[Gpdd] [Virtual] Fair Winds and Following Seas Chapter 3, Lizard Island or Sydney?

[Sandra Oliver-Poore]

Dawn seemed extra early to the Black Pearl on the 26th as she sailed in close to Turtle Island.  Four bells rang. Merlin preened above the crows nest. Sammy, Hector, Ringer, and Chip called up to AR for the bearings. As AR marshaled the heavy sextant a gaily striped balloon appeared overhead flanked by a “V” formation of pelicans.  A rope snaked down to the deck followed by a slightly dazed looking sow with ruffled hair and an absolutely out of control sweep that arched up and back and threatening to cover the boars who caught her and unhitched her from her safety line. She took a second to gather herself, shook out her hair, took a deep breath and said in a very composed voice “Shipwreck Sam I presume? Gingerpuff reporting sir!” “Welcome aboard matey! We have been expecting you.  Adeline? Would you show our new crewmate to quarters and breakfast” Adeline came over from her Tai Chi group followed by Annie, Alexandra, and Ava; they clustered around the new comer excitedly and bundled her off pointing out the ships features as they went seemingly as one ball of fur.



AR called down the coordinates, “Latitude: 33°51′35.9″S Longitude: 151°12′40″E, Winds SE and light, temp is 21 deg C, light clouds, rain possible!” Chips caught the numbers on his tablet and the boars all rushed in to the chartroom to plan their entrance to their moorings at Lizard Island. Four backs bent in unison over old fashioned maps until Sammy popped up, “Egad Mates! This isn’t Lizard Island. Whee are at Sydney! Check the bearings!” They all tumbled back out on deck with long range spotter scopes and the maps. Friday and Ethan joined them and by the time they reached the main mast half the crew attended. “AR, check those numbers whee is way off course if they are right” AR’s entourage tittered, “AR wrong? Sure!” Sure enough the numbers were confirmed by AR’s sextant and Chip’s dead reckoning. Ringer mused, “You mean that island whee passed in the night was North Island New Zealand, not New Caledonia? How could this happen? What were the pelicans doing all night?”



Friday signaled to AR to confer with the pelicans, the answer was quick in coming “They say this is where they come from, they can’t go anywhere else on a migration and it is OZ after all!”  The boars looked dumfounded for a second until the call rang out, “Heave starboard! Land ho!” AR bellowed.  Spooky responded at the wheel as if automatically.  “Now what!” barked Ethan to the boars who bent over the charts again.  Chips head popped up “it’s North Head, you should see Middle Head straight ahead, and Hornby Lighthouse southerly, confirm! AR, Dairmuid and Domino in the prow confirmed, “Aye Sir” they chimed as one. “Now head in” Chips called to Spooky who brought the Pearl gently in line with the new heading. 



The boars scratched their chins; they were beginning to act as one. “Ok!” said Sammy “Whee are in Sydney and it’s the 26th, what to do! plan B?”  Hector chimed in “Well its OZ day here too, I hear they have a grand party, fireworks and speeches here. Let’s tie up here and play too!” “Why not?” piped up Aristotle and Garnet who had joined the group. Alrighty then mates, lets go over to that famous Opera House they have here, I betcha whee can see everything from there, lets check wit da ladies first though!”  



A parlay of all aboard except the watch held a general assembly and quickly decided to accept the whims of fortune and pelicans.  The Pearl struck the Jolly Roger and hauled up a Brisbane Cockatiel flag Juwles had sent. The Pearl, now called “the Merlin” ,wound its way through Sydney Harbor avoiding Shark Island and Port Jackson; they noted Taronga Zoo to visit on their way out, avoided Clark Island and Fort Denison, navigated the hazards of the Sydney Harbor Tunnel and finally tied up under the Bradfield Hiway Toll Road at Dawes Point. Their view of the Opera House was perfect and they were out of site of the myriads of sailboats, surfers, sail boarders and pleasure craft beginning to fill the bay for the festivities. The piggies checked their charts again and could see they had many ways to escape and become lost in crowd if challenged, Sydney Harbor is very complex. Best of all around the Point and down into Cockle Bay was the Sydney Aquarium most wanted to visit. And it is still afternoon; the day and the city laid before them in all its Aussie glory, OZ Day had arrived.



As the pirate piggies made their sight seeing plans and dibbed the zodiacs, ever business like Velvet and Onyx emailed their mum to change their reservations at Lizard Island. Chip headed off by himself in a dark cloak and Hector the webmaster left us an URL to check out all day long. His email says go there to follow the events all day long in Sydney Harbor! Learn about OZ history, hear the speeches see the fireworks in real-time, but don’t forget to check back here for Chapter Four cause there’s trouble around the corner for the Piggy Pirates and their friends in the land of Oz and maybe for residents of Oz as well! Go here and Google Australia Day for all the day’s festivities 

http://www.australiaday.com.au/whatson/wo_sydneycbd.aspx