[Gpdd] [Virtual] Fair Winds and Following Seas , Chapter 4 Sydney resubmitted

[Sandra Oliver-Poore]

Chip hurried off the Black Pearl, the newly christened the Brisbane Cockatiel. He wrapped his cloak tightly around himself in spite of the fair weather as he hurried along the silent dock as it was a commercial facility and today was a holiday. Clearly he had a mission but no one knew what or where, except possibly the little white rat who occasionally poked his nose out of the cloak’s inside pocket. When Chip noticed he would gently pull the cloak tighter.  The party pirate piggies divided into groups of about a dozen each wearing their best pirate outfits and attitudes. They figured they might blend in with the crowds better, and what would look more out of place, a beach dressed piggie, a pirate piggie, or Sunday go-meeting piggie, really! One group headed off to the Opera House and picnic grounds and another headed down to the Sydney Aquarium to meet the indigenous turtles, porpoises, and marine mammals. Merlin tagged along with this group. 


Many of the pelicans dispersed to visit local friends and family, a skeleton crew was left aboard the ship which had the sails tightly furled and gear stowed and off went the gaily decorated zodiacs in their different directions. The Sydney Aquarium showcases over 12,000 aquatic animals from 650 species in spectacular habitat displays, including the world's largest Great Barrier Reef exhibit and amazing underwater viewing tunnels. Added together with the huge holiday crowds the Sydney Aquarium teemed with all kinds of life, Australia’s finest examples, human and animal, although many there were held against their will. 



Shipwreck Sam with Puff and Maggie sought out the leatherback turtles.  Mimi had already made fast friends with GingerPuff, and they were teamed with Velvet, Onyx, Friday, Pandora, and Florence. Biff and Benny, Garnet, Spooky, Hector, Speedway, Ruffian, and Lazarus with his ever-present stuffed polar bear toy were ranged around the biggest tanks trying to get the attention of the residents and sometimes were successful. Nose to nose they managed to communicate and learn their stories of youth and travel to capture and captivity. Some had been rescued and returned to health. Like piggies and people they all had their own story.  All the piggies did their best to learn how the aquariums residents had been captured and tried to learn what they could do to help. Lady turtles told of their yearnings to return to their beaches of birth and lay eggs to ensure future generations.  Male turtles tried to explain that they needed to be free to do their part in their circle of life. Dolphins and porpoises told of their capture and how they missed running the open seas even though the aquarium people were kind and tried hard to make them happy. Spinner dolphins reminisced about the huge twirling leaps they used to make and their long distance free runs. Some of the exhibits included large and small marine predators too. No piggie went near the alligators and sharks and couldn’t help shuddering when they came near even through the thick glass and plastic walls.  A gaggle of young-uns lead by Bosworth and Rafferty played around the miniature reef teeming with starfish, urchins, snails, and anemones of every color and kind. Their attempts at communication were a bit less successful but they had a great time and learned to be gentle by the ministrations of Annie and Alexandra. 



Because the exhibits were captive there were some souls who think to make a point of such captivity and not in a constructive way. Full sized zodiacs coursed up Cockle Bay from a rusty trawler.  Instead of a load of holiday goers these people had a more sinister purpose. They were loaded with the explosives and wired with timed detonators. They were guided by their shadowy crew up to the famous aquarium where they found their preplanned berths under the aquarium among the monster pumps that pushed the mountains of water through the exhibits.