Betsie the boat

Posted by Peter on 3 August 2011 | 78 Comments

Kia ora

Well the adventures of Betsie, the Marlborough riverboat, are started! The first two stories are written - all that's needed now is the illustrations. So, calling all illustrators - especially those in Marlborough. Are you interested in creating the character of Betsie and those she meets in her adventures? If so please let me know. It's a great opportunity I think, because we aim to have the stories published. So have a go at your take on Betsie and let me see it. Here's a sample from the first story, to give you an idea of Betsie's character.

Betsie makes her first friend

 Whoop! Whooop! WHOOOPPP!

The horn bellows out to let you know a paddle boat is coming. It’s the first sound you hear as the big boat approaches. Then you see her. It is Betsie, the “River Queen,” sailing proudly down river. Sunlight sparkles from her polished woodwork and her shiny brass bell. Smoke bellows from her deep blue funnels. She is so big she almost fills the river.

Betsie’s boat name is “Marlborough’s River Queen” but most people just say “River Queen”.  Hardly anybody knows her real name, for the very good reason that hardly anybody asks. If they did ask however, it’s likely that Betsie would not tell them - at least not right away. Your real name, she would say, is only to be told to people you know well: people who are your friends.

Unfortunately for Betsie, she was still new to the river and had not yet made any friends. In fact she had a reputation for being a little self-important. Even snooty. “That boat thinks too much of herself” was a phrase often heard amongst those who lived on the river.

 As a result no one knew Betsie’s real name – she had no friends to tell it too. This is the story of how that changed. It is the story of how Betsie came to make her very first friend.

It was a sunny Saturday morning in May. Betsie’s crew was preparing for a cruise.  Betsie was looking forward to it a lot. Betsie had become used to hearing people say how lovely she looked. “Oh what a gorgeous boat” one passenger would say. “She is sooo pretty”, another would agree. Betsie would swell with pride. Surely, she thought, I must be the prettiest boat in the world!

That morning everything started as usual. Passengers began to arrive and admire Betsie. “Ooooo” cried a child “Are we going on that lovely boat?” Her mother smiled and nodded. “Can I ring the bell?” “I’m sure you can” replied her mother and the girl gleefully pulled the bell rope. Ding-ding! Ding-ding! the bell rang. The other passengers looked round to see where the noise was coming from.  When they noticed the little girl they smiled and laughed with her. The girl beamed at her mother: “This is going to be the best trip EVER” she said. Always listening for compliments, Betsie smiled inwardly. She decided she would blow her horn and crank her paddle wheels even more today. Oh how she loved to be the centre of attention!

Things started to go wrong as Betsie turned Halfway Bend. One of the passengers cried out in an eager voice, “Oh look! Isn’t he lovely!”

 Betsie’s ears pricked up. What was this? Who was lovely?  

“Yes I see him!  There he is - over on the riverbank”.

Whoever this was, Betsie decided at once that she didn’t like him. Betsie had come to expect that all the praise during a cruise would come to her. Today Betsie had a rival! But who could rival HER beauty on HER river? Betsie was puzzled and more than a little peeved.

As she turned in towards the bank, Betsie caught the glimpse of a bright flash of white in the sunlight. What was that? Betsie could not make it out. Then another passenger, a young boy this time, finally identified Betsie’s rival. “WOW!! It’s a Kotuku – a White Heron” he cried.

Betsie had never seen one of these birds before.  She knew they were extremely rare and very beautiful. There were Oooohhs and Aaaahhs from the passengers. Then Betsie saw the Kotuku clearly for the first time. The bird was magnificent. Betsie felt a stab of jealousy. This was supposed to be HER river! People were supposed to admire HER – not drool over the sight of a mere bird! Betsie knew that she wanted the bird to go away. “I will scare it off” she thought. So she blared her horn as loudly as she could. Whooop! WHOOOOPP! Betsie was delighted when she saw the Kotuku fly off.

But the Kotuku didn’t fly away. It drifted gracefully on the breeze ahead of the boat. Then it landed a little further down river, by a stout cabbage tree. Annoyed that the big white bird had not been frightened off by her horn, Betsie forgot all about her next stop.  She pounded through the waters towards the Kotuku. She would show the bird that this was HER river! She revved her engines. Drummm, drummm, drummmmm, they went. The boat lurched forward, leaving a white trail of frothy water behind. Betsie blared her horn again. Whooopp. Whooooppp. WHOOOOPPPP. She had never had a rival before and she didn’t like it one bit. Betsie set her face in a scowl. She was very cross indeed...

Please give me a call if you want to discuss the story or show me some illustrations. Thanks.

Peter 027 272 6000