Tall Ship Journey - 1. TSJ Chapter 1

As much as I missed sailing on the yacht, and the holidays being over, I was also happy to be back at school, and as I sat down for evening homework prep, I thought about the assignment given to us for English Lit, and an idea came to mind which made me smile. Without being caught, I pulled out my mobile and sent a text message to Jordan.

“Hey bud, hope is all going well on the Stingray, while my nose is deep in homework… Just wondering what your eta is for arriving in Geraldton. I have an assignment for English Lit, where we have to present a three-minute presentation in two weeks, on what we did during the summer holidays. Just came up with this wicked idea of making the presentation on the beach at Champion Bay, just north of the marina, as the Stingray is sailing past. What do you think? Zac.”

Putting my phone away, I continued with my studies, and a few minutes later I felt my mobile buzz with a reply message, but I decided to wait until after Study prep was over. “LOL. I think it is an awesome idea, Zac, just tell me when and give me the exact coordinates for Champion Bay, and we will make sure that we are there in time for the presentation. Jordan.”

I smiled when I read this, and I sent a response back. “Hey Jordan, it will be on Monday, two weeks from today, and it will be at 1400 hours, I will let you get some sleep. Looking forward to seeing you again. Zac.” The rest of the week went well, and although asked by some of my classmates, what I would be writing my assignment about, I managed to get around answering the question by changing the subject to something completely different.

I had been chatting with Jordan daily, usually, while I was getting ready for school, as we planned out this surprise for the class presentation. As it happens, the last class of the day on Mondays is a study period, in the library, so all I need to do is to convince my English Lit Teacher to allow for a class excursion to Champion Bay.

As the end of the first school week came to a close, with a full school assembly called for the last class of the day, the senior school all assembled in the gymnasium, where the headmaster announced that the School Board had secured the purchase of 1 acre of land, located between Urich Street and Chapman Road at Champion Bay, for building a school water sports activities centre, that will include a boat shed for Sailing Dinghies, as well as ocean rowing boats, as well as water sports equipment for fun events.

The school has also purchased four parcels of land, that will allow easier access between the school and the sports activities centre, with two existing old houses to be demolished to make way for the accessway. The headmaster announced that the back boundary fences on all four properties have already been removed, with some vegetation removed to make access between the school and Champion Bay much easier, and requests to Geraldton Council have been submitted for safety crossing lights to be installed on Chapman Road, to allow safer access to Champion Bay.

I was thrilled to hear this, as it would make my request for a class excursion much easier since the school is only three blocks away from Chapman Road, once back in my boarding room, I sent a text to Jordan. “Excellent news today, the school announced the purchase of land at Champion Bay for a Water Sports Activity Centre, so my idea of a class excursion is much more likely with it being just three blocks away from the school. Where are you now guys? Cannot wait to spend more time onboard the Stingray. Zac.”

A few minutes later I received a reply. “Hey Bud, we are currently in your hometown of Port Denison. Your folks and bro have already spotted the Stingray and came down to say hello to us. We will stay here until it is time to come and visit your school. Tim and I think this is a great place to have the yacht based here, so we are looking at leasing a long-term pen for the yacht here. Will you be home this weekend? Looking forward to catching up again mate. Jordan.”

I groaned with annoyance, knowing that I would be remaining at school this weekend, as I have sports commitments at the school. “Sadly, no I won’t, I have some sports activities this weekend, I will be home next weekend though, Zac.” I texted back. “Tim is heading back to the station, but the crew and I will be staying until the school excursion, then I will head back up there, and leave the Stingray in your care. Jordan.”

During the weekend, I was kept busy with sports activities, and I was fairly tired and worn out, by the time I returned to my boarding room after dinner, I was about to send a text message to Jordan when there was a knock on my door, and looking up, I was shocked to see the School Headmaster as well as the Boarding House Master standing at my open doorway.

“Good evening, sirs, how may I assist you tonight?” I said politely, as I stood up. The two men glanced at each other smiling, and the housemaster gave a slight nod of his head and indicated for me to sit.

“We have a situation, and we wanted to ask you about it, the Headmaster began. “You have the choice to accept or decline, but we would like you to seriously consider it,” the Housemaster added, who is also one of the sports coaches, and now I was really worried, that I was about to get roped into something very serious.

“We are well informed that you are quite a good water sportsman, outside of school hours, and with my announcement on Friday, the school is looking for a Sports Prefect, to join the Prefect Council, and have some input into the development and running of the Water Sports Activity Centre,” the Headmaster announced.

It took me a few moments for this news to sink in before I eventually responded, “Wow, that is quite a responsibility, but I would need to think about it, as you said I have commitments outside of school, especially most weekends and most holidays,” I replied.

“Would that be to volunteer as a crewmember of the STS Leeuwin?” the Sports master asked me, and I smiled. “Yes sir, I have become a regular crew member, having also completed sometime as a volunteer onboard a similar tall ship in New Zealand,” I replied. “Well, you are quite a sports achiever in the way of sailing, I am pleased that you are doing so well, and I think you are the best candidate for the position,” the Headmaster stated.

“Um, I do have one special favour if I do accept the position,” I said to the two men, “Special favour? Not a condition of accepting?” the Sports master asked, which made me smile, “No Sir, just a favour. For English Lit, we have been given an assignment, to write a presentation about what we did during our summer holidays.

Apart from the tall ship experience in New Zealand, my good mate who owns a catamaran, plus crew, including myself, and some paying passengers sailed the catamaran from Wellington to Port Lincoln, via Lord Howe Island, Port Macquarie, and Launceston.

Unfortunately, I had run out of time, due to the new school year approaching, so I had to leave the yacht at Port Lincoln and fly back home, via Adelaide. That catamaran and my good friend, and his crew of three are currently in my hometown of Port Denison, and I was hoping that I would be able to make my English Lit presentation at Champion Bay, as the catamaran comes in, and allow my English Lit teacher and classmates to come on board and explore the yacht,” I said to the two Masters.

“Well, that is quite an unusual favour, but I think it would also be a great chance to launch the plans for the Sports Activity Centre, so I am going to grant your favour, and maybe add plans for a little later in the afternoon for the whole school to attend,” the Headmaster announced.

“That would be awesome, thank you. I will accept the position of Sports Prefect and thank you for the opportunity to allow my English Lit Class to go off-campus for this event,” I responded happily. “As it happens, the outer shell of the boat shed, and the main building, with just the roof on both, with no walls, are already in place, so we can put the buildings to good use. Let us have a meeting about this early next week, shall we? Have a good evening,” the Headmaster said before both men left.

“Hey Hynes, what was all that about?” Jeff Davies, the Boarding House Prefect asked me, “I have just accepted the position of Sports Prefect for the new Water Sports Activity Centre or Water SAC as I have begun calling it,” I replied smiling, “Wow! Congratulations man, and welcome to the team,” Jeff said in response and he shook my hand vigorously. “Thanks, I think,” I replied, as I opened and closed my hand a few times behind my back, to get rid of the pain that I had been given from the handshake.

“Hey Bud, just been appointed Sports Prefect, for our new Water Sports Activity Centre, and the class presentation is a go for Champion Bay. There are 28 students in my English Lit Class, and there will probably be a minimum of two teachers attending too, so is there any chance we could have yacht tours and some refreshments please,” I texted to Jordan.

“Sure bud, not a problem, I will get my crew onto it before we leave Port Denison, Congrats on the prefect position, I am sure that you will have to be on your best behaviour now, eh! LOL. Jordan.” I smiled when I read this. “Just had dinner, worn out from all the sports over the weekend, having a shower and going to bed early. Talk to you tomorrow, goodnight,” I texted back, before turning off my mobile phone.