Living in a lighthouse

26 Mar 2025

The writing group at Darwin Probus Club write about new topics each month and we’d like to showcase editorial from Wendy who recently wrote about the topic of “living in a lighthouse” and this can be read below.

I was standing on the landing of the great red and white lighthouse watching the waves gently roll across the massive ocean to slowly curl and crash onto the rocks below. I felt at peace watching the sea birds dive into the water to emerge with a silver fish wriggling in their beaks.

The morning had started off calm and peaceful but as the sun rose higher, a strong wind had built up and the sea was becoming choppy. The birds had disappeared, and white caps now danced across the once calm waters. I gazed through my binoculars, looking for any small boats that might be in trouble.

I was puzzled by what I was seeing. “What is that?” I whispered to myself. I lowered my binoculars and looked out to the horizon. Lifting my binoculars to my eyes, I had an awful dread of what I was seeing. “No, it can’t be!” My heart began to race. I held my breath, and I looked again to confirm what I dreaded most. A great wall of water was racing towards the light house. There was no mistaking it. The water had receded from the rocks baring their black jagged edges. A tsunami. There was no escape. I was unable to move, rooted to the spot with fear, when a giant-sized Mr Percival landed on the railing saying, “get in mate I’ll take you to safety!”.

I knew Mr Percival was pretty special but to be so big and able to speak human was unbelievable.

“Come on man, hurry up.” demanded Mr Percival “we haven’t got all day, get in.” With that, Mr Percival opened his great beak, and I climbed into his rather fishy smelling mouth. He spread his massive wings and with unbelievable power he lifted us up and over the top of the lighthouse.

He circled around and as I was watching the enormous wall of water crash against the lighthouse, I hear a distant voice saying, “Wake up Wendy”.