#23. Fishing Fans
It all began when a group of friends named Cliff Russell, Alan Russell, and Mallory Harrigan went out for one of their daily fishing trips in the lakes of Canada. The three men loved fishing together, so much so that one day they decided to launch a commercial fishing business.
They were true experts in the matter, so they knew exactly which types of fish were preferred by the locals and which ones were usually bought by restaurants and local markets. However, little did they know the adventures they were about to embark on.
#22. Not Just A Business
Therefore, Mallory, Cliff, and Allan became not only best friends but also business partners. Day after day, they would hit the waters and spend all day in the open sea, and more often than not, they would come back with bruises all over their bodies.
But one day, the fishermen’s lives were changed forever. As always, the trio woke up early in the morning and went through their daily pre-launch procedures, making sure they weren’t forgetting anything. But while they figured it would be just another ordinary day, destiny had other plans.
#21. Hitting The Water
Once they finished prepping the boat, the trio hit the Arctic waters of the Labrador Sea, hoping to catch some crab. It was only two hours later when they finally reached the destination they were looking for, and guess what?
Luckily for them, the place was full of crabs, so they immediately dropped their cages to the bottom of the seafloor. Not only had it been the most successful year since they had launched their business, but it also seemed that it would be their greatest catch in the whole fishing season.
#20. A Fortunate Surprise
Once the cages were dropped in the water, one of the guys steered the boat while the other two were in charge of manning the lines and preventing them from getting tangled. I know, it sounds like a difficult task, but let’s face it: they did this literally every single day!
When the first few cages came up, they were left baffled. Each cage was brimmed with red crabs, even more than they expected! They gave each other a high-five, knowing that their year-round effort was finally paying off.
#19. Searching For A New Spot
The trio was having such a good day that it was their chance of breaking their personal crabbing record. Once they had fished all the crabs in their first spot, they set sail in search of colder waters, hoping to come across other casts of crabs.
However, the men realized that things got more dangerous as they sailed deeper into the sea. Even though the waters were calm, the sea was filled with chunks of ice and there were even a few icebergs here and there, and as we’ve learned from the Titanic, these are one of the major threats for boats.
#18. Watch Out For The Iceberg
Without a doubt, with all the icebergs at sight, it was not a good time or place to go on autopilot. The fishermen knew they had to be extremely cautious, as one wrong turn could lead to catastrophic – or even deadly – results.
While Mallory and Cliff were in charge of steering the boat, Allan was on lookout duty, when he suddenly noticed something unusual. He spotted a large iceberg straight ahead but realized there was an unidentified creature lying on top of it.
#17. Was It Really A Seal?
Allan pointed out the iceberg to his two friends, but neither of them could figure out who or what was lying on top of it. Mallory said it was probably a seal, since these animals are known for climbing on top of icebergs, where they like to sunbathe.
However, Allan had the feeling it wasn’t a seal. Even though the shape looked like that of a seal, the creature kept moving around strangely, or at least not in the way in which those animals do. The fishermen grabbed their binoculars and even though they were too far to tell what animal it was, they realized it looked like no seal.
#16. Closer From The Truth
The three men knew that time was ticking and they had to continue fishing, but neither of them could help their curiosity. They just needed to find out what that creature was! What if the animal stranded on top of the iceberg was in desperate need of help?
Therefore, the group decided to get closer and find out the truth. As they grew nearer, they realized the animal had fur. This left them startled; after all, which marine animal has fur? Seals don’t, walruses and sea lions don’t either… then what could it be?
#15. Unexplored Waters
The group officially decided to put the fishing expedition on hold, at least until they unveiled the mystery that was troubling them. They knew it was not a practical thing to do, as heading towards the iceberg actually meant going off-course and heading towards waters they had never explored before.
However, Allan convinced the rest of the group that they were doing the right thing. After all, if the unidentified animal was in danger, it was their job to rescue it! How could they live with the fact that they had left a furry little animal stranded in the middle of those freezing waters?
#14. Inch By Inch
They approached the iceberg as slowly as they could since they were fully aware than even the smallest chunk of ice could wreck their boat. If they weren’t cautious enough, they would end up stranded in the middle of the Labrador Sea just like that furry creature!
Besides, they realized that the wind and the waves were growing stronger as they neared the iceberg, causing the boat to move way more than usual. While they were excited about finding out the truth, they knew they had to watch out for their lives too.
#13. A Strong Gust Of Wind
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a strong blast of wind flung water into their faces and made the sailing much harder than planned. So much so, that the gust of wind even made the iceberg move.
The fishermen were worried that the animal would get all scared and jump off the ice out of fear. The trio’s eyes were all on the little animal and they were only a few feet away from finally identifying him.
#12. Was It A Dog?
Allan and his friends knew they had to act quick, as the day had half gone by and there wasn’t much daylight left. But they were only 50 meters away, and that’s when they saw that what was lying on the iceberg was a four-legged creature who kind of looked like a dog.
Obviously, they knew it couldn’t be a dog; after all, who would ever lose their pet in the middle of the sea? However, they couldn’t come up with any logical answer. After all, why would any four-legged creature be resting on an iceberg?
#11. Finally There
Just like they thought, the furry animal was soaking wet and couldn’t stop shivering. By that time, the group of friends understood that the animal’s survival was solely up to them, as he would otherwise freeze to death at any moment.
Finally, they stopped the boat once they were 10 feet away from the giant chunk of ice. It was only then that they could figure out what the animal was. Do you care to guess?
#10. An Arctic Fox!
The furry little creature stranded in the middle of the Labrador Sea was… an Arctic fox! These animals are commonly found in Northern Canada, but they aren’t even good swimmers, so how had he made it all the way there?
Logically, the animal was weak and freezing to death. In fact, a flock of birds was flying above it in circles, almost as if they were waiting for him to drop dead. Poor thing!
#9. Rescue Mission
The fishermen knew that time was ticking, so they started to come up with a rescue plan. However, they weren’t sure whether the animal would trust them or even if he had had previous contact with other human beings.
What if he got even more scared if they approached him? What if he reacted aggressively and sank his teeth on their hands? Unfortunately, they were well aware there was a high chance they wouldn’t be able to help him.
#8. He Froze In Terror
At first, the fishermen tried talking to him quietly and reaching out their arms towards it, hoping he would slowly gain confidence. Just as they feared, the animal’s instinct was to run away to the opposite side of the iceberg.
The fox was now standing on the edge of the ice, staring at the three men in terror. Naturally, the fox saw them as potential threats, but little did he know these men were his only hope for survival. He stood there, petrified, while the three men refused to leave.
#7. A Matter Of Waiting
People often say that patience is man’s greatest virtue, and it turns out they’re right! The men waited and waited, hoping that the fox would soon walk towards the boat. They had no other choice but to wait.
Luckily, nearly 10 minutes later, the fox finally trudged towards them, but he was so worn down that he didn’t have enough strength to jump aboard. Therefore, Allan picked him pup and helped him to the boat.
#6. Running For His Life
Once he was onboard, Cliff fetched some towels to dry him and keep his warm. They were surprised that the animal had caved in, but how long would his confidence last?
Just like they feared, the fox suddenly panicked and jumped off the boat in a matter of a second. The fishermen weren’t willing to give up so easily, so they picked him up and placed him on the boat once again.
#5. Keeping Him Warm
After his failed attempt of running away, Allan and his friends knew they had to be more careful. As Mallory steered the ship back to the coast, Allan and Cliff once again tried to warm him up, as they knew he was minutes away from suffering a hypothermic shock.
It was then that Mallory suggested to put the fox inside a plastic bin and cover him with sawdust. Allan picked up the little fella and followed Mallory’s advice, and guess what? The animal calmed down and fell asleep in an instant!
#4. Time For Lunch!
When they were half an hour away from the shore, the boat hit a strong wave, waking up the exhausted fox. That’s when Mallory came up with a brilliant idea: given they were still far from the coast, why didn’t they feed him some of the fish they had already caught?
Mallory fetched some of the fish and crab, but to their surprise, the fox looked away. Mallory then looked over their bag of food supplies, hoping to find something that would tempt him. That’s when he found a couple of sausages, which he placed in a bowl and handed it to the fox. Can you guess whether their plan B worked?
#3. Nap Time
Fortunately, the fox couldn’t resist those delicious Vienna sausages and after sniffing them, he devoured them in a matter of seconds. All warmed up and with his stomach full, the men were sure he would survive.
The fox went back to sleep after eating up his late lunch, but the constant noise of the ship splashing through the waves kept waking him up over and over again. Mallory tried to soothe him with his voice until they reached the shore, and it worked!
#2. Setting Him Free
Once they reached the shore, the trio had to decide what to do with the furry mammal. That’s when Mallory came up with another idea: he suggested setting him free in an area near the docks, where foxes are frequently seen roaming around.
Not only was this area safe for the fox, but it was also equipped with a wooden dog house! Neither of them remembered the exact spot where the doghouse was, but they did know it was only a 10-minute walk from the docks.
#1. Happy Ending
The fishermen went in search of the doghouse, carrying the fox inside the bin full of sawdust. They found the house they were looking for shortly after, they placed the bin right next to the house, and even left him a few fish for dinner as well. They waited for a few minutes, hoping that the fox would
Luckily, things went according to the plan, as the fox walked out of the bin, shook the sawdust off his body, and went inside the house. He sat down near the entrance and stared at his human saviors. Cliff, Mallory, and Allan knew they had saved the day, so they went back home with a deep feeling of pride. Isn’t this the cutest story ever?