All Hands

de Megan McGrath

All Hands lives on the Australian coastline, running through the hopes and fears of people who call the ocean home. The stories nestle into relationships between characters and their return to family, childhood, romance, and who they are. ‘The Cape’ inspects fear and victory in surf competitions. ‘Swim risk’ travels through grief and falling into hope through instinct. The titular story ‘All Hands’ sees a dumped trophy husband return to his parent’s home only to be told ‘you can’t stay here forever’. The Australian coast is not simply a sunshine haven, but a vastly rugged home for personal reflection and growth.