The Castaway Scouts — Geoff O'Callaghan

by Geoff O'Callaghan ISBN 9781846930362
Published: 2007
Pages: 203
Description
Castaway
"Kestrel patrol" is happily camped out on an island resort with all the comforts when a category five cyclone bears down on them. The boys are evacuated to the mainland by air, but things go horribly wrong, and their aircraft crashes on an unmarked island. As castaways, they must use all their scouting skills to survive. Young Remy has an arm crushed in an accident, so badly is he injured that he requires an amputation. They discover a tunnel built by an army team that set up a tropical research station just after World War II. It's a treasure trove of survival goods, but why was the medical experimental base suddenly abandoned? Why are so many of the military medical team buried in the cemetery? Above all, why is such a beautiful island abandoned at all? Where are the real-estate dealers? Why isn't it on the map? There are only two other uninhabited islands in the Pacific, so why is this one ignored? The dreadful truth is found in an old diary. The scouts are in deadly peril. The boys face more danger when a group of illegal immigrant boys are dumped onto the island. Even if they do attract the attention of rescuers, will anyone come to find them, or will they be ignored?The story not only focusses on the problems of survival, it deals with the problems the boys have to act as a unified group, with all the natural tensions of young teens. Does Scouting have the answers? Could they have survived if they weren't scouts?
About the Author
Geoff was born in Jersey, then under German occupation, during World War II. Soon after the war, his family moved to Brisbane, Australia. He was educated at All Souls' School, Charters Towers - a rather traditional boarding school after the English style. What knowledge one didn't learn through the ears was well and truly belted in through the rear end, complete with blood blisters. His first contact with the cane was for not running around a sports oval fast enough. He now prides himself on a complete disinterest on sports and knows nothing about cricket. This led to his creative and artistic sides developing. He had a way with words, and was a skilled debater.