Golden Beach

A true story.

 

We made Groote Eylandt our home,

In the Territory for a while.

Every weekend was an adventure

We enjoyed the best lifestyle.

Tales of Snapper caught on a reef,

Over lunch I got the tip.

A mud map drawn on a serviette

Held the plans for my fishing trip.

 

The directions were specific,

Go six miles north to an isle.

There you will find a golden beach,

Keep going just one mile.

Go round the point to the open sea

Sail on past the bluff.

There you might find a modest swell,

It can get a little rough.

 

When the sounder shows four fathoms,

A hundred yards from the shore.

That’s where you drop your anchor,

For a six pound fish, or more.

Get there before the rising tide

And stay for an hour or two.

This place is a red hot fishing spot

Known only to a chosen few.

 

We all set sail in my motor boat

Two sons a daughter and wife.

All were extremely excited

We shared an enchanted life.

We reached that isle in a little while,

But beyond the bluff a choppy sea.

The family promptly announced,

“On that beach we’d rather be”.

 

“Fishing today is not OK

In a boat that is being tossed.

We don’t see any fun in that,

The pleasure would be lost.

On that golden beach we’d like to play,

Relax and take our leisure".

We’d have that island to ourselves

To explore and hunt for treasure.”

  

To navigate the shallows,

The main outboard was lifted.

We used the auxiliary motor

As near the beach we drifted.

All were keen to reach that beach

Off the bow my family leapt.

All splashing the last twenty yards

Towards that sand they stepped.

 

I saw happy smiles on every face,

When I left them all behind,

So excited about their adventure

And the treasures they would find.

I turned the boat away from the beach

And headed for the deep.

I had a date with destiny

That I intended to keep.

 

I stopped and lowered the main outboard,

One hundred yards from shore.

I caught a glimpse of my family,

All waving, I’m blessed for sure.

How nice of them to wish me luck,

Waving back I resumed my trip.

I hoped this spot would be as good

As claimed by the man with the tip.

 

An hour of rolling in the swell

Left me feeling rather crook.

I did consider heading back,

But they all might think I’m a sook.

They all would be having so much fun

I would hate to cut that short.

I decided to stay on longer,

And continue my fishing sport.

 

But the fish did not cooperate

The total count was zero.

Heading home that day no way

I’d be a fishing hero.

The higher tide let me get close

To that beach, thirty yards I guess.

I called my wife on that golden sand

“How about you swim the rest?”

  

Her response was terse and to the point

With expletives she did screech.

Without a doubt her message was clear

“Get that bloody boat on this beach!”.

They very quickly scrambled aboard

All seeming rather stressed.

There were nasty jeers and signs of tears,

It hadn’t gone well I guessed.

  

I had to wait until halfway home

When things were a little calmer.

Only then could they explain

The nature of their drama.

There had been a chilling silence

But then I copped a blast.

It seems the problem was all my fault!

I wanted to get home fast.

 

I had dropped them onto a sandbar

A meager twenty feet wide.

It further shrank to only ten

With the rising of the tide.

On the other side a creepy swamp,

Swirling with crocodiles.

With sandflies and mosquitos

It soon wiped off their smiles.

 

The entire beach was covered in tracks

Man eating crocs from the size.

They had spent two hours in terror

While I fished for my snapper prize.

They had waited for the imminent attack

From the swamp or from the sea.

With only five feet either way

There was not much room to flee.

 

Their situation did not improve
When a school of sharks moved in.
Patrolling up and down the shore
All showing plenty of fin.

I was told when they were waving

They were screaming for dear life.

They were calling me to rescue them

From all that peril and strife.

 

I’d encountered a niggly family before

Occasionally in the poo.

But this was far more serious,

The intensity something new.

They’d forgiven my previous mishaps

Like getting us lost or bogged.

How could they ever get over this

When they really wanted me flogged?

 

This nasty little incident

Never mentioned to this day.

To be sure I’ll never raise it

It’s pretty safe to say.

Author's Note

A true story, some dads need forgiveness - LOTS.

Reviews

[Mina Salva]

I love it c:

[Keith]

Thank you Mina.

[Mina Salva]

You're welcome Keith :) I LOVE THIS NAME, just saying :)

[TL Boehm]

A wonderful story - I didn't expect the turn at all - it felt like the fisherman was on a huge "Moby Dick" type seafaring adventure, would the family be stranded while the father disappeared at sea? But instead - this wonderful humor and this especially made me laugh:
I’d encountered a niggly family before
Occasionally in the poo.
But this was far more serious,
The intensity something new.
They’d forgiven my previous mishaps
Like getting us lost or bogged.
How could they ever get over this
When they really wanted me flogged?

[Keith]

I did actually wish the sea would swallow me up when I realised where I had left them. Thank you Tammy.

[SyberRose]

Enjoyed the read...very exciting...I hate the thought of being around crocodiles but I love the crocodiles shows..Rose

[Keith]

Thank you Rose, it was 15 years ago, we can laugh now.

[Leslie Philibert]

A well written poem, despite all the problems you had makes me envious for some good weather, here is has been raining for a week...good job!

[Keith]

Thanks Leslie. That was 15 years ago in the tropics, now living in the south (Victoria) and its getting pretty cold now, and rained hard all weekend. Just put a log on the fire before going to bed.

[The Girl That Let You G..]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, oh o, I can just picture the amount of hot water you were in. This was a comical read, and wonderfully penned.

[Keith]

Glad you liked it Jadey. Thanks for your kind words. My daughter was about 5yo at the time and clinging to a coconut tree when I returned, she just reminded of that after reading this. She is now 23 and still talks to me (Lucky huh?).

[The Girl That Let You Go]

Hahaha lucky indeed :P

[quinfinn]

they must truly love you. i know people who would kill you and bury the body where it would never be found...(or take you to that sandbar and leave you there) this is superbly engaging and a real treat to read. well penned!

[carol burgess romance]

I am still chuckling and can picture the entire thing......very entertaining write...thanks for sharing.....many times truth is indeed more fun than fiction