Yeaaaargh 30th Nov 2013

 “Yeaaaargh !” yelled Phill in a way that only a director of Watermark can as he jumped clean off the back of the boat and into Sydney Harbour.

“That’s leading by example” noted Pawel –an illustrator at Watermark as he took a photo of Phill behind in midair. “But there is no way I am getting in there” he said taking another photo as Phill’s two kids (Luke and Ruby) jumped past him with a splosh and a splash.

“Yeeeergh !” said Elise in Pawel’s ear as she too leapt into the water following her boss’s lead. Pawel looked shocked –if his workmate had jumped in then maybe he should? “Don’t worry –I agree, Elise is a little crazy sometimes” said George (Elise’s boyfriend), trying to reassure Pawel who became busy again with his camera.

“That’s right and I am not going in there either while there are all these beers to mind” said Blair from the other side of the cockpit. Everyone laughed. It was turning out to be a nice day on Sydney harbour.

But suddenly the laughter was cut short by Pawel’s Girlfriend, Sylwia as she yelled out “Shark! Watch out you guys there is a shark!”

There in the water there was a hand with 5 fingers pointing up straight slicing through the water like a shark fin would, towards the swimming group and under the water, below the hand was a dark shadow. The hand disappeared and everyone searched the still waters with that quiet movie type anticipation of an impending, frightening and horrific scene of terror…

The day had not started out well. There had been rain clouds in the morning and Jo had worried that the Watermark Sydney Sail would be a wash out. She had sailed down from Brisbane over the last few weeks and had been looking forward to catching up with fellow Watermark director Phill in Sydney. The plan had been for a day of Watermark fun on the water before Jo sailed the boat back across the vast expanse of the Tasman to her New Zealand office in Auckland with her partner Stephen.

However Jo need not have worried about the weather - the clouds parted and the sun came out just as the first people started arriving on the small Man ‘o War Jetty beside the iconic Sydney Opera House. What better place to start a day on the water –there was even a two story ‘Reg Mombassa mural’ there for anyone that knows about that sort of thing to admire.

“Can illustrators swim” asked Stephen with a wink as he went to pick them up in the dinghy.

“I’m an illustrator too you know” yelled Jo after him. “Look out for that big mural that Phil mentioned”.

With everyone on board they set off up the harbour, under the bridge and then through the mayhem that is Saturday-on-the-water in Sydney Harbour towards Watson’s Bay and lunch. Everyone helped pull ropes, winched, navigate, steer and lie in the sun all the way up the harbour proving that the Watermark team works well together even out from behind their computer screens and away from their dark office.

Lunch was superb –made all the better with the help of Phill’s long “suffering” wife Jean and plenty of beer and wine and cocktails –you have to have cocktails on a boat! The beer was Fiji Gold and rather tasteless but it had travelled all the way from Fiji and was in plentiful supply and besides as Pawel noted “who cares about the beer –the food was great.” The dancing was pretty good too as I recall. Thanks Phill and Jean and team.

Blair, acting on orders from his Partner Kim organized a Kris Kringle on the water and everyone received a small but well-designed or tasteful gift, proving to some people with no taste (Stephen) that illustrators know what looks good and that zombies can make good presents.

After lunch there was just enough time for a quick swim…

Phill bobbed in the water near to his kids in a protective way. Had someone said Shark? He looked around anxiously at the placid water. Everyone was looking down at him from the boat in a sudden deathly silence that seemed to be anticipation of something terrible about to happen. He thought he had seen something over there but now all that was left was a ripple on the surface of the water but he couldn’t help feeling … suddenly and with no warning something huge bit Phill’s leg and latched on just like a shark would.

Stephen let go and bobbed to the surface next to Phil and grinned taking off the mask. “Watch out” he said “there are a few jellyfish down here –among other things” as everyone laughed.

The sail back to the Opera house was fun after the excitement and food and drink as everyone lay on the trampoline and got sunburnt or stole the odd romantic kiss while taking turns in doing “Front of Titanic” impersonations adding credence to the fact that illustrators are kids at heart and like soppy love stories too.

Finally it was time to say goodbye, the dinghy was launched and all the boys insisted on controlling the outboard and driving their loved ones back to shore rather than let the rather more irresponsible captain do it although Kim and Jean did have their doubts about their respective men’s confidence and dinghy driving abilities.

“You did good Blair” said Stephen reassuringly, waving to the departing group on the Jetty. Jo stood on the boat and waved too. “I think it might rain soon” she said brushing a tear from her cheek, also proving that illustrators can sometimes exaggerate just a bit too much.

Thanks to all for making the Sydney Watermark Sailing Day so much fun.