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HOPE VALE 2004PHOTOS Hope Vale 2004 click here From the Captain's Log Dear Peter (Malcolm) The reason I am writing for is to ask for your assistance and support in my idea and would really appreciate your help. I saw your show on the television and thought this would be ideal because the sea is the only escape/time out apart from other sources such as rainforest, bush, mountains etc from society. Queries:- I believe it'll be an adventure of a lifetime for these youth that'll change their lives as well. About 6-7 years ago my Uncle shot himself caused by peer pressure,
drugs, alcohol, depression, loneliness then suicide. He drove past
me on the night he did it looking for help and I totally ignored
him. He was a role model before the incident for every young person
including myself. Today we buried my 15 year old niece. She hung herself with a cord. Again the same problems as the others. My fear is if nothing is done now a lot of teenagers are going to head in the same direction having thoughts of suicide seeing it as an easy way out. I wasn't there for any of the deceased but I'm sure that I want to be here for the rest. Please I'm desperate for help and as much support from yourself and others. Yours Faithfully Peter contacted Coraleen by phone. He promised that we would come up and do a project with young people from her community as soon as we had finished building our new vessel. Redbill had been sold that year and we estimated it would take us about three years to complete Pelican. In the end it took us nearly six. After the launch of Pelican and completion of sea trials we started planning what we would do for the coming year. Soon after we had decided to circumnavigate Australia, Peter phoned Coraleen’s number again and asked to speak to her. A voice asked who is calling. Peter explained who he was and the reason for the call. There was a pause on the other end of the line. “You’re too late. Coraleen killed herself three weeks ago”. We were all shocked and saddened by the tragic news. In subsequent phone calls however we promised to drop in and at the very least take people for a sail. We would also try to secure funding for a more ambitious project. 10.00 Aug 5 We arrive in Cooktown and pick up about 30 people for the first of two three hour sails. Most of Coraleen’s family is there, her mum and dad (Estelle and Des), her sisters, her kids, cousins and a whole lot of other people from Hope Vale. They love the sailing and it gives us a chance to get to know people better. By the end of the second sail we are all getting on really well and everyone is having a great time. You can see it is a special day for all of us. Estelle said she could feel Coraleen there. Coraleen’s dream was that time on the sea would help diffuse the epidemic of depression and suicide and we all felt like we had taken a big step towards making that a reality. Hope Vale has a long tradition of involvement with the sea and sailing. I am proudly shown a picture of an old lugger which was built and operated entirely by people from Hope Vale. “One of the best vessels on the coast” for many years. That night all the Pelican crew were invited back to Hope Vale community where we were guests of honour at a special BBQ in memory of Coraleen and her brother Mark who also recently took his own life. There was dancing, music and lots of speeches by community members as well as an amazing array of traditional foods including Dugong, Turtle, fresh water muscles, yams and much more. Holly and Sandy suggested we should invite a couple of people from the community to travel north with us. I put it to Estelle and Des and the next day they rang to say that jazzmin (Coraleen’s son) and Gresham two young men would love to join us for the trip to Thursday island. Aug 8 10.05 We depart Cooktown with the two young men on board and head for Lizard Island. Pretty soon Gresham hauls in a large spanish mackerel which will feed the whole crew for a couple of days. We arrive at Lizard about 1600 and anchor in the lagoon on the southern side of the Island. The boys have been teaching us words in their language and are delighted to discover signs all over the island naming natural features and resources in their language (with translation). The next day most of the crew take a walk up to the other end of the island where there is a very up market resort. One of the most memorable images of the whole trip is of jazzmin and Gresham lounging in the shallows on banana lounges provided by the resort making themselves right at home. Lizard Island is part of their traditional country but this is the first time the young men have been here. Day three we get a guided tour of the research facility on the island which monitors the reef and all its varied life forms. The research here is currently done either in tanks within the facility where specimens can be observed at leisure or out of small boats on the adjacent reef areas. No real role for Pelican or vessel based research at this stage but fascinating to learn a little about the history and the work being done. I manage to get in a couple of dives in the lagoon where the coral is incredibly varied and colourful and seems to be in remarkably good shape. Aug 9 12.10 Weighed anchor and threaded our way by sight through the coral beds and bommies of Lizard Island lagoon back to open water. Set course in perfect sailing conditions for Barrow Point on the mainland. Over the next few days we stopped at Ninian Bay, and Bathurst Bay (Cape Melville) where the boys went ashore to get some oysters. When they returned empty handed I asked if they had scored any. They looked slightly guilty as they told me they had eaten them straight away because they had nothing to put them in. I made a mental note to provide them with a bag next time. Aug 11 05.50 Depart Bathurst Bay for Horn Island far to the north which serves as the airport for Thursday Island and all the Torres Strait Islands. We are now on a schedule and need to deliver Nick, Julien, jazzmin and Gresham to catch flights on the 13th. We get off to a slow start but the winds gradually build until we have a steady 25 to 30 knots on the quarter and are cruising at around 12 knots making very good time indeed. We are passing some extraordinary coastline, rivers, capes, amazing country, but it will have to wait until next time around. Perhaps next year when a project in conjunction with Hope Vale, but also networking other Aboriginal communities seems very possible. Aug 12 18.20 We arrive at Horn island having covered some 550 nautical miles since departing Cairns nine days before. Next morning we go ashore and are surprised to find a car waiting patiently to pick up the boys. They have family here and as so often happens in Aboriginal time people are expecting us. jazzmin and Grisham are in good hands and will be looked after until their flight that afternoon. I speak to Estelle by phone and we agree to be in contact regarding projects for next year. Despite the obvious problems at Hope Vale I have been impressed with the community and their motivation to find creative solutions to the problems they are facing. All the Pelican crew feel a strong affinity with them and we say goodbye to them and to Nick and Julien with a touch of sadness. |
HOPE VALE YOUTH VOYAGE 2005
The second Hope Vale voyage ran for 14 days during the Queensland school holidays. Estelle Bowen, Coraleen's mother and community health worker, helped us coordinate the project. Estelle suggested we set up a camp at Hammock Beach north of Cooktown. Working from the beach we involved up to 30 kids, using Pelican to do day sails and also transport the group to new locations. We worked closely with the Elders of the community and visited a number of important Dreaming sites of this tribe, such as Lizard Island. Pelican Expeditions had been asked by this community to provide a different experience for these youngsters, guided by the Elders. With the assistance of ANZ and other sponsors Pelican Expeditions hopes to make the Hope Vale youth project an annual event. Captain's Log Hope Vale 2005 click
here |
