SOLVED. Children’s novel- children forced to collect white powder from the sea floor for an evil woman. [s]

[Kasey]

I read the book around 1999-2001 in Australia.

As far as I recall a young girl was helped by an old seaman to overcome the queen(?) who was forcing children to collect white powder in bags and load it into a golden snake.

My memory tells me there is an albatross involved but I have no idea how.

Thanks for helping!

[Kris]

Kasey, were any of these terms used -- sailor, sea captain, serpent, mermaid?

What did the white powder do? How did the children collect the powder from the sea floor - were they human?

[Kasey]

They may have used sailor, sea captain and serpent, but I don’t recall any mermaids.

The white powder was used to power the city, or magic maybe. The collectors were human children.

[Kasey]

**The collectors were children but I don’t really remember how they collected the powder

[Rainbowheart]

Was the white powder sand? I'm trying to figure out how it wouldn't dissolve in the water.

[Ayshe]

The Witch Trade maybe?

[Kasey]

Yes!!! Wonderful! Thank you so much :)