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Courtney's story a winner

Courtney put an entry in a junior short story competition hosted by a hotel in Phuket.

And she won! The prize is a three day stay at the hotel, a book from the judging author and the story will be published in a magazine.

This link is to the Mom Tri Boathouse with all the stories and details.

The judge's comments:

Mom Tri's Boathouse Student Writing Contest 2008

What a great first year it was for the Boathouse's student writing contest. The Boathouse got a pile of submissions, and each one of them clearly demonstrated both a genuine enthusiasm for writing in general and the hard work that went into producing these entries in particular.

There was some seriously good writing, too.

The greatest overall strength of the submissions was that every single one of them showed a honest-to-goodness ability to produce prose that is both clear and interesting. If there were a single overall weakness in the entries, it was a limitation in the writers' sense of story development and a lack of structure appropriate to the length of these particular pieces. That problem would, I think, be the result of watching too many movies, trolling the internet too much, sending a whole bunch of text messages, and spending not nearly enough time reading good novels. I have a son about the same age as all of these writers. I recognize the symptoms of failing imagination when I see them.

Anyway, I have to tell you that it was much harder to pick the winners in this category than it was in the adult category of the contest. But that's what the Boathouse asked me to do, so here we go anyway…

FIRST PLACE:

'It's Not About Hamlet,' Courtney Woods -- the most vividly written of all the entries, the most immediate and alive. I could feel Phuket. I could even smell it. The narrative itself advances through a well-struck and emotionally mature balance of dialogue and description that was outstanding, particularly for such a short piece. Really, really nice work.

Here is her story:

First Prize in the Mom Tri's Boathouse Student Short Fiction Contest 2008

"IT'S NOT ABOUT HAMLET"

By Courtney Woods (Age 16)

When Jack Shepherd walked into the Boathouse, it was an unusually warm Thursday night in March and the salty breeze off the Andaman Sea swirled with distant memories. He took a stool at the Galley Bar, ordered a Heineken from the impossibly young-looking man wearing a black bow-tie, and shifted his weight on the stool just enough to look around without being obvious about it.

He and Anita had sat just over there, he thought to himself. That table out at the far edge of the dining room, almost on the beach. Could that really have been just two years ago? It felt like he had lived a lifetime or two since then, and he supposed he had.

He took a long pull from his Heineken and glanced again at the table he and Anita had once shared. Tonight the table was occupied by three men and a woman who didn't seem to be having nearly as much fun as he and Anita had had back then. He started to look away, but then he stopped. His eyes jerked back to the table.

It couldn't be, he told himself. It simply couldn't be. But, and now he had no doubt of it at all, it clearly was.

Jack turned back to the bar - not too quickly, that might draw Roland's attention. As he sipped automatically at his Heineken, he considered his options. He could pay now and leave, or wait until he had the chance to move to a table in some shadowy corner - No! He shook his head, smiling a little bitterly. There was no reason to run. No reason to hide. Phuket was a popular vacation destination. There was no mystery, no conspiracy. Jack sighed quietly and traced convoluting paths on the bar top, the water pooling at the base of the bottle following his finger as he made a Venice of tiny puddles and canals.

He remained there, staring blindly at the wall as he slowly drank his beer, mind drifting to other subjects but always, always aware of who was sitting just edging the beach. He was shaken from his reverie by the sound of Roland's voice - so like Anita's, Jack thought sourly - and the cacophony of chairs being pushed back simultaneously. He waited. A moment, two moments. He dared to peer over his shoulder at the door, seeing, with no little relief, the shock of hair leave through the restaurant doors, heading for the street. Even the bartender seemed to notice as he deflated, the tension visibly leaving him. Catching the bartender's curious eye, he gestured for the bill, swigging back the remains of the Heineken as he extracted his wallet from his back pocket. He'd go home now. A narrowly avoided encounter like that was enough excitement for him for the night. He would head back to the hotel, collapse on the bed and fall asleep watching old movies. He rubbed his face with a hand still slightly damp with sweat and condensation, and moved out onto the beach.

The night tasted heavy with salt, a breath of wind forming the otherwise calm water into little ripples. Jack walked the waterline, his feet sinking a little into the wet sand. The stars were invisible, obscured by the eternally bright lights of the town, but the moon shone balefully down on the yachts that swung aimlessly in the changing tide.

Jack walked.

He trudged along the beach, in no hurry at all. His hotel was at the other end of the beach and he had all night to get there. He had only gone to the Boathouse for a beer and bucket of sobering memories.

Ahead of him was a throng of teenagers - just kids, really - sitting around and on a fleet of tin and inflatable dinghies. Glass Coke bottles with something probably not Coke were being passed around. Thankfully, they ignored Jack as he passed. Not far now, he mused. Just another two, three hundred meters.

"Jack."

Jack kept walking. Just his imagination trying to scare him.

"Come on now, Jack."

He kept walking, with a sense of impending- something. Doom? He gave a dry chuckle at his newfound melodrama.

"Quit being an idiot and stop."

He stopped. He turned. He looked.

"Hey," Jack deadpanned. Roland's smile was lopsided and had a hint of defeat at its corners.

"Hey."

"On vacation?"

"I'm tracking down a friend. He's lost his way."

Jack's eyes narrowed. The breeze grew with his tension. Roland paused, lips parted. Then the smile faded and his brow, so ghostly pale, furrowed. The picture of seriousness. Jack felt like laughing at the familiar expression.

"Why are you here, Jack?"

Jack shrugged.

"Phuket's a nice place. I've been here before. It's a good place for a vacation."

"People going on vacation don't leave without telling anyone."

"Did my mother send you to find me? Because I sent her an email."

"…"

"Even told her which beach on Phuket I was at. But not the hotel. I don't need to tell her everything."

"I'm not here because of your mother."

"Is it Hamlet? Is he dead? You know you could have just sent me an email."

Irritation on Roland's face now.

"I've been following you since Madrid - why would I follow you halfway around the world because of - Jack, I'm not here about your

bloody dog."

The waves rolled in placidly, soaking their feet, now barely two metres apart. Jack was silent, side-on to Roland, facing the sea. Roland's fists were clenched. A moment. They unclenched. The defeat returned to his face, but there was no smile.

"I've followed you since Madrid," he said with quiet sorrow. "I bet you visited that gallery, right? Anita's big break. We were all so proud. Her first big exhibition. She was so happy."

"…"

His hair glinted gold as Roland tilted his head back.

"After that Paris. Then Copenhagen. In Berlin, I was going to talk to you, but that's when I got behind. Arrived the day you left. Heh, we probably passed each other in airport. Thought you were going to stay longer, but I suppose it was too painful."

He turned, now shoulder-to-shoulder with Jack, but facing the street. His face was lit up by a neon karaoke bar sign, alternately blue then red.

"And then here. Phuket."

A sigh.

"She loved this place," Jack whispered. "The heat of the tropics…the life, so easy and yet not…the Boathouse…our last anniversary…"

"I figured that'd be where I'd find you," Roland rejoined. "She told me about it, by phone. I could hear how happy she was. How happy you made her. And I was so

damn glad that you married her." He tilted his head back and sideways, watching Jack's shadowed face. "She wouldn't want this."

"…"

"It's such a cliché, but - you've got to move on. Two years since- since what happened, and you're still not back on your feet."

"I-"

"No, don't," Roland firmly interrupted. "If after 18 months of everyone thinking you're surviving- grieving, yes, but surviving- you then up and run to every city that you two ever had a good time in…that is not moving on."

Jack's cheeks were wet.

"Why did you come after me?" he choked out, hands in fists and stuffed in his pockets.

"Because I didn't really think you were surviving, and I owed it to you and my sister to help you. You were my best mate - still are as far as I'm concerned." Roland grabbed Jack's shoulder. "You need to pull yourself together and get on with life. You're at the end of memory lane, and I reckon another trip's likely to kill you."

"I can't go back."

"I'm not asking you to. You can go wherever you want. Just don't go there because it was where Anita had some gallery opening, or because she always planned to go there."

Jack looked at Roland, half his face lit, the other half in shadow. Roland didn't look angry. He didn't look like he was about to cry. Instead, everything about him was a hand, reaching out to him. Offering to pull him free. He looked back to the sea. The yachts floated and bobbed, their mast lights stars lying low in the sky. The sea sighed. The town behind him pounded to the beats of a thousand songs. He raised his hands and scrubbed at his cheeks like a child who had scraped his knee. Roland's hand slipped off his shoulder. The teenagers down the beach danced.

"So then…" Roland mused, his tone now light as a feather. "What're you going to do, Jack?"

Jack was silent. A drying smile.

"I'm going back to my hotel and watching old movies," he announced to the yachts in the bay. "Or maybe I'll head out for a drink." A sideways glance, a sidelong smirk. "Care to join me?"

The End....

Woods family reunited - for a week in Phuket

After three months back working at TAFE I was eligible for a week's leave so I took off to see my girls. It was so great to be back together and in the 'so-familiar' surroundings of Phuket.

School is on the final term break of two weeks, so we had plenty of time together. During the time we went to the regular sailing day on Sunday. Anna has a lesson each Sunday and as members of the club we can use the private beach and facilities when we please. More photos here

Another day Liz and I went into Phuket town to our favourite haunt: Thalang and Romanee roads which are the classic examples of the Sino-Portuguese housing that shows Phukets significance as a trading port. Again, more photos here

We also went up to see the still under construction 45 metre Big Buddha. Set on the hils that overlook Chalong Bay. the view is great and the buddha, once covered in marble, will be quite a site. More photos here

With the aid of some credit card points Liz and I were able to have a night away in a upmarket hotel on the south eastern corner of the island. The Evason Phuket is set on the waterfront and has many pools and water features that have 'water edges that blend into the water front view. A very beautiful development. We spent the second day on the island the hotel has, just off the coast. more photos here.

The week passed all too quickly and I found myself loaded up with lots of things to take home and flew back to chilly Nords Wharf. The final renunion will happen in July, when the girls finish school.

Nords Wharf

Now anchored at Nords Wharf, but not out the front of our house of course, and catching up with friends. My mobile number is 0437821206.

Lake Macquarie - home!

This journey started in Kota Kinabalu in July when Liz and the girls joined me after I put the boat back in the water after it sat waiting in the shipyard in Kudat for many months. The first two months saw us, as a family (as it always should be) sail around Sabah then across most of Indonesia and down to Darwin.

From there I sailed Reflections to Cairns on my own, experiencing all that solo sailing in contrary condition could have to offer. From Cairns I had the company of young travellers and without their knowledge of how good the conditions really were, ripped down the east cost of Australia.

So now I am back where we started from. I feel pleased that I was able to deliver her back here safely and intact. Now I wait to be reunited with my girls in December.

Love to all who read this...

Esmeralda Cove, Broughton Island

The wind and current has really pushed us along, with the boat sitting on 9-11 knots for a lot of the last 24 hours. I wanted to arrive at Swansea entrance at first light but the extra speed has put us too close so I decided to anchor here for the night and then arrive at the entrance for the higher early afternoon tide.

The strong northerly wind may make the bar a bit of a hazard, so its best to pick a better tide in full daylight.

Looking forward to a full nights sleep.

Hard to believe that tomorrow Reflections IV will be back in Lake Macquarie after leaving in April 2000. I so wish Liz and the girls were with me to do this final run home.

Passing Cape Byron

Half way from Bundy to Swansea!

After the lumpy start motor sailing out across Hervey Bay we found, in 200+ metre deep water, the south setting current and turned south to find an easterly wind around 15-20 knots and away we went. And that's been the story ever since. Sailing the boat slowly with the cutter and full main we've averaged 6.5 knots since leaving Bundaberg.

Being 25 miles offshore and in deep water the sea/swell has been gentle and the boat is moving very comfortably. The current has picked as we pass the eastern most point of the coast and the boat has been doing 8-10 knots for the last six hours.

The forecast looks good for continuing through to Lake Macquarie (the finish line!)and ETA is sometime on Monday.

Off Fraser Island and hunting the EAC

Left Bundaberg early (4am) this morning and headed out across Hervey Bay in less than ideal conditions but a tolerable 15 knot easterly wind that we motor-sailed out and over Sandy Cape hunting for deep water, smoother seas, and warm water that is the tell tale of the East Australia Current that set south and may give us a an extra knot or two.

I seem to remember the 100 fathom line (200m deep) is the sweet spot. I downloaded a thermal image from the weather bureau web site and that seems to match up. Still motor sailing now, moving easterly away from the tip of Fraser Island. Soon will turn south and follow a way-point off Cape Byron. If the weather forecast holds true will we have a bumpy ride down to the NSW border and then get a more northerly wind from there on.

I have one crew, Michael, who did the run from Airlie Beach.

Hoping this will be the final leg.

Bundaberg

All afternoon and most of the evening gave us 15-20 knots of N-NW wind and we ran downwind with the headsail poled out and holding 8-9 knots. This put Bundaberg clearly in our sights and we reached the leads of the Burnett river at 2:30am.
Coming in at night was relativity easy with clear navigation aids. All the port and starboard lights are synchronised to flash together, giving a real airport landing strip effect. We found many boats at anchor around the Port Bundaberg Marina and we anchored just out of the main channel and had a nice calm sleep for the rest of the night.
My two german crew, Denise and Birta, have left the boat and Michael intends to stay with me through to Newcastle. The girls were absolutely thrilled when a pod of dolphins came to the bow just on dark and stayed for ages. With Reflections really surging the water away and pushing the bow down at eight knots, the dolphins were almost in touching distance.
The expected southerly change came through with gusto and dumped lots of rain. I was able to fill my water tanks, saving a trip to a jetty. Really noticing the temperature falling as I continue south. The strong southerly winds now blowing will keep me here for three or four days at least.

Just out of reach of Fraser Islamd

Since leaving Airlie Beach we've had a good run without any stops. The wind has been mostly Northe East or Easterly and around 10-15 knots. Everyone on board seems happy and the first day upset stomachs seem to have settled.

Our first night took us past Hay Point Coal terminal and we sailed through the large fleet of anchored ships. The crew performed well, waking me at the right time as we approached a ship.

A southerly change is due on Monday morning and at our current pace we will just fall short of reaching the protection of Sandy Cape before the change comes through. The plan is to head to 1770 and probably head into there. With a stiff sea breeze we may go a bit further and go into Bundaberg.

The girls want to visit Fraser Island, so they will probably get off at the next port.

Leaving Airlie Beach with 3 crew

Just left Airlie Beach this morning with Michael, Birta and Denise, all young Germans. The two girls want to go to the Gold Coast and Michael is aiming for Sydney.

The first hours have been OK with an easterly wind allowing us to sail our course. I am hoping that they work out OK and we can go straight through to Surfers Paradise. The forecast is very promising.

So far so good. It's a lovely day to sail out through the Whitsunday Islands.

Hayman Island - Whitsundays

After two excellent days sailing with north east winds between 10 and twenty knots Reflections iV raced along and delivered us Hayman Island at the top of the Whitsundays at 4am this morning. A full moon and Emily worked together to sight a mooring which we picked up and now after bit more sleep we are off for a snorkel.

The sailing as I said, went well and the girls were a big help furling sails as several unsuccessful strikes on the fishing lure broke up the day. Yesterday we passed close to a large reef quite a way offshore and anchored adjacent to go for a swim/snorkel. The tide was high and with no reef or land visible, it was quite an unnerving experience for the girls to swim out off the boat in the open sea, so to speak.

Last night had stronger wind and we reefed down to slow the boat down to arrive just on light, but the boat seems to be in a fast sailing mood as we still held 6 knots with two reefs in and the cutter flying in only twenty knots.

Will deliver the girls to Airlie either this afternoon or tommorrow and then look for some crew to go further south.

Fitzroy Island and crew!

After two pleasant days sailing from Hope Island to the Low Islands I came into phone range and made contact with Ali, a Canadian girl who with her friend Emily from Ireland were interested in sailing to the Whitsundays.

I sailed into Yorkeys Knob at the northern end of Cairns and met the girls and the next day (today) we sailed out of the marina and had a very relaxed cruise to Fitzroy Island just south of Cairns. All seem to go well and now the plan is to sail, most likely non-stop to the Whitsundays.

The weather forecast is for light and variable but with a bit of luck there will be sufficient land and sea breezes to keep us moving. I am finding it very enjoyable to have company aboard after such a long stint on my own.

We did several tacks and had to furl the sails and the girls were really helpful and made my day much easier than normal.

We met up with many other yachties on the beach at sunset today and met Peter Long who I worked with at TAFE. Small world.

Looking forward to getting some miles done over the next few days.

Out of Cooktown and at the Hope Islands

And the hope is for some wind to sail by.

The Hope Islands are two small cays twenty miles south of Cooktown. Punched into 15 knots of SE all morning to get here and decided that was enough. Not real rough, but not real comfortable either. The forecast is looking better for tomorrow. I feel quite desperate to get further south and get into some NE to NW wind.

Ten days in Cooktown was about nine days too long. The SE wind was up hard and there was no chance of leaving. I placed a sign at a backpackers and had a girl lined up who didn't show when it was time to leave.

The Endeavour river at Cooktown is very shallow and I spent as much time sitting on the bottom as much as floating. The big drama was saved for my last day there. Going over to the fuel jetty I went a little wide to enable me to turn into the jetty. The boat slowly bumped onto a sand bank and as I went into reverse to back up the motor stalled. It stalled again and then going forward I felt the engine load up and stall. It was either going to be the gearbox or a line wrapped on the shaft.

In the next few minutes the boat is laying over on the sand bank with the tide racing in pushing it further into the shallows. Brent off Playground, who has been going south as well, came to my aid and took the anchor out to deep water and I was able to put some tension on it so that it wouldn't ground further as the tide rose. So then with the water swirling madly around the broadside boat I spent half an hour diving down to cut away the culprit.

It was my fault, as it was the end of the dinghy line, known as the painter, must have fallen over the side a few days ago and, while running the motor to charge batteries/cool frig, got itself around the shaft. The shaft turns with the current when the motor runs. I always check the painter is clear before moving but didn't notice the painter had become shorter.

During the diving effort the tide came in enough for the boat to swing back into deep water and the motor started and propelled OK with no damage done. Now I am away, full of fuel, water and fuel, and now just wanting weather to get me south.

Getting very tired of this trip!

Cooktown

My window of good weather has just closed.

With accurate coastal waters weather forecasts I was able to know two days ago that the SE would kick in hard on Saturday and was able to adjust my runs each day and made it to the Cooktown and am now anchored in the Endeavour river, which is very shallow and begs the question:

How much water did Cook's Endeavour draw?

For those that don't know, in 1770 James Cook ran the Endeavour onto a reef a few miles south and came in here to make repairs. Luckily for him the coral head he hit snapped off and formed a plug in the hull. For me it was a serious of shallow! - stop - back up - turn - try there - shallow! - stop - etc... A smart ass comment from one of the twenty or so game-fishing boats choking up the waterway was really helpful. Luckily Brent off one of the boats I have been travelling with, came in his dingy
and showed me the way, which still entailed pushing through sand until getting to slightly deeper water.

Cooktown is similar in size to Thursday Island (two or three streets wide), but connected to the rest of Queensland by a reasonable road. History and the reef trips are the big things here. with a few museums and lots of Cook monuments and murals depicting indigenous life before and after his visit.

To add to the historical theme of the arrival into Cooktown I passed Bounty, the replica of Captain Bligh's Bounty a few miles out. It was heading north, using a non-authentic motor.

For me its now a wait for the SE to drop off again and continue south. Most of the trip from the Escape river was a motoring affair in calm conditions. The last afternoon coming in was a different matter, with a stiff NE sea breeze coming up and we sailed along at 8 knots to charge into Cooktown. Lets hope the there are more days like that.

Expecting no change in the weather for four or five days.

Finally out of the Escape river

It was starting to feel like the 'No Escape' river. The lousy conditions I encountered on the way in reinforced my patience and I have sat in here for ten days waiting for the weather to improve. Finally it's arrived and this morning I made the break and am now about ten miles south and so far have a light sea and moderate winds.

The forecast is for several days of these conditions so now the job is to get as far south as possible while the break in the south east trade winds last. The further south the lighter the trade wind is.

My time in the Escape river was broken up by visits from a couple of boats heading north who were both very welcoming and allowed me to 'talk the their heads off'. The last two days have seen three other southbound boats arrive and three of us are now out here,

I did a bit of fishing to break the monotony up and had a bit of luck one day, landing a large queenfish. It was very pleasant in the early morning motoring along the mangroves. Mind you the thought of crocodiles is ever present, and I must say I felt quite vulnerable in my little soft dinghy.

If the weather stays calm I will aim for Cape Grenville today with an arrival in the evening which will be OK as it is an open bay with no reefs. Due to the shipping traffic and tighter waterway I won't be doing any overnight trips for a while.

The Escape River

Well I've moved on from Horn Island and had an OK day getting here. 44 miles I covered and had a bit of everything in the way of conditions. The wind was fairly calm in the morning and I was able to get out into the open water and put my repaired headsail back up, then as I rounded Horn Island the current was with me as the sea was short and sloppy from the run out tide. The wind came up quickly and stayed all day around 15-20 as predicted, but before the sea could build too much I was in the lee
of Albany passage, a strait between the mainland and an island just south of Cape York.

After a nice calm run down the narrow strait I could see the whitecaps waiting for me at the other end. After pushing into 2 knots of current below Horn and through the strait, at least the twenty miles to the Escape river was sped up with 2 knots flowing with me. With the wind right up on 20 knots the trip was pretty rough and I had two or three hard bangs as a wave would force itself over the deck. The Escape river is uninhabited, save for a large pearl farm which takes up any possible anchoring
spot for three miles at the head of the river. There are a few fishing trawlers at anchor here with me.

A lovely sight yesterday afternoon was several flocks of magpie geese flying and turning. (I think)

With the same forecast for the next few days, then increasing, the prospect of doing the seventy miles down to Cape Grenville in such a sea is not inviting.

So with a sense of frustration I have to accept that I am going to be in this river a while....

Cape York - Thursday Island

A nice deep sleep at anchor last night. I arrived at the anchorage off Horn Island, opposite Thursday Island. The last two had some difficult weather with very strong easterly or south-easterly winds. It was very pleasant to see the islands emerge on the horizon and feel the sea flatten as I ran in between the islands.

I was dismayed to find my mobile phone doesn't work here. Telstra? With a money matter to deal with I caught the ferry across to Thursday I to find virtually everything closed due to a show holiday. So no Internet access. I found a payphone and with help from my brother Ross fixed up what I needed to do.

I need to get fuel here and hopefully can do that on Monday.

Cape York - Thursday Island

A nice deep sleep at anchor last night. I arrived at the anchorage off Horn Island, opposite Thursday Island. The last two had some difficult weather with very strong easterly or south-easterly winds. It was very pleasant to see the islands emerge on the horizon and feel the sea flatten as I ran in between the islands.

I was dismayed to find my mobile phone doesn't work here. Telstra? With a money matter to deal with I caught the ferry across to Thursday I to find virtually everything closed due to a show holiday. So no Internet access. I found a payphone and with help from my brother Ross fixed up what I needed to do.

I need to get fuel here and hopefully can do that on Monday.

A great start into the Gulf

This morning I woke to a calm morning. This was the first time since I arrived in the Wessels that the wind was below 15knots.

The forecast is for 15/20 E-SE but heading East tomorrow, so with the calm I decided to give it a go. I motored up and and over the Cape and out into the gulf heading ESE. I was pleasantly surprised that the seas were quite calm and the wind stayed off all morning. Back in 2002 when we sailed from Cape York to Gove the last 10 hours as we approached Gove were terrible, with the swell and sea really confused.

This time - easy!

After lunch the wind came up and stayed around 12 knots from the SE and with a calm sea I've cruised along at 5-6 knots and almost on a direct course for Thursday Island.

Yesterday afternoon a plane crashed at Phuket. Being a Sunday afternoon flight I was concerned that one of the staff or students from the school may have been aboard, as many people on the island go to Bangkok for the weekend. Liz emailed today to say that there was no-one we knew aboard. Still a tragedy no less.

CREW WANTED - NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.
I am totally sick of my own company!! If anyone would like to join me please contact me aboard using this email address: dl1ght at winlink dot org