Jack could see them now, the billowing sails of the Tall ships. So close
he could almost reach out and touch them. They were almost within
arm’s reach, and suddenly they were gone and Jack was falling into
the inky blackness of the sea, into the depths of Neptune’s Kingdom.
Jack woke from his deep sleep, and remembering his dream, shook
his rag-doll head and with a bounce jumped up onto the window sill
of the playroom. There he looked out and saw the proud and elegant
tall masts of the tall ships that shone bright in the morning sunlight.
The Tall Ships race had almost begun.
Jack was no ordinary little girls rag-doll, although he did belong
to Emily and she loved him, he was a brave and skillful sailor and
he could match his craft against any Tall ship. Jumping down from
the window and dancing a sailors jig across the floor, he imagined
himself to be out in the salty sea air to find himself a boat and crew.
“Oi hoy”, shouted Jack as he climbed into the wooden Golden
Enterprise, with its torn cotton sails and broken mast. “Who will be
my shipmates and take on the tall ships?” he shouted.
His craft was the fastest boat in the rock pools. She was a lovely fast
ship, a bit bumped and chipped around the edges, but sleek and
quick, in fact just the right size for a toy sailor and his motley crew of
Samuel the mouse, Oliver the frog and Bungleton the Gnome. With
his crew assembled, they dragged the Golden Enterprise onto the
window sill where they could see the Tall ships race they were about
to enter. All of these toys had sailed the seven seas and rock pools
with Jack many times before, but the only thing that mattered to
Jack today was the Tall Ships regatta.
“Are you ready lads?” cried Jack. And with that he scuttled across the
planks and took hold of the tiller.
Soon they were skimming and slicing through the waves. Sam on
the Mast spotted a seagull flying low towards them. Quickly they
signaled to him and he landed on the window sill with a solid crash.
“How far to the start line, you fat sea bird?”
“Squark…It’s already begun and by my reckoning you are in the lead.”
he said with a grin. “So you best be quick! Good luck!” He replied and
with that he flew away.
Quickly the crew got her racing, slicing through the waves and
pitching and rolling with every white crashing wave. The small
wooden boat rocked up and down, almost falling off the window
sill, but with great skill Jack brought her back on track and they were
winning again. Oliver the frog ribbeted with excitement because he
had spotted the bright orange buoy which marked the finish line.
Suddenly, as if she was a ghost ship, the Mary Ann tall ship with 16
white sails was quickly upon the little boat and making good speed.
“All hands on deck!” Called Jack as The Golden Enterprise caught the
wind. Usually she was fast but that day she went so fast she was just
a blur of colour to people passing by…
“Only a little further!” yelled Bungleton, as the crew started to row
with lolly pop sticks for extra speed, and with a shout of joy they
crossed the finish line in first place. “Ha ha!” cried Jack “We are
the fastest boat that ever sailed in these waters.” And with that
the playroom door slowly opened. The toys became toys and Sam
scuttled off to his hole in the skirting board, and Emily looked out
at the beautiful Tall ships, and wondered if one day she would ride
these great boats with her friend, Jack.