Coasts of Cape York Read Online Free PDF Page A

slightly and the nose of the ‘Catalina’ came around. When it was pointing directly at the area both engines were used to get the seaplane moving forward. The result was an uncomfortable slithering and pitching motion as it outran each wave and slid awkwardly down its face.
    The navigator came up and stood between the pilots to look through the front. He chuckled. “There are a few customers getting a bit seasick back there,” he said.
    â€œThey’ll be even sicker if they see this bloke all mangled,” Mr Southall replied grimly. “Try to stop them looking.”
    The navigator shook his head. “That will be difficult. There is a cadet at every port hole and the door is right in front of them.”
    Mr Southall shrugged. Willy wondered if he had forgotten he was there but did not say anything.
    It was the co-pilot who spotted the shark again and a minute later the dark bobbing shape of the corpse became visible among the waves. Willy was now filled with morbid fears and wondered if he should look away rather than give himself nightmares but he found he just had to look. As the seaplane edged down closer he was able to look straight down on the dead body. What he saw made his stomach heave and it was only with an effort he kept the contents down, rather than spewing them all over Mr Southall and the flight deck.
    The body had lost an arm, all of one leg and half of the other and its stomach had been ripped open. Revolting streamers of pink, purple and brown flesh, intestines and sinews waved in the moving water. ‘Not much blood,’ he observed. For a few seconds he watched with ghastly fascination the way the limbs and head lolled loosely in the waves. Then his stomach heaved again.
    As quickly as he could Willy unbuckled his seat belt and struggled out into the passageway. Mr Southall turned and raised his eyebrows. “Going to be sick sir,” Willy managed to croak. Then his stomach heaved. To stop it he clenched his teeth and held his mouth shut as he stumbled down the steps behind the navigator. It didn’t work. Vomit squirted up into Willy’s nostrils and began to trickle and drip out.
    Worse still, as he reached the bottom of the steps he found Finlay standing at the toilet door. She also had her hand over her mouth and looked green and miserable. As Willy gestured to get out of the way she shook her head and kept a firm grip on the handle. Willy then noted Flight Sergeant Anderson and Corporal Francini standing behind her, also looking sick.
    Again his stomach moved and there was only one place to go, rather than throw up all over the passageway in the cabin- the open door. It was only two steps away but the flight engineer and navigator were blocking it. Willy staggered over and tapped the flight engineer on the shoulder. The flight engineer turned a quizzical face to him but Willy could not speak. His mouth was now full of vomit and he was having trouble breathing. When he tried to suck air in chunky bits moved in the back of his nostrils and blocked the left one. The revolting stench and taste of bile burned at his throat and airways.
    The flight engineer took one glance and grabbed him, then moved aside to hold him in the doorway. As soon as green water appeared below Willy opened his mouth and heaved. Then he spluttered, coughed again and saw the dead body directly below him. The horrible sight made him heave again. Lumps and sour liquid squirted and dribbled out and he felt hot tears of shame. He was aware that the flight engineer and navigator had a firm grip on him. They suddenly thrust him back inside and the navigator dragged Flight Sergeant Anderson to the door to throw up as well.
    Feeling upset and bilious Willy stood back against the bulkhead to make room. Through eyes that were streaming he saw Anderson shoved back out of the way and then the two men knelt and reached outside. “Get out of the way you kids! And don’t look!” shouted the