Survival - 14. Surv Chapter 14

“Hi Mum, this is my school mate – mountaineer extraordinaire, Jacob Blackwood” Chris said making the introductions, as I looked up to see a woman wearing a “Dog Collar”, which really surprised me, and I heard Chris chuckle.

“Sorry, I forgot to mention, both of my parents are in the Anglican Church, Mum is the minister for nearby St Georges Anglican Church, that we passed as we were coming here, and Dad is a Doctor of Theology, and teaches at Tabor College, across the road” Chris explained, “I see now, that explains why you don’t talk about your family at all at school.

Nice to meet you Reverend” I said as I stood up and school hands with Chris’s mum. “Nice to meet you too Jacob, I have been reading some pretty amazing things about you over the past few years, and I was at the final assembly when you received your award, and told us the baby elephant story” Chris’s mother said as she laughed softly, “Makes me laugh even thinking about it, now tell me what is it that made you call out brilliant?” she added.

“Oh yes, Jacob has come up with an alternative idea for a trip, 7 days of kayaking on the Coorong” Chris informed his mother, “I called the company last night, that does 5 to 7 - day expeditions of the Coorong, from Salt Creek, to the Mouth of the Murray River, and I have made a tentative booking for the 28th, with a double kayak” I explained.

“So, what else did they tell you?” Chris asked, “If we average 15 kilometres a day, it will take us 7 full days, at a leisurely pace, and it is 105 kilometres in total distance, if we do it on our own, it will be much cheaper than a guided tour, as we just hire the kayak from them, and they will also provide is with a map of suggested places to camp each night, plus we will need to carry all the camping gear, food and water with us” I explained.

“That is going to be a lot of gear, maybe we should organise a food and water drop at a location along the way” Chris’s mum suggested. “That would be ideal, but how are we going to do that, it is already a 208 km drive from the school to Salt Creek, which my Uncle Nathan, is able to take us, if you can bring us back from the Murray Mouth, which is just 91 kms, please Ma’am” I stated.

“My, what nice manners you have, and yes I am sure I will be able to do that, and that would be the 3rd of January” the reverend replied, “Yes Reverend, the Kayak company estimated no more than 7 days, and it will be at the Coorong Café Boat ramp, where we end the trip” I answered.

“How about we organise a food drop on the 31st, so that you have a bottle of Apple Cider, non- alcoholic of course, for your New Year’sCelebrations, I am sure there is a courier in the region, who we can get to do that for you” the Reverend suggested, “I like that idea Mum, are you sure we can’t have a little bit of alcohol?” Chris asked, “Not if you are kayaking over water you don’t” the Reverend replied, making a valid statement.

I pulled out my mobile phone and dialled the number that I called last night. “Kayaking on the Coorong, how can I help you” came a response when the call was answered. “Hello, this is Jacob Blackwood speaking, I would like to confirm that booking for a double kayak hire for the 28thfor 7 days please” I said in reply.

“Yes Jacob, that will be fine, and after ending the call last night, I remembered where I had heard your name before, are you the same lad?” the Kayak company owner asked, “Yes sir, that is me, but I would prefer to keep my presence there very low key please” I replied. “That is understood, and it is an honour to have you select our company for your next adventure” the owner said.

“Thank you, now just a few things, it will be just my school friend and I, we will have someone drop us off at Salt Creek, and collect us at the Coorong Café Boat Ramp, we are wondering, if it is possible to have a food drop on the evening of the 31st, which will be day 4 of our journey” I said.

“Yes, we will be happy to do that for you, just give us a list of what you want, and we will buy it and drop it off to you on that day” the Kayak company owner responded. “It will be a standard food drop, with one additional item, a bottle of non-alcoholic apple cider, to bring in the new year” I said, “Very good, we look forward to meeting you at Salt Creek on the 28th, Merry Christmas, and see you then” the Kayak owner said before ending the call.

I stayed for over an hour discussing the plans for our approaching trip, straight after Christmas, which I was looking forward to, since it is something different from my previous trips, and being good friends with Chris was great, since he would be joining me, and Chris walked with me to the railway station, where I headed back to the base.

Over the next 9 days, Chris and I spoke daily on the phone, and met up another two more times before Christmas, to fine tune our plans, and Bailey had even asked us, if he could join us for the trip, a number of times, and it was the Reverend who decided that he could not go, which he was very disappointed about.

On Christmas eve, Uncle Nat came home looking very tired, and I could tell that he had something on his mind, “Come on, spit it out, Uncle Nat” I said after watching him pacing the room then sitting for a while but not keeping still. “You know me to well, nephew” Uncle Nat started.

“I was asked by my CO, Colonel Hammond, what my plans were for Christmas and New Year, and wondered why I hadn’t submitted anapplication for holiday leave. I explained that my nephews’ parents have flown home for his graduation and Christmas at home, so we made no plans for a trip this summer” Uncle Nat explained to me, “Why was he so concerned about your holidays Uncle?” I asked.

“Well it turns out, he had a reason for asking me, and when asked me if you had any plans, I informed him that you were going on a weeklong kayaking trip on the Coorong, with a school mate, which I now know was a big mistake” Uncle Nat said, “Go on?” I said, waiting for the bad news.

“Well you know that I am the 2IC at this new base, and during Christmas I will be in temporary command, as the Colonel has been summoned to Canberra, on Boxing day evening. The problem is, he has custody of his son, as his ex-wife has moved overseas to live and work, and Colonel Hammond is not too keen on dragging Will to Canberra with him, so the Colonel has asked if it is possible, that Will join you on this trip to the Coorong” Uncle Nat explained, and I groaned in annoyance.

“What info do you have on him, name, rank… actually no just his age, where does he go to school, and can he cope with 7 days of physical upper body work?” I asked, “His name is Will Hammond, he is 15 years old, so he has just finished Year 10, at Tyndale Christian School, in Salisbury East, and at school he does Swimming & Tennis in Summer / Autumn, plus Gymnastics and Field Hockey in Winter / Spring” Uncle Nat explained to me.

“We are leaving in just four days, it is a bit short notice” I grumbled, “I know that, so the Colonel and Will are coming over in about an hour for a meeting to discuss it” “Oh great, that really puts me on the spot now Uncle” I shouted, as I stood up and headed to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me.

Surprisingly, Uncle Nat didn’t come to try and talk to me, but I could hear that he was talking to someone on the phone, and I guess I will know about it eventually, so I just turned on some music and read a book. When there was a soft knock on the door, I knew that it wasn’t Uncle Nat, so I called out to come in, and Chris’s smiling face soon appeared, and he closed the door behind him.

“You know, this would be an ideal solution to both of our problems, Bailey has been annoying the heck out of my parents, to let him come with us, and as soon as Mum finished talking on the phone with your dad, she came to talk to me about it.

You don’t need to worry, I have met Will Hammond at a Christian Youth Camp last year, we shared a room together, with one other guy, who I have forgotten the name of, but Will is a nice bloke, I am sure you will like him a lot” Chris said to me. After a few moments of thinking I signed, “Ok, if you think he is a nice bloke, I guess it is ok with me, and I guess that means Bailey will be joining us too” I said eventually.

“Great, you won’t regret it, and yes Bailey will be coming, and he is not bad for a little brother, plus with an extra double kayak, we don’t have to worry about the extra weight of our camping gear” Chris said to me, and a few moments later we exited my room, where Reverend Harding, and another man, who I presumed is Chris’s father were talking to Uncle Nat.

“Jacob, this is my Dad” Chris said making the introduction, Dr Harding, it is nice to meet you at last” I said as I shook his hand, and moments later there was a knock on the door, and Uncle Nat when to answer the door, “Would anyone like a cup of tea?” I asked the guests, “Yes please Jacob, Mark and I take it weak and black with no sugar thanks” Reverend Harding said in response, and Chris followed me into the kitchen to help.