Sailing With The Stars

• Eliana Wigley-gill, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Sailing with the Stars

Maisie and her brother Mikel lived onboard their Yacht, with their parents. They were anchored off Turtle Island. One sunny afternoon, Maisie and Mikel decided to play on Sparrow, their small sailing boat. They grabbed their life jackets and sailed to the other side of the tropical island. They snorkelled on the undisturbed reef, watching the vibrant sea creatures swim peacefully among the coral. Mikel noticed the sky turn grey, so they decided to go home. Suddenly, the wind picked up, the waves grew larger and it began to rain. The rain poured harder until they could no longer see the island. They were being blown northward. Huge, terrifying waves smashed over Sparrow. Maisie and Mikel clung on tightly, panic stricken. The havoc of the storm lasted all night long.

By morning the wind and sea had settled. They noticed an island not far away, Maisie hoisted the sail and tacked toward it. They reached the island quickly. Wearily, they tugged Sparrow onto the beach. Maisie and Mikel flopped on the sand, exhausted. Maisie stood up, took her lifejacket off and dropped it at the base of a coconut palm. She climbed the tree and knocked down many green and orange coconuts. Together, Maisie and Mikel de-husked coconuts with the knives that they always had strapped to their life jackets. They pierced holes in the coconuts and drank the water. Then they cracked them open and ate the soft white flesh. After eating the coconuts Maisie and Mikel decided to build a shelter. Mikel got two sticks that looked like a ‘Y’ and a long straight one for the frame. Maisie put them in place and lined the hut floor with palm fronds, Mikel made the hut walls. Once the shelter was finished they lit a fire. That night they rested in the shelter and created a plan for the next day.

Early the next day they put their plan into action. They de-husked coconuts for their journey, rested through the middle of the day and set sail at sunset. The sky was stained with colour and the sea was still and glassy. A gentle breeze pushed sparrow steadily along. As stars appeared in the sky Maisie steered toward the Southern Cross. She knew to head south because they had been blown north by the storm. It was a perfect cloudless night. The dark sky was bejewelled with glistening stars. Their reflections danced gaily around Sparrow. Maisie and Mikel smiled, the stars were beautiful, and they were leading them home.

It was an delightful sunrise and they could see Turtle Island. The water was crystal clear, a turtle swam gracefully by, took a deep breath and disappeared beneath the water. A pod of curious dolphins circled their boat jumping out of the water and chased one another playfully. Finally, they arrived at home. Maisie and Mikel Hugged their parents. Mum made hot chocolate topped with cream while Maisie and Mikel told Mum and Dad about their adventure.