It seems like not that long ago that I was a small girl driving a dinghy backwards and forwards from our boat - the Rigil Kent - ferrying fisherman and families from the deep water to the land at Kooringal on the southern end of Moreton. I can't lie, it was an upbringing from heaven spending every weekend and holidays a world away - missing in action.
The picture you see to the right is the Rigil Kent carrying a caravan and water tanks, etc on the stern. You might be wondering, how on earth ?? In typical Hawkins family style, where there was a will, there was a way. She had a "modern" auto pilot system so Neville (my father) could drive the ferry with a remote control (of course it had a chord). He would sit on top of the roof of the boat and navigate to the Island overlooking the caravan on the bow. Once we got to the Island, the fun increased - we had to get the caravan off the bow onto the sand below by using steep ramps and trying to reverse a vehicle up the ramps to hook up the caravan. If you think it seems crazy, you are probably right! I remember as a small girl trying not to look as the vehicles were removed from the bow - funnily enough no-one was ever hurt and all vehicles ended up on their wheels on the sand.
I think Moreton brings out the adventurer in us all, gladly today things are still adventurous - but not that adventurous!