Veteran Melbourne journalist, author and eagle-eyed chief sub editor Kim Lockwood sent a surprising message to Little Darwin acknowledging the fact that our S(h)ipping Reporter is indeed a rare old seabird who justifiably rails about the failure of modern North Australian media to cover shipping activities in their own ports . He based this apparent praise on the odd treatment given a possible great maritime mystery in Darwin which only rated three paragraphs in the Murdoch Northern Territory News . It featured this supplied photograph of a raft with a fold out bed , a large esky and a canopy, washed up on rocks near Charles Point .
The report said the raft had been spotted by several vessels before it drifted into the main shipping channel near the entrance to Darwin Harbour and became a hazard . It quoted an Acting Superintendent ( shipping or police ? ) as saying it is essential rafts are "disposed of " and not left behind to become a danger to others .
This write up Kim rightly described as "three bland pars " about shipping lanes , which missed the obvious , greater possible angles.
Was someone trying to get from Darwin to Timor a la Ian Fairweather (artist ) aboard a flimsy raft in the early '50s? Or
a similar attempt by immigrant Peter Pedaja who attempted to sail an oil drum canoe from Sydney to New Zealand in 1959 ?
In respect of the mystery raft , Kim asked reporter like questions: Did the passengers get washed overboard? Or did they survive, and are now living on bush tucker? Could a body have been washed overboard , etc., etc.
Alert readers of this blog will note that there is no mention in the NT News story of the clearly visible SHARK GIRL name on the canopy and what appears to be the outline of substantial mammaries , perhaps the work of a deranged artist , adrift at sea for a long time , hallucinating , suffering various fantasies ? Other lettering appears to be part of the word BOOMERANG .
As Kim and Judy Lockwood are soon to land in North Queensland , we plan to take them to a disreputable waterfront tavern and thank him for saying nice things about the crusty old S(h)ipping Reporter .
In respect of the mystery raft , Kim asked reporter like questions: Did the passengers get washed overboard? Or did they survive, and are now living on bush tucker? Could a body have been washed overboard , etc., etc.
Alert readers of this blog will note that there is no mention in the NT News story of the clearly visible SHARK GIRL name on the canopy and what appears to be the outline of substantial mammaries , perhaps the work of a deranged artist , adrift at sea for a long time , hallucinating , suffering various fantasies ? Other lettering appears to be part of the word BOOMERANG .
As Kim and Judy Lockwood are soon to land in North Queensland , we plan to take them to a disreputable waterfront tavern and thank him for saying nice things about the crusty old S(h)ipping Reporter .
