Fishing is not the easiest career in the world. In fact, it can be quite gruelling. But sometimes, fishing can be very satisfying, and useful for several reasons. In this story, three friends proved how compassionate a group of fishermen can be when they made a surprising discovery at sea.
What started as a typical fishing trip quickly turned into an amazing rescue mission. When these fishermen saw something alive at the top of an iceberg, they knew they had to help him. These brave fishermen risked their lives and careers for a living being who needed help and proved that they had good hearts.
1. The perfect trio
Mallory Harrigan, Allan Russel and Cliff Russel were very good friends and loved fishing together. It simply made sense for the trio to start their own fishing business. The trio bought a fishing boat and started their own commercial fishing business. It was small, with only one boat and a crew of three, but it was something they all loved to do. Fishing can be difficult, but they were happy to be out on the water every day together.
Since the three friends lived in Canada, they were already in a prime fishing area. The trio already knew what types of fish were available nearby and what local consumers would buy. But they didn’t know what to expect when they went to the sea every day. It wasn’t going to be easy, but it was something that went far beyond what they had imagined for themselves.
2. A company built on friendship
Fishing is an activity that tests the strongest relationships and it could have been the end of the friendship between the three. But Mallory, Allan and Cliff continued to be friends, even as business partners. Many people will end up fighting each other once they start a business together, but these friends didn’t. In fact, they seemed closer than ever.
The work involved long and sometimes difficult days at sea. Friends came back every night covered with bruises and minor injuries. Despite the pain and discomfort, they maintained their enthusiasm for the work. None of the members of the trio cared about the difficulties of life on the ocean and did not even think about giving up the enormous task they had undertaken with their friends. Their love for each other and for their work kept them alive day after day, no matter how exhausting the work was.
3. A beautiful day
It was a morning that would change their lives, but none of them knew it. They were all preparing for a typical fishing day. Mallory, however, had a good feeling about the day, although she could not guess what the three friends were going to meet. She got up very early and set off to prepare the boat before everyone arrived for the morning. She was fit and full of energy when the other two fishermen arrived.
Once everyone arrived, they carefully reviewed the daily checklist. This was designed to keep them safe and ensure that they always had what they needed in case of an emergency, as well as for their daily work.
4. Going away together
Preparing the boat was usually the easiest part of the day. The trio spends its time joking and telling stories. Even though they had always known each other, they never lacked something to say to each other. Every morning, it was as if they met again after a decade and had a lot to talk about.
In fact, their morning could even have been called “calm before the storm”. Even the water looked like glass: this was often the case in the morning. The fishing vessel proceeded to a crab fishing area off the coast of Canada. They were a few miles away when they reached it, but it was the best place to find good crabs.
5. Falling baskets
Once the friends reached the target destination, they turned off the boat’s engine and stayed there. It was always a good place to find crabs; they hoped that today would be no exception. They carefully prepared the crab traps and placed them on the ocean floor, where they hoped there would be a lot of shellfish waiting. Then came the waiting period. They had to sit and leave the cages lying on the ocean floor for a while so that the crabs could find their bait and climb up.
Despite the fact that the crab season was coming to an end, the fishing friends hoped to be able to catch some of them. Until now, they had been lucky for a few weeks and had caught a lot of crabs, but they feared that their luck would run out. This year has been a successful year for them and they didn’t want to ruin everything.
6. An omen for crabs
One crew member was in charge of the boat while the other two crew members were in charge of the lines to ensure that there were no knots. It was a routine they were used to.
7. Finding a new fishing spot
As the day progressed, the crabs continued to be caught. It would be a record day! The trio finished in their first place and decided to try their luck further away, in more distant waters.
The further away from shore, the boat was, the more dangers appeared. There were no birds that far away and everything seemed calm and peaceful. It was anything but that, though. Even groups of seals relying on icebergs were aware of the potential dangers surrounding them.
8. An iceberg is emerging in the distance
All over the Labrador Sea, you will find huge icebergs floating. This is an area that can be dangerous, even for the most experienced fishermen. If the crew took a wrong turn or did not pay attention at the right time, they may never return to land.
Allan was the lookout when he noticed something strange on a distant iceberg. The other two crew members could not determine exactly what it was. The dark spot on the top of the ice was difficult to identify. Mallory decided that it was most likely a seal with a little sun on its own. But there was something strange about it.
9. Allan takes a closer look
Cliff thought Mallory was right and that the creature on the iceberg was just a little seal. After all, they had seen this kind of thing many times over the years, but this time Allan wouldn’t let go. He knew something was different.
After studying the animal with his binoculars, Allan told the other crew members that it really didn’t look like a seal. There was something different about the way the animal moved. After further inspection, his teammates agreed that there was something wrong with this creature. Maybe Allan was right to say it was something else. They had to find out.
10. Let’s take a closer look
Despite the fact that they still had half a day of fishing left, the crew decided to take a closer look at the iceberg. Their curiosity was too great. They had to know what was stuck at the top of the iceberg, so they decided to get a little closer.
The wind was starting to rise and the temperature was starting to drop as the boat approached. It quickly became clear that the animal trapped at the top of the iceberg had fur and was soaking wet. With the wind chill, the little creature wouldn’t last long. The crew decided to put the fishery on hold until they understood what was happening.
11. The investigation begins
It was dangerous to leave the known road, but Allan convinced his friends that they had to. If they didn’t venture into the lesser-known regions, they would never know what is stuck on the ice. They had to find out.
Although his friends were not quite convinced that this was a desperate situation, they decided to take a look at it. After all, if there was an animal suffering here in the middle of the ocean, they would feel guilty about letting it die.
12. Take your time
It was essential for the crew to travel safely in ice-infested waters. A single piece of ice underwater could destroy their boat. They didn’t want to end up clinging to the ice, so they were careful about the potential dangers.
The waves were also higher. The boat was moving more and more and more and Mallory warned everyone to be very careful. Curious and excited, they still needed to take care of themselves while they were working on their eventual rescue. Two members kept an eye on the water.
13. Things are starting to go wrong
Surprisingly, the wind started to rise. Ice waves shook both the boat and the iceberg. While the ship’s crew could handle the difficult navigation, they feared that the animal would react badly to the moving iceberg.
There were not just hidden ice blocks to worry about now. Mallory feared that the poor creature, frightened, would jump into the water out of fear. She kept her eyes fixed on the creature, trying to understand what it was.
14. In pursuit of a pile of ice
With the wind rising and new waves, the iceberg was moving away from them at a steady pace. Friends were worried about the safety of their boat and the animal’s safety, but their biggest concern was the animal that was now pacing anxiously on the ice.
15. Overview of the animal
As the boat approached the iceberg, the friends managed to see the animal better. They could see that he was in the shape of a dog. But they were all sure it wasn’t a puppy that got lost on the ice.
As they approached, they could see that the creature was soaked and shivered with helplessness. They immediately knew they had to get to work and save the animal. Whatever the cost, they couldn’t let the poor creature freeze to death here. Even if it meant facing more danger.
16. Certainly not a pet
Suddenly, it became clear that what they were looking at was an Arctic fox. They did not have time to determine how the fox had been on the iceberg. At that time, the animal was so weak and cold that there were birds spinning above it.
Even other animals were beginning to anticipate the death of the fox on the ice, so they had to make a decision. They decided to save the little fox and help him survive a little longer. They were determined to catch him, even if it meant putting themselves in danger.
