“ISLE “BE SEEING YOU....THE WONDER YEARS

David & Jamie in the pool

Jamie

Jamie and Daina...with Kaycee looking on!  Circa 1986 on Hinchinbrook Island

Orchid Beach, Cape Richards, Hinchinbrook Island

My time spent as manager of the Hinchinbrook Island resort was wonderful...the “Wonder Years”.

Guests who visited the island’s resort came from all walks of life, from overseas, intrastate and interstate.

Quite a few “name” people visited Cape Richards Resort for a “hide-away” break from the burdens of the “real world”.

British actor, John Nettles holidayed for a week at the resort.  At the time of his visit, Nettles was best known for his lead role in the then popular television series, “Bergerac”.  Later, after “Bergerac” ran its course, John Nettles went onto play the lead role in the series “Midsomer Murders” for a number of years, until he left to pursue his stage career.

John was as nice a person in real life as he appeared to be on television; a quiet, polite gentleman of the first degree. Accompanying him on his Aussie holiday was his then girlfriend, Sue, a nurse, who worked in London.

One of the joys of the laid-back resort was the guests relaxed as they mingled together over “Happy Hour”, and evening drinks, as well as dinner.  Everyone was on a “level playing field”.  There was no peer pressure.  That was the way I wanted it to be; the way I orchestrated it to be.

Dinner guests...breakfast and luncheon diners, too...were treated as if they were guests in my own private, personal dining room...guests in my home, which in a way, they were.  

How much, or how little anyone had in his or her bank account mattered not at all. There was no “pose”, and no “poseurs” (except two or three, but they were rapidly and subtly brought back down to earth with a jolt, with no prisoners taken!)  Each guest was special in his or her own way.

A group of four arrived by sea plane one Saturday. Two women, both in their late fifties, or early sixties, who had been friends for years, I soon discovered, together with the daughter of one, and the son of the other, stepped out of the Grumman Mallard into the punt. Each was not quite sure of what lay ahead. The tentative looks upon their faces mirrored many other arrivals who had gone before, and of those yet to come.

During dinner that evening I spent a quite a lot of time chatting with the new group at their table.  

Jo, the daughter of the Australian woman, worked in the film industry.  Four years earlier, in 1982, she had worked on the production of “The Man from Snowy River”.   

The movie, based, of course, on Banjo Paterson’s poem of the same name, starred Kirk Douglas, Tom Burlinson, Jack Thompson, Sigrid Thornton, among others.

Jo had interesting stories to tell about the making of the movie, and about the magnificent Victorian High Country, where the film was shot in lieu of the actual Snowy Mountains.  (“Film licence”...akin to “poetic licence”...was applied).

Sitting quietly, listening, but saying little, was Jamie, the son of one of the women.  

Jamie was one of the most beautiful-looking young men I had ever seen…have ever seen. His blond hair, naturally streaked by the sun framed his near-perfect face. Jamie’s clear green eyes displayed a youthful shyness. To match his good looks, he had the body of a Greek god. He and his mother were visiting Australia from Bellingham, way up north in Washington State, not far from Vancouver, British Columbia.

To me, Jamie appeared burdened by his beauty. By no means was he vain. However, he seemed to hide from the world, a world, which, unfortunately, in many cases, judges people on their appearance.

Upon arriving in Australia, Jamie had gained part-time employment in Melbourne to help cover the costs of his vacation, a job he’d given up to come to the island with his mother and her friends.

Over dinner, I drew the shy young man into the conversation.  I learned he’d not long turned nineteen years of age, and was taking a year’s “sabbatical” before going to college back in the States.

During the following week of the group’s stay, I continued my attempt to draw Jamie out of his shyness at every opportunity.  I understood it must have been somewhat difficult for him being on holidays with his mother, her best friend, and Jo, the daughter, who was in her late twenties. Not an ideal age group with whom a young man should be spending his holidays.

On top of the obvious, Jo appeared to be in “recovery” from some unspoken malady, or broken-heart, or perhaps both. She wasn’t the brightest of company for anyone, let alone a reserved lad of nineteen.

The day of the group’s departure arrived. I took Jamie aside, and told him if he ever wanted a job during his stay in Australia, to not hesitate in calling me. I promised I would find a place for him at the resort.

A pleasant surprise awaited me on the end of the telephone line a couple of weeks or so later.  It was Jamie asking me if my job offer still stood.

“Of course it does!” I answered. “I’m so glad you made the decision. When can you get here?”

Within a few days, Jamie arrived to the island.

At first, my staff was wary.  

One young lass, Bronnie, said to me when I announced that Jamie would be joining them, “You mean that guy who was holidaying here a couple of weeks ago…the good-looking one?”

“Yep..that’s him,” I told her.

“But, he’s stuck-up!” Bronnie retorted petulantly.

“How would you know that, Bronnie? You don’t know him. Just because he’s a handsome young man, doesn’t make him “stuck up!” I said, more than a little agitated by her prejudicial attitude. “Give the boy a chance when he gets here. I expect…I want you and the rest of the crew to give him a “fair go”.  Don’t judge a book by its cover. I got to know Jamie when he stayed here, you didn’t! He's a lovely young fellow...you'll see!  You will soon be eating your words!”

In no time at all, the staff, both male and female fell in love with Jamie. He was such a fine young man one couldn’t help but fall under his spell. He had absolutely no airs or graces about him whatsoever.

David, my wild, fun-loving, no-holds-barred chef (with whom I am still good friends) and Jamie became great mates.

It was the best thing that Jamie could have done, come to work at the island resort. Doing so certainly made his visit to Australia memorable.

Even hard-nosed Bronnie (whom I adored) wilted in his presence.  She and Jamie became a good friends. Daina, another young staff member, fell hard and fast.  It was much more than “friendship” Daina felt towards Jamie. She became smitten. It wasn’t difficult to understand. If I’d been her age, I would have become so, too. As it was .I felt very protective towards Jamie. He was special. He glowed.  All who met him couldn't help but be affected by his unique aura.

Late one afternoon as I approached the restaurant area after changing into my evening attire (smart-casual), I heard a lot of ruckus and much loud laughter. There in the pool in front of me, David and Jamie, dressed up as pirates, were sailing one of the island’s small (very tiny) catamarans. They were smaller than a Hobie cat!

I blew a fuse, even though inside I could see the funny side, but at the precise moment Keeping a lid on the amusement I felt, I ordered them out of the pool, and to take the craft back down to the beach where it belonged. 

I’ll never forget the look on their faces. They were like two little boys being harshly reprimanded by their mother! To this day, I laugh about it, each time I recall that afternoon; and their sheepish reactions.  

It wasn’t really them that made me angry, but some else that had occurred. 

Only a couple of days before their innocent hi-jinx, a guest had sailed one of the small wind-riders out far beyond the island’s permitted perimeters.  Restrictions had to be placed on to the areas, and to the distances guests could sail. I didn’t have the necessary safety and rescue teams in case of emergencies. The small crafts were only suitable for playing around in shallow waters close to the resort beach.

To be continued......