Reader's Digest Asia August 2021

Lost Overboard

ALL PHOTOS: COURTESY BRETT ARCHIBALD I wait, stunned, desperately treading Mark ‘Ridgy’ Ridgway joins Jean-
water. My outstretched arms pull great Marc on the bridge and quickly picks
circles in the swirling foam as I fight to up that Brett is missing. “We have to
take breaths between the waves. go back for him,” Ridgy says.

“I’m going to die out here,” I say. “People don’t come back from the
I feel no fear, only an overwhelming sea,” says Yanto.
sadness that I’m never going to see my
beautiful wife and children again. “We all did militar y training,”
Jean-Marc says firmly. “He knows
THE NAGA LAUT, TUAPEJAT HAR- how to survive.”

BOUR, 8.12AM. The Naga Laut is While the captain goes to the har-
sitting calmly in its anchorage. It bour master to report that Brett is
was an awful night. The stormy 12- overboard, Ridgy, a pilot and yacht-
hour crossing to Tuapejat Harbour master, consults the boat’s charts.
on the island of Si- When he checked on the sick men at
pura left four of the
nine friends vomit- 2.30, Brett was vom-
ing – a combination iting over the port
of seasickness, jet lag beam. “We would
and suspected food have been here-ish.”
poisoning. He marks the spot.

Jean-Marc Tostee, Ridgy considers the
who shares a cabin current – “Two knots,
with Brett, clambers going south,” says
up the ladder to the bridge. Yanto, Yanto – and outlines
the only English-speaking crew- the search window
man, is chuckling with the captain, on the map.
an older man Brett had christened The captain is called on his phone.
‘Skippy’. He can catch up to them in the ten-
der. The boat’s engines grind back to
“Yanto, have you seen Brett this life. The wind produces a cross swell
morning?” Jean-Marc’s question is that sets the boat pitching and yaw-
urgent. “The loud one with no hair? ing as they leave the bay.
I’ve looked everywhere. He’s not on
the boat.” RAGE AND REGRET

All the blood drains from Yanto’s BRETT, ONE HOUR IN THE WATER.
face. In Indonesia, losing someone at
sea means a mandatory jail sentence The water is warm, like a tepid bath.
for the boat’s captain and his first My stomach lets go again – the de-
mate. testable pizza still doing its wick-
ed work. I am dehydrated from the

completely immersed in your bloody
outdoor awning business.

Now you’re going to die.
I am overtaken by rage. “This is not
fair!” I shout to the swirling clouds
above.
Without warning, great rollers
come from the gloom to dump me. I
swallow what feels like a gallon of salt
water, then cough and retch.
Torrential rain begins to fall. I tilt
my head back and swallow the fresh
water. It’s a cool balm to my swelling
tongue.

Brett with his wife Anita and their BRETT, THREE HOURS IN THE WA-
children Jamie and Zara
TER. It’s starting to get lighter. I know
continuous vomiting and all the salt that sunrise is around 5.30. The guys
water I’ve been swallowing. on the boat will soon realise that I’m
not there, I tell myself.
I know that I cannot let fear take
over. Keep calm, I coach myself, In a worst-case scenario, they’ll
stay alert and aware of everything get to port, discover I’m missing and
around you. then sail back. I fell overboard about
a third of the way across the Strait,
I start talking out loud to my wife, about 50 kilometres from Padang,
Anita. “Neets, I’m so sorry to leave where we had set off. I calculate that
you like this.“ I need to stay afloat for another 11
hours – 14 at most.
I think of my nine-year-old Zara
and Jamie, only six. My daughter is I begin to feel there might be a
my princess. My son is my zany little chance.
Mini-Me. The ache in my chest is like
a concrete weight. You’ve got to get swimming, I think.
By now I’ve turned around so many
Regret is folding up my insides times, I’m completely disoriented.
like origami. You gave up your corpo- With no sun, I can’t take a bearing. I
rate career in London, I remind my- swim in what I hope is the direction
self. You returned to Cape Town for the boat has taken.
the lifestyle, but instead you’ve been
Out of the blue, I begin to feel re-
ally tired. Swimming is sapping
my energy. In my pocket is a folded

100 august 2021

Lost Overboard

cardboard rectangle with a till slip His nickname Doris was given to
inside. It’s surprisingly dry. I tear off him when he was a kid for his Doris
a tiny corner and put it into the water. Day-like mop of blond hair.
It sweeps away from me.
Anas gets to Doris first. “Emergen-
I’ve been swimming against the cy, Pak Doris,” he says, using the term
current. The only thing to do is turn of respect for an elder. Elvis, the first
around and go with it. Swimming mate, says, “A bule has fallen off the
feels instantly easier. I know that Naga Laut. In the night.” Bule is the
ocean currents eventually lead to locals’ term for foreigners, particular-
land. Every so often I tear off a piece ly white ones.
of paper and use it to assess the cur-
rent’s direction. Doris snatches up the radio and
calls the Naga Laut. A barrage of Ba-
THE BARRENJOEY, TUAPEJAT HAR- hasa, the local language, explodes
out of the receiver. Doris hands the
BOUR, 10.12AM. “Pak
Doris! Pak Doris!” receiver to Elvis,
There’s an urgency who writes down the
to Anas’s voice that Naga Laut’s assumed
troubles Tony ‘Do- co-ordinates at the
ris’ Eltherington, the time of the incident.
56-year-old captain “The man was vom-
of the surf charter iting over the side
boat the Barrenjoey. around 3am.”
From the wheelhouse
of the 21-metre steel ketch he watch- Doris calls the
es three of his Australian guests and harbour master. “It’s
two crew members alight from the Tony Eltherington on the Barrenjoey,”
tender. They had gone into the small, he shouts into the radio. “You need to
scruffy town for an hour. go out for this guy!”
The reply is somewhat disinterest-
A rough, tough Australian, Elther- ed: “Weather too bad.”
ington is a veteran surfer and sailor “Nah, mate. Get SAR, the navy
in these parts, perhaps a trifle ec- guys, the TNI.” SAR is Search and
centric and occasionally irascible. Rescue; TNI the Indonesian military.
But the way he handles boats and his “Your boat is out here; there’s also a
knowledge of these waters command SurfAid boat. We need speedboats.”
respect. In 2012 he started his own “Too much storm.” A loud click sig-
surf charter business. nals that the radio has been turned
off.
He’s a good man to have on your Doris knows that there will
side if you’re lost in the ocean. be no official response. In such

rdasia.com 101

READER’S DIGEST

emergencies, it’s left to the charities panicky thought as I look up to the
and surf charter boats to coordinate under-surface of the sea. It’s very
rescue and recovery operations. dark beneath me.

He is suddenly decisive. “Elvis! With my hips as the fulcrum, I grab
Load up that fuel tank on the speed- my toes and pull them towards my
boat. That guy’s alive. And we gotta body, stretching out my hamstrings.
go get him.” My lungs want to explode. I pull my
legs together and manage to propel
CRUSHING PAIN myself back to the top.

BRETT, FIVE HOURS IN THE WA- I splutter and cough as I slap my
open hands onto the surface. The
TER. In the morning light, I rise and cramping brings on tremors of men-
fall with the swells and try to float on tal uncertainty.
my back to rest my
limbs. I quickly sink. I glance up at the
sky and search for a
I kick myself back break in the clouds,
up to the surface, something to offer
coughing, and go more light. Instead,
back to treading wa- it starts to rain again.
ter. Even though the Another storm be-
water is warm, a cold gins.
sensation is creeping
into my joints. “Are the guys on
their way, Neets?
I pride myself on When I get tired, you
being able, even at 50, to do the ac- have to tell me to keep going,” I beg
tive things I love – surf, cycle, play Anita.
touch rugby. This time is going to be CAPE TOWN, 6.13AM. Louise Killeen
no different. taps urgently on the glass at her
friend Anita’s front door.
The Cape Rouleur, a road cycle Through the glass, Anita registers
race between 150 and 200 kilometres her friend’s look. Something is very
a day over three days, was gruelling, wrong. She opens the door.
especially in the summer heat and “It’s Brett. I’m so sorry, Anita, but
wind. You did that, so you can do this, he’s fallen overboard.” Louise re-
I tell myself. counts what her husband, Craig, had
told her in his call from the satellite
Minutes later, an immobilising phone on the Naga Laut. “They think
pain crushes both my legs. Cramp. I he’s been missing at sea for about
sink like a stone. seven, maybe eight hours now.”

Water fills my mouth, my throat,
my ears. I’m going to drown. It’s a

102 august 2021

Lost Overboard

Anita feels a physical force, like “The guy’s been missing at sea for
a blow across the face. She can’t at least nine hours,” someone else
breathe and hears herself gasp. “No, said earlier. “He’s gone.”
no, no, no.” She slides to the floor.
The comment seemed to push Do-
Louise bends down to gather up her ris beyond his limit. “If it were me, I’d
friend. She has no words of comfort. want someone lookin’!” he bellowed.
“Even if we find a body, I’d still want
Zara comes out of the kitchen. to be able to give it to his family,” he
“Mummy, what’s wrong?” snapped as he walked away.

Anita cannot tell the children that Doris now replies to Simon’s offer.
their father is lost. She gets to her feet “Come if you like.”
and takes a deep breath. “We can’t
get in touch with the boat,” she tells THE NAGA LAUT, 3.40PM. The boat is
her daughter. “We’re going to try to pitching hard up and down and roll-
reach them on the satellite phone. ing left to right in the swell. The eight
Take Jamie and go and watch TV.” friends have taken up their watch
around the boat, crouching, jackets
Anita’s parents and her younger or towels hooded over their heads to
sister, Helene, arrive just after 9am. keep out the rain, staring out at the
Helene offers to take the children to churning ocean.
school. In the sudden flurry of activ-
ity, Anita organises a small altar in Ridgy shouts, “What’s that? What’s
the lounge. She takes a framed pho- that?” The men move to the port-
tograph of Brett off the mantelpiece, side of the boat and follow his finger
puts down a map, positions the photo pointing out into the swirling grey.
in the Strait, then lights three candles
around it. Someone calls for the captain to
stop the boat. The engines cut out.
Anita closes her eyes and prays,
then talks to Brett: “Come home to Finally, Ridgy locates the object
me.” She imagines that she can hear in the binoculars. “It’s not him. Just
him calling her name. some junk.” As the boat, buffeted by
the wind and sea, starts a gentle turn
THE BARRENJOEY, TUAPEJAT HAR- to port, the rain reduces visibility al-
most to nothing.
BOUR, 12.16PM. “Do you want a
hand?” Simon Carlin, one of Doris’s On the bridge, the captain and
guests, asks. Colin Chenu and Jeff Yanto engage in a spirited exchange,
Vidler are standing with him at the working out their next move. Barely
stern, where the Bynda Laut, the Bar- a minute passes before Ridgy calls
renjoey’s seven-metre twin-engine out. “Yanto! I think I’ve seen some-
support boat, is tethered. The sky is thing else! Tell the captain we need
dark, but the rain is falling softer now. to turn back.”

rdasia.com 103

Some of Brett Archibald's friends on the Naga Laut gather late on the second night
of his disappearance to figure out their course for the next day

“Captain says we can’t go there,” Enormous drops fall from the heav-
says Yanto. “He say we go to main- ens. I lift my head; my only focus is
land. More storm coming. Boat not to get liquid into my body.
good.”
The storm doesn’t last long. A pal-
“This is the search area,” says er sky remains. Then, through a mo-
Craig. “Why are we leaving?” mentary break between the waves,
I see it. About 300 metres away,
“Boat will sink.” Yanto is almost through a shroud of rain: a boat. It’s
shouting now. “We need to go to the Naga Laut.
mainland to refuel. Set out again
3am.” They’re heading straight for me.
Relief floods over me.
“I saw something, I’m sure of it,”
says Ridgy to no one. It begins to rain harder. Sudden-
ly the boat stops about 200 metres
The men stand hunched in silence away from me. I start screaming. “I’m
as the diesel engines start up and the here!”
Naga Laut begins the slow journey
back to the mainland. The boat turns broadside. I can
just make out Niall Hegarty, beside
Morale has reached its nadir. Banger, on the starboard side. Ridgy
is in the stern shouting, gesticulating
“I’M HERE!” wildly.

BRETT, 13 HOURS IN THE WA- They’ve seen me.
I shout repeatedly but my voice is
TER. A black cloud moves over me.

104 august 2021

Lost Overboard

lost on the wind. Then I see Niall’s TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER
head fall to his chest and Banger fold
his arms. They haven’t seen me. BRETT, 18 HOURS IN THE WATER.

And then they power up. They start Darkness is falling fast. The sun has
to move. Slowly they turn. set through clouds. It indicates, at
last, where west is. I realise that the
“Oh, Jesus, no, no!” I bellow. islands must be in front of me.
Stunned, I watch the boat sail away.
These thoughts are echoing in my
THE BYNDA LAUT, 6.40PM. The head when I feel a massive wallop
northerly wind is see-sawing be- against my back, like a punch, slight-
tween 25 and 35 knots as Doris pow- ly above my left kidney.
ers out into the tumultuous sea in the
Bynda Laut. Simon and two other I swirl around. Then – bam! What-
West Australians are holding on to ever it was hits me again. I’m filled
the hard steel canopy. They can’t see with horror. That’s a shark.
anything through the
sheets of grey rain. You’ve got to see what this is, I tell
myself as fear and
Despite a rising desperation bubble
concern for their up. I sink beneath
own safety, they’re the surface and
impressed with Do- slowly twist around.
ris’s indefatigability. The shark, a few me-
These are not con- tres away, is coming
ditions to be out in a straight towards me.
small boat. It moves through
the water as if in slow
The light is fading motion, its massive
when Simon shouts across to Doris,
“We can’t really see anything out tail weaving its entire form left to
here anymore, skipper.” The captain right. I recognise the black edgings
slowly nods. He will need at least an of its vertical fin – it’s a blacktip reef
hour to get back to the Barrenjoey. shark. It’s two metres long, big for a
blacktip. It would have to be starving
This weather is strange and ca- to attack a human.
pricious, and Doris quietly prays for
winds from the south that would In the next moment, it’s gone. I
calm conditions somewhat. He hasn’t cautiously touch where the shark hit
seen currents like this in five years. me. It’s very tender. I feel recharged,
though. Blacktip reef sharks keep
Doris steers the Bynda Laut to- close to reefs. I have hope I’m near
wards the Barrenjoey. The rain has land.
stopped at last.
I feel Anita’s presence all around. I

rdasia.com 105

READER’S DIGEST

believe I hear her voice. “Swim, Brett- taken the lack of action – from the
man, the love of my life. Swim!” authorities and from those around
him – as a kind of personal betrayal.
THE BARRENJOEY, TUAPEJAT HAR-
“I lost my best friend yesterday.
BOUR, 9.30PM. Back aboard the Bar- My buddy, Dave Kinder. Cancer, and
renjoey safely anchored in a small hard livin’.”
bay south of Padang, Doris contacts
Ridgy on the Naga Laut. “OK, so we The statement comes entirely out
know about your mate out there,” of left field. They realise that Doris
Doris’s gravelly voice booms. “You is attempting to explain his erratic
reckon he’s swimmin’?” behaviour.

“Definitely. It’s not in his nature to Pete pulls out the ocean chart.
give up,” Ridgy replies. “Right, mate. Let’s decide on a course
for the morning.”
An hour later, Pete Inglis, Simon
Carlin and Colin Chenu join Doris in They consider the tides, the weak-
the wheelhouse. ening winds and fading currents.
“We’ll go north-east towards Padang,
“Um, Doris, the boys are talking but at 99 degrees, we’ll turn,” Doris
downstairs,” Simon ventures. “This announces after a few minutes.
bloke’s been in the drink for a long
time. It’s likely that he’s gone by Pete shakes his head. “Nah, Doris,
now ...” we should head due east ... the cur-
rent goes south.”
“I’m not interested in your chit-
chats downstairs.” Doris stands up, Doris asserts himself. “I’m skipper
shaking with emotion. “We’ll find of this boat! The tides were runnin’
him! We’ve got to keep at it!” south yesterday, but the current’s
moved north. We go north. My gut’s
The captain slowly sits down not wrong.”
again. “I talked to some bule on
t he Naga Laut. This g uy ’s 50, a “It’s your ride, skipper, your de-
bike rider. If he’s fit, he’s probably cision.”
still alive. He has a wife. Two little
children. They’re somethin’ to stay “WE’VE GOT TO FIND HIM”
alive for.”
THE BARRENJOEY, 11.07PM. Doris
Doris looks out into the darkness. considers how he’s going to coor-
“Hypothermia is going to kill him dinate the coming hours. He calls
faster than anything else, but the Martin Daly. In 2004, Daly offered
water’s warm. Also, there’s been no Doris a job captaining one of his
sun. I’m tellin’ you, he’s alive.” charter boats. Doris sailed the Men-
tawais for Daly for eight years.
The Australians stand in awkward
silence. The captain seems to have Now Daly commits his vessels, the

106 august 2021

Lost Overboard

Indies Trader 3 and Indies Trader 4, Doris paces. We’ve got to find him,
to the search. “But if anyone’s going he keeps thinking. He’s got kids …
to find this guy, it’ll be you,” he tells I’ve got kids. He starts praying, “Help
Doris. It emboldens the captain, me find him.”
makes him feel a little less isolated.
He takes a near-empty bottle of
Doris calls a colleague in emer- vodka and moves to the deck. He
gency management. “I’ve had no hasn’t allowed himself to think of
support from SAR, the TNI or the his friend Dave until now.
harbour master,” Doris tells him.
“They don’t care about one guy.” Doris wipes tears from his cheeks.
Gruff exterior, big heart, he thinks.
“How far out did this happen?” his The most amazing friend I ever had.
friend asks. But after a few minutes’ He would have walked through hell
consideration, he concludes, “Ah, to do the right thing.
Dorie, he’s dead. In
today’s conditions? “Mate, tell me
No life jacket? You where this guy is ...”
can forget it.”
Doris also talks
“Thanks for noth- to Denise, his sister.
in’ mate.” Earlier Her death in 2009
Doris had similar had taken a massive
unhelpful responses toll on him. “I’ve got-
from acquaintances ta go get him, Den-
who work in oil-rig ise,” Doris whispers.
rescue.
BRETT, 20 HOURS
At around mid-
night, Steven ‘Sooly’ IN THE WATER. I no-
Sewell, a charter captain from West- tice a strange light
ern Australia, comes in to Tuapejat coming off the ocean. It’s exquisite
Harbour on the Huey and anchors liquid blue-green. I realise it’s phos-
nearby. Doris is grateful for the com- phorescence, living plankton on the
pany. Sooly tells Doris his guests are water’s surface. Rolling on my back,
complaining, and Doris tells him I run my hands through the neon
about his disagreement with Pete fairyland before it disappears into
Inglis. the wake of the undulating waves.
For the first time, the clouds
“What do you want to do?” Sooly break, revealing a patch of star-
asks. strewn sky. The moon, almost full
tonight, has just risen.
“I want to get all our boats in a I use the method I learned as a
line, with a mile between us eventu- Boy Scout to establish south. I draw
ally, running parallel on this track.”

rdasia.com 107

READER’S DIGEST

a mental line down to the horizon phantom. Another crushing disap-
from the intersecting point of the pointment. I’m in an eerie, unknown
Southern Cross’s long axis and the place. Far from the living and very
perpendicular bisector of the two close to the dead.
Pointers and realise that in fact I
have not been swimming south. I’m THE BARR ENJOEY, THURSDAY,
going in the opposite direction.
APRIL 18, 5.34AM. When dawn
A burning lash of pain sweeps comes, it’s a perfect day. Doris has
across my chest and around my already been on the satellite phone
neck: the tentacles of jellyfish. I cry and radio to the boats homing in
out in agony. This is pure electrici- on his search zone. Quiet and calm,
ty, burning, throbbing. I shake my he’s operating with a sense of cer-
limbs, scramble through the thick tainty and a purpose.
watery forest of fire
and rip off the ten- Doris watches
tacles. as Sooly steers the
Huey down their
Just as suddenly, portside. The faster
the creatures dis- boat will reach the
appear. I’m panting designated coordi-
from the pain and nates first.
exertion. Even in
the darkness, I can Sooly smiles and
make out the deep, salutes the captain
darkening welts they of the Barrenjoey
have left all over my from the wheel-
chest. house as they pass.
Doris touches the brim of his cap.
The sea is calm at last. I’m so cold. Doris watches the bow of the Bar-
I can barely stay awake. I mentally renjoey cutting through the Huey’s
shout to Anita: “Help me stay awake!” wake. Suddenly all sound seems to
stop, and an idea slowly forms. He’s
Then. A little boat. A canoe. Com- certain of what he must do.
ing towards me. Two small Indone- Doris grabs the radio. “Sooly, I’m
sian boys are sitting in it. They smile peeling off at 18 degrees further
at me. I swim up to it and reach out north. I’m dropping it by ten.”
to the prow. My hand passes through It’s a pivotal moment.
air and into the water. “Roger that. Whatever you think,
mate.”
Down I sink. I muster my last The Barrenjoey slowly turns
strength to push myself up to the sur- through the still water.
face and emerge coughing.

It was a trick of the mind, a

108 august 2021

Lost Overboard

“GOD, TAKE ME!”

BRETT, 28 HOURS IN THE WATER. When Brett first spotted the
Barrenjoey, all he could see was its
I’m focused on saving energy. I reach mast. To him it looked like a cross
forward as far as I can and pull big,
sprawling breaststrokes. My arms rising out of the water
and legs are burning.
around my tongue. My raw tongue
The sun has risen. I turn slowly in cannot tolerate the searing salt wa-
a circle. The shape of an island ris- ter.
es up out of the water before me. A
surge races through my body. Relief. I kick up through two metres of
There, another island, much further water and burst onto the surface,
away. I swim for the closer one, but choking and snorting. You can’t do
I’m not making any headway. this! You can’t kill yourself!

Slowly, feebly, I take out the last of I turn my head. Floating above the
the paper from my pocket. There’s water, I see it. A black cross.
only a square centimetre left. I tear it
in half. The current, it reveals, is go- THE BARR ENJOEY, 6.58AM. Doris
ing north, so I turn and swim with it. has steered the Barrenjoey into the
new search zone. The Australians
A speck in the distance. Moored have all taken up positions on the
between the islands. It’s a boat. I deck.
must swim to it. Each time I look up,
the boat seems to be getting closer. In the wheelhouse, Doris pours
himself another coffee. In the still-
Then, the sound of an engine ness of the morning, he hears Anas’s
starting up is carried to me. It moves voice.
off.
“Boss.” It’s almost casual. “There
Fury rises up from deep within he is. He’s over there.”
me. I begin shrieking. Smacking the
water with impotent arms. “God, At that same moment, Pete shouts
take me, I am done!” from the bow. “There! We’ve got

I sink under the water and float
there, suspended. A dome of mag-
nificent blue shimmers through the
water.

Neets, Zara, my little Jamie. I love
you more than you will ever know.

I take a breath and fill my lungs
with the salt water.

Suddenly an agonising pain burns

rdasia.com 109

Doris furiously spins the wheel.
He points the nose of the Barren-
joey towards the man in the wa-
ter, then drops his head into his
hands and weeps.

Top: Passengers from the Barrenjoey BRETT, 28-AND-A-HALF HOURS
and Elvis Waruwu guide Brett to safety.
IN THE WATER. The cross is get-
Above: The Barrenjoey's crew and ting bigger. I suddenly realise
guests celebrate an unlikely rescue. it’s the mast top and spreader of
a yacht. The prow of a boat rises
Doris sits to Brett's right up into my line of sight, then her
whole length comes into view.
him!” He’s pointing to the northeast. I clock the distance at about
For a moment the men on board 400  metres. There’s activity on
deck. The men look like ants.
stand still. Then a loud gasp of
amazement sweeps across the deck. I put my head down and I swim.
Then shouting. Cheering. Whooping. When I stop and look up, the boat
is coming straight at me, only a
Doris looks out to the portside. hundred metres away.
About a hundred metres away, he
glimpses a man’s head glowing like “Hey! Hey!” I propel myself out
a beacon in the early light, and, be- of the water as high as I can, using
side it, a ghostly white arm raised and my last traces of energy.
waving.
I see a life ring thrown from
the rail and bodies diving over
the side.

My last swimming effort has
drained me. I start sinking down.
So close ...
And then an arm reaches beneath
my ribs and across my chest. I look up
to see a bright orange life ring sweep-
ing in an arc around me.
Then I hear him. “We’ve got you,
mate. We’ve got you.”

BRETT ARCHIBALD WAS RESCUED

AT 7.15AM ON APRIL 18, 2013. He had
drifted approximately 70 kilometres

110 august 2021

Lost Overboard

from where he went overboard. He In 2014, Surfing Australia, the sport’s
was shaky and sunburnt, but other- representative organisation, gave
wise in good condition. Tony ‘Doris’ Eltherington the Peter
Troy Lifestyle Award for his contri-
Doris Eltherington was a reluctant butions to surfing and the Waterman
hero, remaining on the bridge until of the Year Award for his heroism in
his guests insisted he come down to rescuing Brett.
meet Brett.
EXCERPTED FROM THE BOOK ALONE: LOST
Brett phoned Anita, who sobbed OVERBOARD IN THE INDIAN OCEAN BY BRETT
with joy and relief. He had a raptur- ARCHIBALD, © 2016 BY BRETT ARCHIBALD.
ous reunion with his friends on the REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF LITTLE, BROWN
Naga Laut when they caught up with BOOK GROUP, A DIVISION OF HACHETTE UK.
the Barrenjoey. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

CONTACT CROSSWORD

Puzzle
Answers

From pages

122-124





SIX SUDOKU 2 3

1







4 5 6







rdasia.com 111



RD RECOMMENDS

Movies

Respect Biopic

Fans of the Queen of Soul star. With four albums under
won’t want to miss Respect – her belt, she is still virtually an
a musical drama about the unknown to the world at large,
life of legendary rhythm and until a word of advice lights a fire
blues songstress Aretha Franklin. in her soul and she starts listening
Starting out singing in her to herself – and writing and
father’s church, Aretha’s talent is singing her own songs. Jennifer
recognised early. But talent alone Hudson plays Franklin in a
is not enough to turn her into a career-defining role.

COMPILED BY DIANE GODLEY

rdasia.com 113

READER’S DIGEST

Fiction

Reminiscence Sci-fi Thriller Heaven

Hugh Jackman stars as Nick Bannister, Mieko Kawakami
a private investigator of the mind in
this sci-fi thriller. Living on the fringes MACMILLAN
of the Miami coastline, which is submerged
under water, Bannister navigates the darkly Mieko Kawakami’s
alluring world of the past to help clients latest foray into new
access lost memories. However, when he Japanese literary
takes on a new client, Mae (Rebecca territory, Heaven, is
Ferguson), the simple matter of lost and told in the voice of a
found becomes a dangerous obsession. 14-year-old student
As Nick fights to find the truth of her who is relentlessly
disappearance, he unwittingly uncovers a bullied by his
violent conspiracy and must decide how far classmates for having
you should go to hold on to the ones you love. a lazy eye. Suffering
in resignation, the
114 august 2021 only person who
understands what he
is going through is a
female student who
is also subjected to
similar torment. The
two become friends,
meeting in secret and
taking solace in each
other’s company.
Until they are found
out… A profound yet
heartbreaking novel.

RD Recommends

Listening Still The Other The Inside Man
Half of You
Anne Griffin James Phelps
Michael
MACMILLAN Mohammed Ahmad HARPERCOLLINS

Jeanie Masterson has HACHETTE Bestselling true crime
a special gift. She writer James Phelps’s
can telepathically From the Miles Franklin- extensive knowledge
communicate with the shortlisted author of prison conditions
recently deceased – a of The Lebs, Michael makes his first fiction
gift passed on through Mohammed Ahmad’s book as gritty and
the generations. This new novel reprises the frightening as a prison
gift has allowed her character Bani Adam. yard. Convicted of
family’s undertaking Bani knows what’s murder, young army
business in Ireland expected of him as the engineer Riley Jax is
to flourish. However, son of Arab migrants thrown into a pit of
so as not to upset the – to marry the right murderous bikies, drug
living, her father often kind of girl. But as the addicts and corrupt
censors what the dead first of his Australian guards, and forced to
have said – something Muslim family to go to learn a different set
Jeanie has always been university, he sees there of survival tactics.
uneasy about. When is an alternative way. Meanwhile, on the
she finishes school, she A moving and timely outside, international
has the chance to start a novel about balancing authorities are
new life in London with the complexities of confounded by a series
her boyfriend, but ties modern love with the of church bombings by
to the family business demands of family, terrorists. An intense
are hard to loosen. tradition and faith. and totally gripping
A captivating story. A love story with action thriller. M.Egan
a difference.
rdasia.com 115

Non The Mother Wound Beyond Alice
Fiction
Amani Haydar  Tanya Heaslip
Keepers
PAN MACMILLAN ALLEN & UNWIN
Cherie Metcalfe
In 2015, award- Up until 1975, 12-year-
ALLEN & UNWIN winning artist, lawyer old Tanya Heaslip had
and mother Amani only ever known the
Want to take your meal Haydar suffered the great wide expanses of
repertoire to the next unimaginable. Her the outback. Educated
level? Created with mother died in a brutal by the school of the air,
heart by New Zealand act of domestic violence she rarely leaves the
chef Cherie Metcalfe of perpetrated by her isolation of her family’s
the Pepper & Me spice father. Over the past six massive property,
and condiment range, years, Haydar has re- until she is torn away
Keepers features popular evaluated her parents’ from the freedoms of
recipes that pack a relationship and her desert life to attend a
punch when it comes childhood. As a lawyer, strict boarding school
to flavour. With meals she examines the holes in Adelaide, some
that put an emphasis in the justice system in 1600 kilometres away.
on sharing, they also Australia – especially Tanya struggles to
rely on her secondary when abuse complaints adjust, but eventually
business – although by Muslim women are the other boarders
alternatives are given to often seen as a Muslim become her family and
create your own sauce/ problem rather than she survives by writing
grind/rub from scratch. a gender problem. and telling stories
From Brekkie Tacos to The Mother Wound is about her family life
Lamb Tagine, Metcalfe a powerful memoir in the outback. Warm,
provides an array of light filled with the hope of humorous and uplifting.
meals and hearty dishes inspiring change.
to sink your teeth into.

116 august 2021

RD Recommends

Podcasts

The Little Heroine of Castlewood

First, 14-year-old Karen Hartsock fought an
inferno to save the lives of her brother and
sisters. Then she fought to save herself. Don’t
miss this exceptional story about the bravery and
unselfishness of a teenage girl caught in the most
terrifying of circumstances.

Finding Natasha

Young British ballerina Debbie Gayle was chosen to
go to the Soviet Union in 1974 and become the first
Westerner to train at the world-renowned Kirov ballet
academy. But the dream takes a near deadly turn.
Now Debbie’s son revisits the past to uncover what
happened to his mother, and how she was rescued.

The Line

A group of US Navy SEALs break ranks and accuse
a highly-decorated officer of murder in Iraq, thus
leading to the biggest war crimes trial in a generation.
Through conversations with members of elite special
operations units, this series explores how blurred the
line between right and wrong can become in war.

Storyline Online

This site isn’t strictly an audio book

service. Instead, it features videos of

actors like Chris Pine and James Earl Audio
Jones reading popular picture books for Book

children and showing the illustrations. For

young children who might miss the pictures in an

audio book, this site offers some excellent options.

HOW TO GET PODCASTS To listen on the web: In a search engine, look up ‘The
Line’, for example, and click on the play button. To download: Download an app such
as Podcatchers or iTunes on your phone or tablet and simply search by title.

TO LISTEN TO RD TALKS GO TO
www.rdasia.com/podcasts and click on the play button.

rdasia.com 117

THE GRAB A PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
GENIUS
SECTION ROPE

Sharpen Your The benefit can be almost as
Mind much mental as it is physical

118 august 2021 BY Lindsay Bottoms

FROM THE CONVERSATION.COM

WHILE MANY OF US may remember
skipping as something we did as chil-
dren, the pastime has regained pop-
ularity during the pandemic as a way
of keeping fit.

Not only is skipping a fun, af-
fordable and portable form of

exercise, it also has many
benefits for our health and
fitness. Here are just a few
reasons why skipping is such
a good form of exercise.

1 IT IMPROVES CARDIO-

VASCULAR FITNESS Skipping

has long been used by boxers as
a form of training to help improve
their footwork and general condi-
tioning.
Skipping will cause an increase in
heart rate and breathing similar to if
you went jogging. If you were to skip
for ten minutes every day, you would
create adaptations to your body
that are beneficial to cardiovascular

The Genius Section

health, such as lowering blood pres- There are so many different exercis-
sure and reducing resting heart rate. es you can do with the rope and each
one requires different coordination to
Skipping will also increase your car- complete the exercise. This may help
diorespiratory fitness which essential- exercise your brain as well.
ly means your body becomes more ef-
ficient at taking up and using oxygen. 4 IT INCREASES BONE MIN-

Research has shown that cardiores- ERAL DENSITY Skipping involves
piratory fitness is linked to improved
health and longevity. Improved cardi- making impact with the ground with
orespiratory fitness has been shown to every jump. These impacts cause our
reduce blood pressure, reduce inflam- bones to remodel themselves to be-
mation in the body and lower chances come stronger, thus increasing bone
of developing diabetes and many oth- density. Bone density can be a benefit
er chronic diseases. later on in life, when it naturally be-
gins to decrease.
2 IT’S A FULL BODY WORKOUT
Higher bone mineral densi-
Skipping is a full body workout ty makes you less likely to break a
which uses your abdominal mus- bone or develop osteoporosis as you
cles to stabilise the body, your legs get older. Hip fractures are a major
for jumping, and your shoulders and cause of morbidity and mortality in
arms for turning the rope. It there- older people, leading to loss of in-
fore provides an all over workout dependence and a huge economic
rather than just isolating one por- burden. Improving bone density and
tion of the body. balance throughout your life reduces
the chances of trips and falls later on.
Full body workouts increase mus-
cle tone, which will help with all dai- 5 IT INCREASES SPEED Because
ly activities, and increase our resting
metabolism, which helps us burn skipping requires fast movement of
kilojoules even while resting. the feet and arms, it’s considered a
plyometric exercise. This is where the
3 IT IMPROVES COORDINA- muscles exert maximum force in short
intervals of time, with the goal of in-
TION AND MOTOR SKILLS Skip- creasing power.

ping involves coordination to time Plyometric exercise is used in the
your jump with the rope. Research has sporting world to increase an ath-
shown that it improves coordination, lete’s speed. A lot of exercises, such
balance and basic movement skills in as jogging, only improve cardiovas-
children. These are important fitness cular health – whereas skipping has
components for later in life as they the added benefit of improving speed
reduce our chances of trips and falls.

rdasia.com 119

READER’S DIGEST

as well. Daily skipping may help you is that there are so many different
run quicker than before. ways you can jump and hop over
the rope. You can create a varied
6 IT’S TIME EFFICIENT Skipping workout which helps maintain your
enjoyment.
offers many health benefits that may
be achieved in a short period of time. However, it’s worth noting that
Because it’s a full body exercise that skipping can put a lot of force on our
requires speed and coordination, you lower limbs when we land. Though
could argue that it’s a form of high this improves our bone mineral den-
intensity interval training (HIIT). sity, it can lead to lower-body injury,
especially if we’re not used to this
HIIT exercise is where you have force. But different jumping styles,
short bouts of high intensity efforts a soft surface and good pair of train-
followed by a short rest interval. This ers can help ease force and reduce
is repeated several times. HIIT has chance of injury. As with all types of
been shown to produce higher levels exercise, it’s good to build up dura-
of cardiorespiratory fitness in compar- tion gradually. This will help mini-
ison to traditional endurance training. mise injury.

It’s also more time efficient, as you Overall, skipping could be a very
can perform exercise over a shorter beneficial form of exercise. Not only
period. This is why HIIT training has does it improve many important as-
become the most popular workout pects of our health – including cardi-
worldwide. ovascular health and bone density –
but it’s also affordable, portable and
Skipping is easily adaptable, and doesn’t require much space.
can be a high-intensity workout de-
pending on the effort and power a Lindsay Bottoms is a Researcher
person puts into their training. in Exercise and Health Physiology
at the University of Hertfordshire.
7 IT’S ENJOYABLE One of the
THIS ARTICLE IS REPUBLISHED FROM
most important points we need to H T T P S:// T H ECO N V ER S AT I O N.CO M
consider to help us change our exer- UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS LICENCE.
cise habits is that what we do needs to
be enjoyable to us. One of the biggest PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
barriers for people when it comes to
sticking with exercise is enjoyment.
And research shows enjoying ex-
ercise is critical for helping us
change our exercise habits and
continue exercising.

The great thing about skipping

120 august 2021

FAMILY FUN

Spot the Difference

There are eight differences. Can you find them?

Axe Man

Which guitar (1-6) does not belong?

Check your answers for Family Fun on page 128.

rdasia.com 121

PUZZLES

Challenge yourself by solving these puzzles and mind
stretchers, then check your answers on page 111.

Crosswise

Test your general
knowledge.



DOWN

2 Small community (7)
3 Satan (7)
4 Portion of time (6)
5 Small bag (6)
6 Consecrated (4)
7 Former Portuguese
territory in S China (5)
8 Join (5)
12 Names for things (5)
13 Dens (5)
14 Gravy (5)
15 Staggers (5)
17 Coral builder (5)
18 White heron (5)
19 Shatter (5)
20 Golf clubs (5)
ACROSS 21 Accustom (5) 25 Lattice (7)
22 Sailor (7) 26 Winged horse (7)
1 Egg-shaped (4) 23 Caterpillar (5) 28 Against (6)
4 Occurring after one’s 24 Paces (5) 29 Previously (6)
death (10) 27 Harmonise (4) 31 Addition (5)
30 Plot of ground (5) 32 Loud, resonant
9 Kind of engineer (10) 33 Monarch (9) sound (5)
10 First son of Adam and 35 Old Peruvian (4) 34 Having the skill (4)
Eve (4) 36 Immeasurably deep
(10)
11 Six (4-5)
13 Also-ran (5) 37 Overstate (10)
16 Garment of ancient 38 Indifferent (2-2)
Rome (4)

17 Contemporaries (5)

122 august 2021

BRAIN POWER
brought to you by

Puzzle
Answers

PAGE 111



















Contact How to play:

Draw a line from each number to an
outlet. Each line should pass as many

empty squares as the number
indicates. No square remains empty,

and no outlet remains unused.

EXAMPLE:

PUZZLES: PZZL.COM "Write, Erase, Rewrite"

READER’S DIGEST

SIX SUDOKU Puzzle
Answers

PAGE 111

1 How to 2
play

Insert the
numbers
1 to 6 just
once in

each
a) row,
b) column,
c) bold
3 outlined 4
area and
d) white
or grey
rectangle.

EXAMPLE:




5 Beware! 6

The bold

outlined

areas are no
longer 2x3!





124 august 2021



READER’S DIGEST

TRIVIA

Test Your General Knowledge

1. Actor Morgan Freeman turned 8. In several parts of the world,

his 50-hectare property into a adherents of what religion have

sanctuary for what species recently practised langar – feeding those in

labelled “the most important living need – throughout the pandemic?

beings on Earth”? 2 points 2 points

2. What is the name given to 9. Heron (Hero) of Alexandria

Indian food cooked over charcoal invented the first vending machine

in a clay oven? 1 point in the first century CE. What did it

3. How many soccer players should dispense? 2 points

be on the field at the same 10. Asian elephants are
time? 1 point pregnant for 18-22 months.

4. Where in our solar system True or False? 1 point

might it rain diamonds? 11. Which disease, affecting
roughly 422 million people
1 point

5. What writing implement globally, did Canadian

can be made out of eggshells? researchers recently cure

2 points in mice? 2 points

6. How long is New Zealand’s 12. What German vehicle

Ninety Mile Beach? once favoured by hippies

a) 90 miles (145 km) will be available in an

b) 104 miles (157 km) electric form in 2023? PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/HAPPY MONKEY
c) 55 miles (88 km)
1 point

1 point 14. Which European 13. Where is the
world’s largest
7. Who has won more general was attacked collection of tropical
tennis grand slam titles, by rabbits, forcing orchids to be found?
Venus Williams or him to retreat from a

Serena Williams? 1 point hunt? 2 points 1 point

16-20 Gold medal 11-15 Silver medal 6-10 Bronze medal 0-5 Wooden spoon

ANSWERS: 1. Bees. 2. Tandoori. 3. 22. 4. In the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus). 5. Chalk.

6. c) 55 miles (88 km). 7. Serena Williams. 8. Sikhism. 9. Holy water. 10. True. 11. Diabetes (types 1 and 2).

12. VW Kombi. 13. National Orchid Garden in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. 14. Napoleon Bonaparte.

126 august 2021

The Genius Section

WORD POWER

Bright Lights

Here at Reader’s Digest, we’re always ready to look
on the bright side. So this month we’ve chosen words
related to light. Once you’ve had a chance to shine,

turn to the next page for answers

BY Sarah Chassé

1. luminary – A: heat lamp. 9. incandescent – A: white-hot.
B: brilliant person. C: film projector. B: candlelit. C: reflective.

2. gloaming – A: dawn. B: noon. 10. heliotropic – A: turning
C: twilight. towards the sun. B: tan.
C: near the equator.
3. refract – A: bend. B: scatter.
C: dim. 11. diurnal – A: in a shaded area.
B: twice a day. C: active in daytime.
4. parasol – A: glowworm.
B: sunshade. C: waxy glow. 12. foxfire – A: controlled burn.
B: glow from a fungus.
5. translucent – A: allowing light C: fire involving gases.
through. B: blocking light.
C: producing light. 13. filament – A: flickering ember.
B: wire in a light bulb.
6. scintillate – A: polish until glossy. C: constellation.
B: extinguish. C: give off sparks.
14. spectrum – A: total eclipse.
7. beacon – A: guiding light. B: band of colours. C: light
B: camera flash. C: sunbeam. transmitted by a cable wire.

8. sconce – A: unit of renewable 15. effulgent – A: flashing
electricity. B: light fixture. intermittently. B: fading to black.
C: firework launcher. C: shining brilliantly.

rdasia.com 127

READER’S DIGEST

Answers year, Anjali asked to switch to a
diurnal schedule.
1. luminary – (B) brilliant person. 12. foxfire – (B) glow from a fungus.
Her photographic memory has Certain kinds of mushrooms produce
helped Barbara become a luminary foxfire, an eerie blue-green light.
in the world of bridge. 13. filament – (B) wire in a light bulb.
2. gloaming – (C) twilight. As I Inventor Thomas Edison chose a
walked in the gloaming, I heard an type of bamboo for his electric light’s
owl hooting in the distance. filament.
3. refract – (A) bend. The sunlight 14. spectrum – (B) band of colours.
refracted through the prism in the Ellen Jean’s beautiful paintings use
window, splashing tiny rainbows on every hue in the spectrum.
the walls. 15. effulgent – (C) shining brilliantly.
4. parasol – (B) sunshade. In addition The effulgent full moon hung high in
to wearing SPF 50 daily, Lorraine the sky, illuminating the forest.
often carries a parasol.
5. translucent – (A) allowing light VOCABULARY RATINGS
through. Cook the onions until 5-9: Fair 10–12: Good
they’re translucent, removing them 13–15: Word Power Wizard
before they brown.
6. scintillate – (C) give off sparks. FAMILY FUN ANSWERS See Page 121
When the campfire starts to
scintillate, we can settle in for an SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
evening of sing-alongs and stories.
7. beacon – (A) guiding light. AXE MAN
Bring a good beacon to set up at
your base camp. 6: All other guitars have one fret
8. sconce – (B) light fixture. more on the neck.
Elijah looked at dozens of sconces
before settling on ones he liked.
9. incandescent – (A) white-hot.
A glassblower can turn incandescent
liquid glass into a piece of art.
10. heliotropic – (A) turning towards
the sun. Young sunflowers are
heliotropic, facing east at dawn and
following the light westward.
11. diurnal – (C) active in daytime.
After working the night shift for a

128 august 2021