Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea facts for kids
Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea is an exciting book written by Michael Morpurgo. It was first published in 2006. The story was inspired by real events. After World War II, many English orphans were sent to Australia to find new homes. The book's title comes from a line in the famous poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
In 2017, the book was turned into an audio play. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in four parts. Michael Morpurgo himself read parts of it. The play also starred Jason Donovan. It featured original music from talented folk singers. These included Julie Matthews, Chris While, Boo Hewerdine, and Jez Lowe.
Arthur's Journey: Part One
This part of the story is told by Arthur Hobhouse. He shares memories from his life. Arthur remembers being an orphan from Bermondsey, London. In 1947, when he was five, he was sent to Australia. He was going to find a new home there.
Leaving Home and a Special Key
Arthur was separated from his sister, Kitty. This happened at their orphanage. Kitty gave him a special key. She told him to always keep it safe. Arthur treasured the key, even though he didn't know what it was for. He then boarded a ship with other orphans. They were all heading to Australia.
A Difficult Voyage and a New Friend
The journey by ship was long and hard for Arthur. Older boys in his bunk often teased him. They made fun of his age and his London accent. They also teased him for humming London Bridge Is Falling Down to help him sleep. Arthur also suffered from severe seasickness.
One day, while feeling sick over the ship's railing, he met Marty. Marty was also an orphan from London. They quickly became best friends. Marty stood up for Arthur. He even punched Wes Snarkey, the leader of the bullies. After that, the boys never bothered Arthur again.
Arrival in Australia
When they arrived in Sydney, an officer tried to separate Arthur and Marty. But Marty insisted they stay together. They, along with the other boys, took a bus ride. The bus drove through the vast Australian outback. Arthur noticed that only Wes, one of the bullies, was on the bus from his old cabin. Marty talked about how wonderful their new life would be. Arthur felt his lucky key was bringing him good fortune.
Life at Cooper's Station
The bus stopped at a farm called Cooper's Station. Music was playing from a gramophone. The farm was run by Mr. Bacon, known as Piggy Bacon. His wife was Mrs. Ida Bacon, or Mrs. Piggy. Mr. Bacon was unkind and loud. Mrs. Bacon, however, was gentle and caring. She was also very kind to the children.
Soon, the boys realized Mrs. Piggy's true kindness. They started calling her Ida. Ida tried to help the children escape the difficult farm life. Wes, who had become a hero to the boys, tried to escape on a horse named Black Jack. Sadly, he was brought back dead by the bushmen. Later, Arthur and Marty managed to escape on Black Jack. They rode into the bush.
Living with the Bushmen and Aunty Megs
The bushmen looked after Arthur and Marty for a while. One day, the bushmen left them. They had actually left the boys at the home of Aunty Megs. Aunty Megs was a kind woman. She cared for orphaned animals in the bush as if they were her own children.
One day, Aunty Megs had a bad fall from her horse. Arthur and Marty helped her recover. After she was well, Aunty Megs sent them to Sydney. They became apprentices at a boat-building company. Things went well for a few years. But then, the boatyard owner faced money problems. He burned down his business for insurance and went to prison.
New Challenges and Tragedies
Without jobs and money, Marty faced tough times. Sadly, a tragic accident happened in the harbour one night, and Marty drowned. Arthur then returned to Aunty Megs. He stayed with her for a few years until she passed away. Her son sold her house. Arthur then found a job as a fisherman. He worked there for a couple of years. One night, while fishing, he felt bad for the fish. He decided to quit fishing.
Arthur joined the Navy to earn money and be at sea. After the war, he was deeply affected by his experiences. Arthur went through a difficult period, struggling to keep jobs and making poor choices with his money. One day, Arthur became very ill and woke up in a hospital in Tasmania. There, he fell in love with his nurse, Zita. When he recovered, Zita's father, who owned Stavros Boats, gave them permission to marry. They had a daughter named Alexis, whom Arthur called Allie.
The Journey to Find Kitty
When Allie was ten, she made Arthur promise to sail to England. They would go to find Kitty. Zita agreed, but only when Allie turned eighteen. This inspired Arthur to build a small bath toy boat for Allie. He called it the Kitty. The idea grew. He built the Kitty II, a pond boat. Then came the Kitty III, a bigger boat for Allie to use in river races. Finally, when Allie turned eighteen, he built the Kitty IV. They planned to sail to England in this boat.
Sadly, after the boat's launch, Arthur collapsed. He was diagnosed with a serious illness. He finished telling his life story to Allie. Allie typed it all up. This first part of the book ends just days before Arthur's death.
Allie's Adventure: Part Two
After her father's death, Allie decided to sail alone from Australia to England. She used the Kitty IV.
An Albatross and a Turtle
On her way to New Zealand, an albatross joined the Kitty IV. Allie believed her father's spirit was in the bird. The albatross became a great source of encouragement for her. Sadly, after sailing around Cape Horn, she accidentally killed the albatross. It got caught in a fishing line she was trailing. This loss made her very sad. But her mood lifted when she later saw a loggerhead turtle.
Connecting with an Astronaut
Allie's journey caught the attention of Marc Topolski. He was an American astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS). They became friends. They talked by phone and email. The ISS often passed over the Kitty IV.
With help from her mother, grandfather, and the astronaut, Allie finally found Kitty. When Allie met Kitty, Kitty explained her story. She had been adopted by a Canadian family and grew up in Canada. Kitty then brought out a box. Allie still had her father's lucky key. She gave the key to Kitty. Kitty put the key into the box. It was a musical box! It played London Bridge Is Falling Down, Allie's father's favorite song. Allie then read her father's story to Kitty.
