Tall Ship Adventures - 9. TSA Chapter 9

“No, but I think Tim may suspect it, but it doesn’t worry him in any way, as he still treats me like his little annoying brother,” Jordan replied. “Ok, well that is good, and no one in my family knows, well I hope they don’t. Oh, by the way, I may be out of contact for all of next week, as I am spending a few days with Dad up in Kalbarri, while he had a bit of work up that way,” I responded.

“A mini holiday, before the main holidays? That sounds nice, and it is a great place to relax, I have visited that area several times before,” Jordan said to me. “Yeah, I am looking forward to it actually, anyway I have to go as I have plenty of studying to do before my final exam. I will give you a call when I am in Kalbarri,” I said and shortly after we ended the call.

When the final exam was finally done, I packed up all of my gear and waited for Dad to collect me and all of my belongings, to head home for the summer holidays, I had three days of relaxing and doing nothing until we began the 2 ½ hour drive north to Kalbarri.

Dad was producing a special documentary to be broadcast on radio, so there would be a team of three in total, with the sound engineer and production assistant, from the radio station travelling separately, and staying in a two-bedroom unit next door to us at the resort.

I would be tagging along with them for some of the time, as it would give me the chance to explore some of the areas, and when they were busy with meetings and such, I would be heading down to the river or the beach, or just doing absolutely nothing.

When we did arrive in Kalbarri, we quickly settled into a very comfortable two-bedroom unit, which had great views of the river. When Dad went and met with the rest of his team, I went for a walk to the park across the road, and down to the river just beyond it.

Seeing that there is a marina nearby, I decided to go and check out some of the boats that are there. The marina was quite small by usual standards, with a main jetty for loading and offloading supplies, and two walkway jetties, with 14 small boat bays, and two large boat bays at the end of each one, and as with all marinas, there is security gates at the start of the jetty.

Walking along the beach between the two jetties, I noticed that one of the yachts moored at the eastern jetty was very similar to Jordan’s Sunreef 100 yacht, and when I saw the transom and saw what the name of the boat was, I was shocked to see the name She, on the transom, with the home port of Dampier in smaller letters below it.

Retrieving my mobile, I immediately dialled Jordan’s number. “Hey buddy, are you in Kalbarri already?” Jordan said on answering the call, “Yes, just arrived a short while ago, and after settling into our unit, I went for a walk down to the river to check out the small marina there. Tell me, is your yacht still anchored in Onslow?” I replied.

“Yes, it should be. Why do you ask?” Jordan asked, “Because my friend, I am currently looking at a Sunreef 100 sailing yacht, with the transom name of She, and the home port name of Dampier,” I replied. “Hell, can you take some photos and send them to me, I will call you back shortly, I need to call a friend in Onslow, bye,” Jordan said before the call ended.

Using my phone, I took a dozen photos of the yacht from different front and back angles, before sending them to Jordan, and after doing that I headed down the main street, to where I remember us passing the Kalbarri Tourist Centre when we drove into town.

About twelve minutes later, I arrived and walked straight inside, I went to the counter, “Excuse me, I had my phone stolen, and I need to report it, can you tell me where the nearest police station is please?” I asked lying about the real reason why I needed to go there. “Yes sure, keep going down Grey Street until you get to Porter Street, where you will see the sign Quad Bike Safaris, the Police station is just three doors down from there,” the lady at the counter replied.

I thanked the lady and headed in the direction of the police station and I soon found it, but a sign on the door said the station was closed and to call Police Communications in Perth if the matter was urgent. I was about to do that when my mobile rang, with Jordan calling. “Mate, my yacht is missing, and I have my friends asking around to see if anyone noticed it sailing out of the river, but so far nothing, and yes that is my yacht in Kalbarri, as there is a sticker at the top of the mast which I put there when I was doing the repairs,” Jordan informed me.

“Ok, I am at the local police station now, but it is closed, so I suggest that you call Police Communications in Perth to report the theft, and I will stay close by and keep…” Can I assist you with anything? What is this I hear about a theft?” a voice said behind me, and I turned to see two police officers standing there.

“Hang on a moment Jordan, actually can you send me a photo of your registration papers, so I can show them to the police here, who have just arrived, that might help to speed things up here,” I said into the phone, “Consider it done, stay online so I can listen in,” Jordan said to me.

“My name is Zachery Hynes, my father and his work colleagues and I arrived just this afternoon, I have a friend in Dampier who owns a 96-foot-long Sailing Yacht named – Sheila, which should be anchored in the River at Onslow, but when I arrived here this afternoon, I find it here moored at the marina.

The owner of the yacht – is Jordan Sanderson from Sherlock Station, which is between Karratha and Hedland, I was up on the station during the last holidays, and I have sailed on his yacht. When I saw the yacht, I called Jordan and he rang back to say that his yacht was missing from where it was supposed to be anchored, when I sent him some photograph’s he said that this yacht here is indeed his yacht,” I explained to the officers, as I felt my phone vibrate with a message, which I looked at.

“I see, and this Mr Sanderson, is he still on the phone with you now?” the police sergeant asked. “Yes sir, and he just sent this photo of his yacht’s registration papers and some photos,” I replied as I handed over the phone to him, and I waited and listened as the police officer and Jordan talked.

When the call ended, the police sergeant turned to me, “ok, let’s go and have a look at this yacht,” he said to me, as he indicated for me to follow, and soon I was in the back seat of a police 4x4 Ute and we were heading towards the marina.

I was about to ask how we were going to get onto the jetty, as we approached the security gate when the police constable punched in the code to the gate and opened it. Mr Sanderson informs me that you have permission to be on his yacht any time, and asked that you call him once we have had a good look around, and done some investigating,” the police sergeant said to me, as we walked down the jetty to the yacht.

“Apart from the sticker up high on the mast, there is also the Sherlock Station cattle brand on the underside of the aft platform, as well as on the underside of the aft main deck dining table,” I said to the police officers, “Wait here and we will have a look around first,” I was instructed before they stepped onboard the yacht.

“From what I can see, there is nothing out of place and nothing is damaged, but I’m not allowed onboard just yet, we have confirmed it is your yacht from the brand marks that I described to the officers,” I said to Jordon over the phone, having laid on the deck of the jetty and looked under the aft platform to see the station brand on the underside, as had the junior officer.

“Ok, well thanks to you, my yacht is safe, as long as it is ok with your Dad, you have my permission to live on the yacht until I can arrange to get down there, and maybe we can sail her down to your home town, where it can be carefully watched,” Jordan said to me.

I will discuss it with Dad and let you know what he says, but yes, I am happy to do that for you mate. Any idea when you will be coming down?” I asked, “Not sure yet mate, I need to make arrangements with my folks to get some more time off, which they won’t be too happy about, but I will keep in touch with you,” Jordan replied.

Fifteen minutes later I was permitted to come onboard the yacht, and I was asked to have a good look around and see if anything was missing. I redialed Jordan’s number, “Ok, I am allowed on board now, and I’ve been asked to let them know if anything is missing,” I said to Jordan when he answered the call.

Jordan instructed me to go down to the double crew cabin on the starboard side and to look in the floor of the wardrobe, where I would find a floor safe, and he gave me the six-digit code to enter. I was told that I would find a spare set of keys to the yacht, plus a sat phone, a spare set of registration papers, and a cash box, which will have $2,000 cash in it, which is for emergencies.

Although the police sergeant followed me to the cabin, I didn’t let him see the code that I entered, and I made sure that everything was there, and using the spare set of keys I opened the cash box and saw a large amount of cash which I retrieved, as well as the registration papers and relocked the box, as instructed.