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  ‘Poor Graham,’ Andrew mused. It had been just after he had learned that his eyes were no good and it had taken a lot of persuading by him and Ken to stop him just giving up and letting himself drown. The memories of drifting in big waves many kilometres from land in very deep water had caused almost paralysing fear in Andrew. Only the need to keep the injured pilot afloat had kept him from giving way to sheer terror. The night had been worse; hour after hour of draining fear. To be rescued by the navy patrol boat next morning had been the most wonderful relief.

  ‘If this current takes me away I will have to suffer all that again,’ Andrew thought, looking fearfully down current and across the waves of the deep water. The arrival of a small inflatable boat with an outboard motor driven by PO Walker was some comfort, but not much.

  Then it was time for the final test. Almost hyperventilating with fear Andrew made himself descend with the others. As he went under he focused on the anchor rope running down from the float. But fear made him keep looking around. He saw that the reef ended in a number of isolated clumps with white sand between. Then the sand sloped steeply downwards into deeper water, the dreaded murky blue that shaded off into a dark wall in which all his fears were hiding.

  It was a relief to settle on the sandy bottom with a ring of coral outcrops around. There were gaps several metres wide between the outcrops but they gave some illusion of protection. Andrew now focused on easing his pressure and in attaining negative buoyancy so that he remained kneeling on the sand without effort. A check of his depth gauge told him that Sub Lt Sheldon had spoken correctly- 18 metres. That surprised Andrew as it had not seemed to be any particular effort to sink that deep. He looked up and thought it did not appear to be noticeably further to the surface. Both the float and safety boat were clearly visible.

  Carmen settled beside him on his left and then Muriel on his right. Shona and Blake made their way down and then the two instructors. Once all were ready the testing began. The first test was pure fun. They had to make themselves hover. By getting their buoyancy just right they could float gently up and down just by breathing in and out. Andrew found it easy and enjoyed the sensation of hovering. ‘Levitating’ he called it. It just felt good to do.

  It even pushed the fear of the mask removal test out of Andrew’s mind for a while. The navigation by compass test also helped. This was easy for Andrew and he found he could even spend some of his thoughts on admiring the brilliantly coloured fish as he finned across the reef with Sub Lt Sheldon beside him. Only the awareness of that dark blue gloominess off to one side affected him. Turning onto the back-bearing and returning the 50 metres to the others was no challenge either.

  But then he had to kneel and wait for the others to be tested at navigation. While he did the anxiety began to build up again. Andrew tried to battle with that by looking around at the coral and marine life. He also kept glancing anxiously out into the blue murk for the first flicker of grey that might indicate a shark. In fact he became absorbed watching a shoal of brilliantly coloured fish swimming around the kneeling divers.

  Looking at the others and smiling at Muriel also helped, as did concentrating on checking air pressure and depth gauge. Andrew found he could clearly see all the details on the others. With fascinated pleasure he watched Muriel’s hair swaying in the current. The sparkle of sunlight reflected through tiny air bubbles which clung to parts of her equipment enchanted him. He watched her breathing and the swirls of ascending bubbles. That got him watching his own and listening to the gush and roar of his own breathing. Consciously he slowed and steadied his breath.

  And then it was time. With beating heart Andrew watched as Sub Lt Sheldon indicated that Luke should remove his face mask. Luke did so, making it appear very easy. Then Carmen did the same. At each second Andrew felt more anxious, mainly because he did not want to panic. Then it was his turn. ‘Get it over with quickly,’ he told himself.

  Taking a deep breath he reached up and firmly pulled the mask off, holding it as he had been taught. ‘Breathe normally,’ he reminded himself. Opening his eyes he blinked and realized he could see reasonably well. He was also reassured that no water had gone up his nose and that he was able to keep breathing with good steady breaths. That reassured him and he knew he could swim without the mask if he had to.

  ‘Ok, mask back on,’ he told himself.

  It was easy. A few seconds later he was busy blowing air through his nose to clear the water out. That worked too and he was able to blink the saltwater clear and look out at a nodding Sub Lt Sheldon. ‘Done it!’ Andrew thought with elation.

  Then he worried lest Muriel have trouble. Anxiously he turned to watch and was relieved to see that she did it with apparent ease, her face looking calm the whole time. For a few seconds their eyes met and Andrew managed an ‘OK’ sign and a smile. Then, to hide his embarrassment and confusion he looked away, pretending to be interested in the marine life.

  To his own surprise he found it both fascinating and beautiful. ‘Just like on TV,’ he thought, remembering all the nature programs he had seen. This impression was reinforced when Sub Lt Sheldon swam along checking their remaining air, then signalled for them to follow him in pairs. As he led off Andrew began to fin after him, Muriel keeping pace beside him.

  To Andrew’s dismay Sub Lt Sheldon swam out through one of the gaps in the coral to the outside of the reef. Then he turned left and swam along, keeping just clear of the wall of coral growths. Close below them the sand sloped steeply off into the blue gloom. Just thinking about what might lurk out there got Andrew’s anxiety level up again but he also found his attention continually drawn back to the amazing coral formations and incredibly colourful and varied marine life living among it.

  After a few minutes Sub Lt Sheldon turned left and led them into a deep ‘gully’ a few metres wide. This wound its way back into the reef and Andrew relaxed and began to enjoy the swim, his head continually turning to look at things, and to check that the others were following.

  Only then did it dawn on him. ‘We are just sightseeing,’ he thought. ‘We have finished our course. I have done it! I have qualified! I won’t ever have to take my face mask off underwater again!’

  Relief flooded through him and he felt a sense of euphoria and sheer pleasure. For the next few minutes he just swam happily along admiring the beauties of the reef. Then his anxiety ebbed even more when Sub Lt Sheldon led them back through a cluster of coral outcrops to where the anchor line ran up to the float and boat. When he signalled to surface Andrew wanted to shout with joy.

  On reaching the surface he did take out his regulator and grin. Muriel grinned back and all the others seemed to be chattering happily. But then Andrew remembered that they were still right on the edge of the reef and of that deep water. He inflated his BCD so that he floated easily and as he rose on each wave he looked towards the island, feeling worried about how small and far away it looked.

  It was a relief when they began the swim ashore. To Andrew it seemed to take forever and he was niggled by the others continually stopping to look at things along the way. The group swam on the surface using snorkels as they were butting into the small waves and heading up against the current. That taxed Andrew’s fitness as well but he forced himself to keep swimming, not wanting to have Muriel think he was weak.

  And now thoughts of Muriel began to dominate. ‘How can I ask her for a date?’ he wondered. Remembering the earlier problem of her parents thinking she was too young to be going out he considered what options there were. ‘A group to the movies or ten pin bowling or something,’ he decided. But how to ask her?

  That now loomed as an even harder test than taking off the face mask underwater!

  After what seemed like a marathon swim the group reached the shallows beside the pier and then stopped to remove fins. By then Andrew felt so tired he was almost staggering but he gritted his teeth and plodded gamely up the beach, the weight of his gear feeling like a crushing load. It took him a real effort to preten
d he was fine while he helped Muriel remove her air tank and BCD. Then she did the same for him and he sighed with relief. The weight belt came off next and then everything was dismantled and packed in the boxes.

  Last of all the wet suits were peeled off. That got Andrew’s mind going again as the girls swimsuits were again revealed. To his eyes Muriel looked just perfect and he bit his lip and began looking for an opportunity to ask her. But what to say? And how to say it? It all seemed very difficult and he became all anxious again.

  What he wanted was a chance to get Muriel on her own so that the others might not see his failure. However no such chance seemed to arise. She went off to the toilet with the other girls and after Andrew had done the same and they met up again at the shop it was time to walk back out along the pier to the ferry.

  In a concealed fever of anxiety Andrew strolled along beside Muriel, chatting to her and agreeing easily enough that the dive had been great and that it was wonderful to be a qualified diver. It was, but his focus was now on her. In his own mind Andrew had firmly resolved never to go diving again. He was also torn up by the desire to hold her hand again but felt paralysed with anxiety, scared lest she think him too pushy or too possessive. So he walked beside her, his hand tingling from the intensity of his thoughts.

  On the ferry things were a bit easier. The group gathered on the upper deck in the shade and Andrew made sure he was seated beside Muriel. As the ferry manoeuvred away from the pier and turned to make its way out through the narrow channel in the reef Andrew’s attention was taken up by the ship handling and by looking down into the water. Then he was spurred by a sharp stab of jealousy when he saw Blake put his arm around Shona. She snuggled against him and it was obvious that Blake’s arms were firmly up under Shona’s bosom.

  Andrew so badly wanted to do that with Muriel that his mouth went dry and he felt quite sick in the stomach with worry. ‘How do I go about it?’ he worried. He could not even bring himself to touch Muriel. When her knee accidentally touched his he almost jumped and hastily moved his own leg away, his heart rate shooting up. Then he wondered if that was not the tactic to try. ‘If she moves away then I will know she doesn’t want that and I can stop,’ he reasoned.

  But easier thought about than put into action!

  Somehow it happened anyway. A larger than usual wave caused her to lean firmly against him. To keep her balance she put her hand on his thigh and he grabbed her upper arm.

  “Sorry,” she said, her eyes meeting his.

  “My pleasure,” he murmured back.

  To his surprise she leaned against him and said, “You are really sweet!”

  Before he thought about it Andrew returned her smile and took her hand in his. Even as he wondered if he had made a mistake she smiled and snuggled against him. To Andrew it was as though the sun had come up again. His heart beat faster, the sun shone brighter, the water droplets from the sea spray sparkled, the foam of the waves and wake looked unbelievably white.

  For the next hour Andrew was in heaven. The only thing bothering him was the reaction of his body. Muriel’s touch caused him to become very aroused and he found himself torn by the pleasure of the sensation and the moral concern that it was lust, not the true love he wanted it to be. There were also the amused looks by his sister to niggle at him. It was obvious that Carmen did not really object but Andrew knew it was giving her ammunition for the next brother-versus-sister battle that might erupt at home.

  Carmen reinforced this by taking out her camera and snapping another photo. That secretly pleased Andrew and he determined to obtain a copy at the first opportunity.

  All too soon the voyage ended. Andrew watched the familiar landmarks come into view and then slide astern: Cape Grafton, False Cape, Koombal, Bosuns Bay, Giangurra, then Bessie Point. When the dark smudge of the mangroves lining the eastern side of the Inlet slid into view he knew that the end was close. As the ferry slowed and turned to berth Muriel sat up and disengaged her hand. She did this with such obvious reluctance that Andrew’s hopes went even higher.

  “When can I see you again?” he asked. He knew she lived out at White Rock and that was a long way for him to ride his bike after school.

  “I don’t know. What did you have in mind?” Muriel asked.

  “I was hoping we could go out, like to the movies or something. I know your parents think you are too young but I thought if we could organize it as a group thing they might let you,” he suggested.

  “That’s a good idea,” Muriel agreed. “When?”

  “What about one night during the week?”

  Muriel shook her head. “No chance. It will have to be next weekend.”

  That was a disappointment but what Andrew had expected. “Ok. Will you ask your parents?”

  “Yes. But first I will get a few friends to agree to make up the group,” Muriel replied.

  “Can I call you on the phone?”

  Muriel made a face. “Y..e.s, but I think you had better let me phone you. That way it won’t be so obvious.”

  Andrew had to leave it at that, all hanging up in the air and nothing tied down. Regretfully but bubbling with hopes he stood up and followed Muriel down the gangway, his bag held across his front to hide his aroused condition.

  The sight of his mother waiting to pick them up quickly cured that physical state but it returned several times during the evening. At home Andrew had to sit and tell his parents all about the diving. To his own private shame he made himself sound enthusiastic but every time he thought of that deep water or of having to take the mask off he shuddered and vowed he would avoid such experiences in future.

  Carmen then put him on the spot by saying to their parents, “We can do the Advanced Open Water Diving Course now. That will be really good. “

  “What does that involve?” their father asked.

  “Oh, deep diving, down to thirty metres; and a study of marine life; and a night dive.”

  “Night dive!” their mother cried. “Oh, I don’t know if I like that idea.”

  Andrew certainly didn’t. The very idea seemed to him to be like a nightmare and he doubted if he had the courage to face such an event. All he could do was give a sickly grin and hope it never happened. The fact that both parents seemed less than enthusiastic about the idea gave him hope.

  Carmen kept on though. “Oh Mum! It isn’t that bad. They do it all the time. And there is a wreck dive too, if we want it.”

  “Wreck? What wreck? That sounds dangerous,” their father said.

  “I think it is a bit risky,” Carmen agreed. “But that is what the training is for. I think they dive on a wreck somewhere down near Townsville.”

  “Townsville!” their mother said. “This all sounds like it is getting a bit too expensive. I think you might have to wait till you are older and have saved a bit more money.”

  That was music to Andrew’s ears. He had no desire to crawl around inside sunken ships with all the risk of getting trapped or attacked by some horrible thing like a moray eel. He took himself off to his room to lie down and think about Muriel.

  “How can I win with her?” he asked himself as he lay on his bed. Romantic images of actually kissing and of her wanting to be with him floated in his consciousness. It mingled with memories of the walk around the island and the ferry trip home and it was a very happy and hopeful boy who dropped off to sleep that night.

  CHAPTER 8

  ROMANTIC HOPES

  Monday meant school. It also introduced a new interest. This happened during History. Andrew’s History teacher, Mr Conkey, handed each student an assignment sheet.

  “You must select a topic yourself to research,” Mr Conkey said. “As it says on the form the subject must be about some aspect of North Queensland history.”

  Andrew liked Mr Conkey, who was a chubby and cheerful man in his late forties. He was also a captain in the army cadets and OC of the school’s army cadet unit. That increased Andrew’s respect and also sometimes led to a bit of good-natured chaffi
ng between teacher and student. After reading through the sheet and noting the main requirements: minimum of 1000 words, must have maps, illustrations optional, must use more than one reference and include a Reference to Sources, he pondered what topic to choose. The class had just studied the Sea Explorers: The Dutchmen, Cook, Flinders and so on, and were now starting on European Settlement: First Fleet, convicts, etc.

  ‘I could choose an explorer,’ he thought, ‘or maybe do something on the goldrushes. I wonder if I can do something about ships, perhaps the navy in the Second World War?’

  He put this question to Mr Conkey. The teacher thought for a moment, then shook his head. “We study the World Wars in Year Ten. I think you should save that till then.”

  Andrew felt disappointed but nodded. That still left plenty of subjects. Luke Karaku, the only Melanesian in the class, helped by asking if he could write about Pearl Divers.

  Mr Conkey nodded. “That would be a very good topic. There was a lot of that in the early days and it led to some fascinating stories.”

  Graham Kirk then put his hand up. “Sir, could I write about the history of coastal shipping, or about one of the ports?”

  As Graham’s father actually owned and operated two coasters, a ship and a landing barge, that was logical. Mr Conkey agreed. “You could certainly do that. Remember there used to be a very important coastal trade, even to the south. That was before the railways were built. They even had big passenger liners that serviced all the ports up the coast from Sydney and Brisbane.”

  “Didn’t some of them get sunk in cyclones sir?” Graham asked.

  Mr Conkey nodded. “Yes they did. The biggest was an eight thousand ton steamer named the S S Yongala. It was sunk near Townsville back in Nineteen Eleven or thereabouts. And there was a smaller one named the Merinda that went down somewhere off Bowen in the Nineteen Fifties. There have been hundreds of shipwrecks off the east coast of Queensland.”