Whiskey

In very early 1950 at Currigee, South Stradbroke Island, whilst the children were sliding down the very large sand dunes that then existed on the surfside, two bottles of vintage Irish Whiskey were uncovered in the sand. They dated back to some of the cargo hidden in the dunes to avoid customs, after the shipwreck of the Scottish Prince which had run aground on the Southport Bar in 1887. Since both Vi and Minnie enjoyed a good whiskey, they highly anticipated opening a bottle and the subsequent tasting of this vintage. In the recollection of one of the children present, 'After we (the children) had been bathed and were sitting around the table in our pyjamas with just the soft limited light from the single hurricane lamp, the time had arrived for Vi and Minnie to open one of these bottles for a taste before dinner. Their eyes were watery from anticipation as they raised their whiskey glasses to taste this vintage “nectar of the gods”. Then, the change of their eyes in this soft light was to one of sheer horror. Utter disgust!' Unfortunately, the 60-odd years of being buried in the sand dunes had resulted in salt seeping into the whiskey, most likely via the cork. An early lesson of anticipation being greater than realisation!