***
Eddy the Lifeboat
and the
Seal Island Rescue
Eddy the Lifeboat slid down the ramp of the lifeboat station, and crashed into the sea with a great big - sssplash!
‘There’s been a call for help,’ explained the Captain to Eddy.
‘A small plane has crashed on the cliffs above Sandy Bay at Seal Island. We have to try and rescue the crew.'
'OK! - Let’s get going, as fast as we can then,’ answered Eddy. He put on full-speed ahead as they raced towards Seal Island.
They had been going about half an hour when the Captain shouted.
‘I say! Eddy! There’s something wrong with your compass. The needle’s spinning round and round.’
The compass was very important. It told Eddy which way to go.
‘That is a big problem,’ Eddy said in a worried voice.
After another five minutes the Captain ordered Eddy to stop the engine.
'We’ll be going round and round in circles if we keep going on like this’ said the Captain.
‘Not only that, if we’re not careful, we’ll have to send out for a rescue party for ourselves.’
While they were bobbing up and down on the waves wondering what to do, a shrill voice suddenly piped up.
‘Hello Eddy!’
Eddy looked down and what a surprise he got, there was Sal the Seal in the water.
‘Why have you stopped?’ enquired Sal curiously. ‘You’re usually dashing round trying to save people.'
Eddy explained what had happened. Seal Island was a long way and without the compass they were lost.
Sal the Seal was a very clever and helpful seal. She had an idea.
‘If I swim in front of you, can you follow me?’ asked Sal.
‘I’m sure I can,’ replied Eddy.
With the help of the Captain and a sailor who was on deck to make sure they didn’t go too near, Eddy the Lifeboat chugged steadily on, following Sal the Seal as she swam slowly ahead.
They were not travelling at their usual hectic speed but at least they were going the right way.
About an hour later they saw the mountains of Seal Island and the high cliffs that plunged into the sea.
‘Nearly there!’ shouted Eddy above the sound of the engine and the splashing waves.
‘Yes, I can smell the seaweed on the rocks,’ Sal the Seal shouted back.
‘I can hear my friends too. I think I’ll join them now.’
‘Fine,’ said Eddy, 'And thank you Sal, we’ll be all right now.’
‘Any time,’ answered Sal the Seal.‘ Just give me a shout if you need me on the way back.’
Sal the Seal then swam to join her friends basking in the sunshine on the rocks at the foot of the cliffs.
Eddy slowly circled around the rocks, which could be so dangerous. Many ships had been wrecked there, so he his way slowly to the far side of the island where the plane had come down.
When he got there, Eddy saw a small beach with a high cliff rising steeply above it At the top of the cliff they could see the crashed plane. Next to it, two figures were waving frantically.
‘Now,’ said the Captain, ‘Let’s see how near the shore we can get.'
So Eddy went as close to the beach as he dared. The sea was shallow enough for two sailors to jump down with a big rope and wade out to the shore. They then tied the rope tightly to a huge rock, so that Eddy would not float away.
One sailor, who was also an experienced climber, took hold of a much thinner rope and started to climb up the cliff, which fortunately was not as difficult to climb as it looked.
When he got to the top, he shouted down that the two airmen weren’t badly injured and would be able to get down with some help.
So the sailor fastened ropes to both men in turn and soon they were lowered to the bottom of the cliff.
He then clambered down himself, knocking some loose pebbles down, which bounced onto the beach below with a loud clatter amongst the rocks, just missing the other waiting men.
The three quickly crossed the little beach and waded through the sea and arrived safe and sound on the deck of Eddy the Lifeboat.
The two pale and shaken airmen were taken below deck, given clean dry clothes and hot chocolate to drink.
‘Well done,’ said the Captain to the sailor who had rescued the two airmen.
The big rope was then untied from the rock and when the sailor was back onboard, Eddy was able to slowly back away from the beach.
‘Well,’ said the Captain, 'I think we’ll need Sal the Seal to help us again. The compass is still not working properly.’
He sounded Eddy’s hooter - twice. Blaaaahhh! Blaaaahhh!
Sal the Seal soon was splashing alongside Eddy the Lifeboat.
‘Can you guide us again Sal,' asked Eddy. ‘We’ve got to get back to the Lifeboat Station and my compass is still broken.'
‘Certainly,’ said Sal the Seal with a playful look in her eyes. ‘Just don’t go too fast and run me over, will you?’
‘OK! Sal, I’ll be careful,’ replied Eddy with a big smile.
'Carefully now! Slow ahead! Eddy,’ ordered the Captain.
Sal knew exactly which way to go and she led Eddy and his crew slowly and steadily across the sea towards the Lifeboat Station.
It took a long time.
Although Sal the Seal was a good swimmer, she rarely swam such long distances and she had to keep stopping for a rest. Every time she stopped, the cook threw defrosted pieces of fish into the water for Sal to eat.
After several long hours, they arrived back at the Lifeboat Station.
Everyone at the Lifeboat Station cheered Sal the Seal, after they had heard the part she had played, in the rescue.
The two airmen from the plane were whisked away to hospital for a check up.
Sal the Seal stayed in the water and rested for some time, very pleased to be the centre of attraction.
Eventually she dived under the sea and turned for home.
‘Well done Eddy,’ congratulated the Captain. ‘I’m glad you’ve got friends like Sal the Seal.’
‘I’m glad too,’ replied Eddy. ‘It would have looked a bit silly having another Lifeboat rescue me!’
***
Peta the Plane
and the Lost Little Girl