking charge of it. I’m responsible for their deaths!” she insisted.
“Whoa. Hold on there. That was not your fault,” said Don who had overheard the conversation. “That was a freak accident. No one here holds you responsible girl!”
“They might back at New Haven!”
“No one there would either Tia. It was an accident!”
But no matter how hard they tried, she would not accept the helm and she insisted she travel on the schooner until they landed back at Lord Howe, and then transfer to the Zingari which was the largest of their own yachts.
That evening everything was ready. No one wanted to stay in that place for any longer than necessary, and everyone had pitched in, under direction of those knowledgeable enough to change the rigging, sails and equipment. This time, they all had the inflatable life jackets to wear that they raided from the marine shop. Many were tested and with five out of five inflating correctly, they stowed two for each person on board each vessel and retired to sleep. At dawn many were already eating breakfast and soon afterward were trying to make their way out of the harbor; a bit difficult to do with an incoming tide and an onshore breeze.
As with their previous journey from Newcastle to Sydney, they arrived opposite the beach by mid afternoon. It was strange that no one could be seen anywhere along the waterfront or on the sand; but there could be numerous reasons. They sailed through the heads and into the harbor, arriving at the old terminal - and still without seeing any sign of life. All four vessels tied up and they cautiously climbed onto the wharf. There was total silence. Not a single human voice could be heard anywhere, and they all stood mesmerized, trying to figure out what was going on.
“This seems creepy,” Ricki said, loud enough for all to hear.
“Nah, they must be playing some sort of prank,” Josh said. “Hey, we’re here!” he yelled loudly.
His call bounced off the waterfront buildings and back to the group. A kangaroo bounded past them and down the road and a few birds rose into the air in response.
They waited but there was no reply.
“That roo seems odd. We saw none while we were here,” Lenny said. “When I had asked why, they told me with so many people they kept away because they shot them to protect the gardens.”
“Does anyone else smell that?” Don asked.
“Smell what?” Karen asked. “There’s not….ohhh, Phew. It’s as if…” but the words never came as the realization hit her.
“They are dead?” Ricki finished her sentence. “That is no ordinary smell girl. I remember that from twenty seven years ago, only this isn’t quite as bad!”
“Shit. What has happened?” Harry exclaimed. “What could cause this?”
“Cause what exactly? We aren’t sure of anything yet!” Nick said, his nose confirming but his mind denying the possibility.
Ryan was the first to begin to move toward the buildings. “Look, I’m not afraid of death. Whoever isn’t, come with me! The rest of you take the yachts around to the other bay out of the wind direction so the smell is not so disconcerting, and wait for us there!”
Ricki, Lenny and Janie went with him and they walked towards the multilevel building, the one they called ‘the station’ where the younger ones of the community were housed. As they approached the door a shout came from behind and Chris ran up to them.
“I’ll come too. This whole thing is intriguing, even if I find what I think I might.”
As the others moved the yachts around the bay and away from the smell, they entered the building. They were not inside for long before all of them came out gagging, with Lenny throwing up on the pavement.
“That is the smell of death alright. Let me get something to cover my face first?” Ryan said. He ran off and entered some old shops along the road until he could find something. Holding a shirt over his nose and face he entered once more. Flies were everywhere, but he ignored them as best he could, even though he hated things buzzing around his head. Heading to the first level he found several bodies in various rooms. Going to the balconies, he opened a sliding door and took a gulp of fresher air and entered the building again. By now the others had followed him and their eyes reflected their thoughts. On the second level even more lay dead upon their beds. The beginnings of decay had set in and he could see the skin that was revealed had minute spots as if…
Suddenly he turned and ran down the flight of stairs to the level below where the others were, and he motioned them outside. As he ran they followed as well, and they didn’t stop running until they were all down near the beach.
“Notice anything?” Ryan asked, puffing heavily from the run.
“The dead?”
“Yes. But notice anything else?”
A few confused looks came his way. Ricki was the first to speak and the recollection of the past came to his mind.
“Oh damn. The skin! The little spots like pin-pricks and the other things over the whole body? This is like ‘the event’ all over again isn’t it?”
Ryan nodded. “I recognized it too, so I ran out in fear but there is nothing to fear now.”
“What do you mean?” Lenny asked. “We could catch it if our mouths aren’t covered?”
“We already have it man,” Ryan said, pointing to Lenny’s neck where it looked as if he had cut himself shaving. Lenny rubbed his neck.
“It’s just a rash that’s all.” But Janie was becoming scared, clenching her fists as she stood there beside them.
“Who were the people you stayed behind to talk to before we left here?” Ryan asked.
“They were from Melbourne. They were fleeing…”
“Exactly! I heard the story second hand. But explain it to me again?” he asked.
Ok. Let’s see? They had come from Melbourne on horseback. Two of them had been on a farm with their children, in isolation in some hills for many years after the event. Then the other man that was with him, the one who was sick…”
He paused as the realization hit.
“Ohhh. That one arrived at their farm as he was fleeing reports of more deaths in the city. But he had not been in direct contact with anyone sick! Those at the farm were not sure if they would be safe if people fled along the road. They mentioned they could see groups traveling on the road even as they packed up ready to go north,” he said recounting slowly what he remembered.
“Oh, that’s right; their daughter had died when falling off a horse on the way. Then two horses became lame or something. They found the old place south of here the group had that we went to Lord Howe with. After the fire here, they saw smoke and made their way here a few days later.”
Ryan swung his open palm around to the direction of the buildings.
“And here is the result!”
Chris punched an old lamp-post, injuring his hand in the process. Blood began to flow and he placed his hand over his knuckles to stem the flow.
“But you said we have nothing to fear now?” Lenny asked again.
“We can’t avoid it because we already have it. Your neck proves it. You were the only one close enough to those people from Melbourne!”
“Oh shit! So I’ve now killed all you guys, after all you’ve done for me over the years. Damn, damn, damn!” he yelled into the air and he shook his fists and wandered around and around, swiping aggressively at branches with his hand, kicking at the sand and cursing.
“Whoa,” Ricky called loudly. “If you hadn’t spread it, I’m sure we would have on our return doing what we did just now?”
“Yeah, but you could have realized that and isolated yourself from the rest in the next bay, had them sail off across the harbor to see if they caught it or not. I’ve killed you all. Damn - that’s the second time I’ve brought heartbreak to you guys!” he shouted.
Janie tried to console him but he brushed her off and the hurt in her eyes was obvious. But she too was torn between rejecting her husband and the realization of her death brought on by the one she loved.
“How do we tell the others?” Chris asked.
“Just as it is! They are contaminated as well now. There is every chance they already are dying, but the symptoms have not shown yet. If those people traveled for three weeks and we’ll assume the other one a week before that and he was sick arriving that three to four weeks is all it takes to show the signs and we are at that point now!”
Ricki sighed loudly. “Ok, let’s go have a meeting and talk about it,” and he began to walk up the street toward the next bay. The others said nothing but eventually followed him, none saying a word until they reached the grass near the beach. Here they found a woman and a younger girl who were talking to those from the yachts.
“Ricki! You need to hear this?” Harry shouted as they approached. He had a grim look on his face.
“We already know!” Ricki called back.