DEEP DOWN UNDER

An original radio drama by

Sophia Lemoniatis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNjHWi3zDKk&t=262s
 DEEP DOWN UNDER

CAST

NARRATOR Dramatic 3rd person narrator

SKIPPER BUCHAN Older fisherman, around late 30s, early 40s
JACK FISHER Main fisherman, early 20s
NARRATOR News weather reporter
KEVIN KRAKEN One of the fisherman
 DEEP DOWN UNDER

SCENE ONE: EXT. OUT AT SEA ON BOAT

(Narrator, 3rd person- Seth Dennis)
MUSIC: FAST PASE, INTENSE AND DRAMATIC
NARRATOR: Tonight, the Hookworm Fishing Fleet battle to
survive their worst winter storm yet.
Skipper flees for the safety of Newlands, risking
all by staying out at sea.
It’s all in a days work for the men who do the
most dangerous job in Britain.

This is Deep Down Under.

MUSIC FADES OUT AND BACK IN AGAIN
SOUND: OF WAVES CRASHING IN BACKGROUND, WAVES BANGING AGAINST SHIP,
BELLS DINGING
NARRATOR: 100 miles from the safety of their homes, the
Amberjack Amity is threatened by a gathering
storm.
SOUND: OF WAVES CRASHING IN BACKGROUND, WAVES BANGING AGAINST SHIP,
LAUGHING AND CHEERING
SKIPPER: This jobs not dangerous, these jobs exiting!
(laughs and cheers in excitement) This is better
then being drunk, the adrenaline is pumping!

NARRATOR NR: Viking, North at Sarah forces cyclonic 5-7

becoming north seven to severe gale 9, have storm
10 later importance wintery showers.
NARRATOR: After 3 days at sea the Amberjack Amity has
caught virtually nothing. Losing money and
desperate for a good catch they're forced to
fish in rough weather. In conditions like these,
the smallest mistake can result in a serious
accident. But it’s a risk that Skipper Bukin is
willing to take.

SKIPPER: It’s a full force hit at the moment Jack,

probably even touching force nine. Basically, we
shouldn't be shooting but this is the pressure
that comes on to the skipper. I've got to get a
catch for the crew, so it's a kind of gun to my
head situation. WATCH YOURSELF KEV!

KEVIN: (shouting from outside on deck) Yeah, cheers

mate!

SKIPPER: The danger of working in weather like this is

that if anything were to happen to a crew man,
it's getting the boat around to pick him up.
Because we’ve got gear on our stern and the boat,
it just won’t turn at 360 degrees.

NARRATOR: Last year 10 fisherman died and 34 fishing boats

were lost from the Uk fleet.
SOUNDS: METAL CLINKING, WIND BLOWING AND WAVES SPLASHING.
JACK: Has anyone from this crew gone overboard?

SKIPPER: I remember, one time I was fishing in Ireland

once about 5-6 years ago, we were shooting
herring nets, and one of our friends got
his legs caught in the nets and he was took
overboard. By the time we got the boat around to
fetch him, he was gone. Never to be found again.
 One of the worst storms I was ever caught in was
when I was not very long a skipper myself. Very
inexperienced like yourself Jack. Foolishly, I
stayed out. I was scared. One thing I have
learned from that was how violent the sea can
get, the noise, the size of the waves, I was
powerless to do anything. My thoughts were, I
would never see home again.

JACK: Jesus Skip, that must of been horrible.

SKIPPER: Well young man, everybody's got to learn at some

point don't they hey. Thats what makes us
tougher.

SOUNDS: BOAT ROCKING, WAVES SPLASHING, WIND HOWLING

NARRATOR: The impending storm will severely disrupt the

fishing, and so far this trip the Amberjack Amity
hasn't even caught enough to cover the boats
running costs.

SOUNDS: SEA GULLS SQUARKING, WAVES SPLASHING, NETS BEEING REELED IN

KEVIN: We’re not gunna start making money until we’re
200 boxes over the ball. Its a disaster, no fish
at all

SKIPPER: MIND THE NETS AND BITS!

When your not getting any fish there's plenty
stress. If I make a ball of it and don't catch
any fish, Ill have to carry the can.

JACK: Is that the only downside to being a skipper?

 They laugh
SKIPPER: I've got to feed you and your brains.

JACK: Yeah but we don't eat very much so you're

alright. 

MUSIC AND SOUND FADE OUT TO SILENCE

SOUNDS AND MUSIC FADE BACK IN: WAVES AND WIND, METAL CLANKING

SKIPPER Ahh we are losing money rapidly. There's a torn

net, there's lost time. Out here we need every
hour to count. This is just 4 hours wasted. So
we’ll have to try make up for this next haul.

SOUNDS OF NETS BEING LOWERED INTO WATER, MACHINE BUZZING IN BACKGROUND

NARRATOR The Hookworm Fishing fleet carry spare nets for
just this situation. A boat always has to have a
net in the water, or they waste the limited days
the government gives them to fish at sea.

KEVIN (shouting) Skip, what’s the shipping forecast

saying, it seems like the winds are picking up.

SKIPPER Do me a Favour Jacky boy turn up the forecast on

me radio so I can hear the weather.

SOUNDS: FORECAST IS READ OUT FROM RADIO AND INTENSE MUSIC BEGINS
NARRATOR NR White Portland, Plymouth. West or south west
cyclonic 8 to gale 9 storm 10.Decreasing 5-7
later. scarly showers moderate.

SKIPPER SEVER GALE 9 INCOMING FROM THE WEST IN ABOUT 20

MINUETS. GET THIS CATCH IN QUICKLY AND WE’LL SEE
IF WE CAN DO ONE MORE LOAD FOR YOU BOYS.

JACK Gale 9? What does that mean. One more load in 20

minutes will that even be possible skip? I'm
starting to feel see sick. Uhhhh.

SKIPPER Jack this is all hands on from now you hear me.
We aren't messing around young man. Get your
hands on dec and help Kev and the boys out. No
time to waste. This is our only chance to make
our catch of the day we’ve had no luck so don't
you tell me you're going to be sick. Get out
there go.
SOUNDS: CHAINS CLINKING TOGETEHR, NETS BEING PULLED IN. SHOUTING IN
BACKGROUND FROM THE CREW.

NARRATOR: In conditions like these, if the boys don't get

the nets out of the water fast enough, and the
storm hits, the boat could capsize. Being hit by
a gale at cyclonic gale 10 there is very little
chance of survival. The water temperature is so
cold the survival time is counted in minutes.
skipper keeps a close eye on his crew.
SKIPPER Most important is the crew I'm worried about.

NARRATOR With the nets hauled the gear must be tied down
to withstand the journey home.

SKIPPER Tie the nets down so nothing can move, because

there's going to be water everywhere jack!
JACK AHHH! Kevin, can you come help me tie this last
net. I can't quite get this loop right.

KEVIN Alright mate give me a minute. Try to keep doing

it and ill come over in a second I need to fix a
net back here.

JACK For god sake, ugh you know what that should be
fine like that.
SOUNDS: NETS BEING TIED DOWN, CHAINS BANGING, SOUND OF ROPE.

KEVIN Everythings tied down now Skip so we are ready to

steam now! Just take it easy till we finish
working with our prawns.

NARRATOR Its just Skipper and the crews luck, as the last
load was a good catch.

SKIPPER The prawns is good prawns boys. A Fishermans

famous last words, If only there were some more.
Enough is never enough.

KEVIN Thats just typical, when the weather comes away

we get a half decent haul. Well bad luck has
stayed with us another few days I'm afraid.
SKIPPER Thats looking like it Kev. Hey, At least we’ve
gotten a good catch this time round. There's
always a next week or a next year.

KEVIN Just a bit shit hey. We don't normally run

home Jack. But being out at sea for days like
this,and no catch, well there's no point splashin
our cash on diesel. The only thing is we're not
 getting paid for all this. So it's a bit of a
bummer.

NARRATOR The boat is travelling at 10 mph but she's

heading straight into the wind and the storm is
too strong.

SKIPPER: Alright lads come on inside and gather round I

want to walk you through my plan.

NARRATOR The lads all gather round the table in the Helm
and Skipper discusses the plan. One thing that is
vital within a fishing crew is communication.
This is something that Skipper feels very
strongly about.

SKIPPER Were here to ride out the storm tonight boys.

Weathers to bad to stop at port, she's not gunna
hold it so I think its a wiser move to ride out
the storm.

KEVIN: And here’s young jack over here thinking he was

gunna go home tonight.(pause) Awh look Youve
upset him again. (laughter)

SOUNDS: MUSIC AND SOUNDS FADE. THE SLOWLY ARE BACK INTRODUCED BACK
MORE INENSE WAVES LOUDER CRASHES ECT.
CREW (Shouting from crew members)

SOUNDS: WAVES, CRASHING WIND BLOWING SEA GULLS SCREACHING INTENSE BACK
IN

NARRATOR As the storm heads into the night the waves begin
to get worse. Skipper and his crew are finding
visibility from the rain nearly impossible.
SKIPPER (shouting)These waves are getting insane, I hope you
made sure those nets were tied down properly. If one
comes undone youll be payin our wages for what we
didnt catch today.ahaha

SOUNDS: CRASHING AND BANGING, WAVES CRASHING, LOUD SPLASHING.

KEVIN YOU MAY HAVE SPOKEN TOO SOON SKIP, SHIIIIIT!

SKIPPER Quick both of yous run out grab what you can, if
one rope gets caught it can pull the whole winch
drums off and we will be screwed.

SOUNDS: STILL INTENSE WAVES AND WIND RAIN GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER,
BOAT ROCKING METAL BANGING

KEVIN GRAB THAT ONE THERE. Jack! I said grab that rope
there now! What on earth are you looking at!!!
JACK uhhh, GUYS!!!!

SKIPPER What jack

KEVIN WATCH OUT!!!

SOUND: LOUD CRASHES, METL BANG, WAVES AND STORM SOUNDS STILL GOING
MUSIC: CRESENDO BUILDED UP BY NOW AND CUTS OFF

SOUND AND MUSIC THEN FADES FROM SILENCE TO CALM WAVES ROLLING ONTO THE
BEACH, BIRDS IN BACKGROUND.

TRANQUIL MUSIC PLAYING OVER THIS SCENE?

END OF SCRIPT