Ready! Set! Rescue!

Part VI: Not-So-Smooth Sailing

Written by Helen Farrall

With credit to Scrubb1910

The sun shone brightly over the dock shed at the Rescue Center when…

RING-RING! RING-RING! RING-RING!

Captain was quickly dispatched from his shed at the Rescue Center when he heard the alarm bell ringing.

"What's the status report?" he asked.

"Parasailer stuck on a cliff by Bluff's Cove!" Harold reported as he took to the sky. "I'm to lift him down right away!"

"Right!" Captain exclaimed. "I'll help!"

And he quickly took off from the Rescue Center, as Harold flew high alongside!

Captain the lifeboat is an active member of the Search and Rescue Team. He is always willing to help when trouble occurs out at sea, and takes this position very seriously.

"We'll be at Bluff's Cove on the double!" Captain claimed.

His motor propelled hard against the waters as he raced on, determined to make it to the emergency on.

Captain is confident and highly assertive in these circumstances and remains unfazed in the face of danger!

"Out of the way!" he called out to nearby boats and ships, all which continuously made way as he passed.

Captain grinned confidently as he raced on.

Come rain or shine, Captain knows that duty may call out at sea and will assist in a rescue when the occasion calls for him to attend.

It wasn't long before the pair reached Bluff's Cove. Harold quickly and safely lowered the parasailer down into Captain's hull, and the lifeboat cautiously brought him back to safety aboard the speedboat, as his friends help him aboard.

"Thank you, Captain! And Harold!" the man expressed gracefully.

Captain smiled and Harold zoomed overhead.

One bright summer day, Captain was out on patrol on the coast near Arlesburgh Harbor.

The tides rose up and hit splashed Captain in the face as he patrolled about. He coughed and forcefully spat water from his face.

"Tides seem to rougher than usual!" he expressed, as they rose up into his mass, much to his driver's surprise. "I don't recall summer tides to be this high up!"

"That's the least of our worries," his driver admitted, stopping him in the middle of the horizon and pointing out to the sky overhead. "Look!"

It turned out that dark clouds were looming in the sky overhead. Captain was worried.

"Oh, dear," he expressed. "This is a cause for concern. I must warn anyone coming in and out of the harbor to keep on the lookout."

He ventured further towards the center of Arlesburgh as the waves continuously came up and above his hull, causing him to cough uncomfortably and constantly spit water from his mouth.

Captain soon arrived at the dock by the top station at Arlesburgh. His driver tied him down and quickly hopped off to warn the stationmaster.

"Now," the lifeboat thought to himself. "The best thing I can do in this circumstance is warn approaching engines!"

TOOT-TOOT!

Mike came rolling into view with a train of ballast trucks. The men wasted no time in unloading them from his trucks.

"Ah," he thought relaxedly to himself, "lovely ballast! Just the sort of job I like! Better than all those grumbling passengers! Wouldn't you think so?"

He eyed Captain directly as he finished his sentence.

"Erm…, I guess," the lifeboat replied. "But never mind that! I have urgent news! The clouds up ahead are dark, which could call for some really choppy weather! Driver just went to warn stationmaster all about it!"

Mike raised an eyebrow as he looked at the clouds overhead.

"Oh, rubbish!" he deduced. "It can't be that serious!"

"But it is!" Captain insisted. "Don't you see the looks of those clouds?"

Mike rolled his eyes.

"Looks as if they'll pass to me!" Mike suggested. "You must be imagining things, Captain!"

"But I'm not!"

But there was no time left to explain, as Mike's last truck was emptied and his guard's whistle blew.

"Sorry, Captain, no more time to chat! Must be off now!"

Captain watched with dismay as he set off back for the Junction.

"That silly little engine!" he thought, rather taken aback. "Self-assured, I wasn't imagining what I saw!"

PEEP-PEEP!

He watched as Duck approached the station, and his passengers hopped aboard the coaches.

"What's the matter, Captain?" the Pannier engine asked. "You look troubled."

"I saw dark clouds looming overhead on the coastline, Duck," Captain explained. "Mike didn't believe me but I believe I'm certain of what I saw! Driver saw it too!"

"Hmm…" Duck wondered, looking overhead. "Did you say you saw dark clouds overhead, Captain?"

"Yes, Duck! And I'm pretty sure of it! I've never been steered wrong about a weather prediction before!"

At that moment, his driver returned.

"Stationmaster suggested we stay at the harbor till the clouds blow over, Captain," he explained. "In addition, Duck must wait after this last passenger train to bring Skiff's passengers home once he's back from his railtour."

Duck looked up at the sky as he heard this, raising an eyebrow with curiosity.

"Erm, pardon me, sir," Captain suggested, "but wouldn't it be safer for Duck to return home to the shed and the passengers to take shelter at the harbor till the weather passes? Then, me and Harold can bring those passengers home ourselves"

"Sorry, Skiff," his driver replied. "I'm just following orders."

Duck smiled.

"Don't worry, Captain. Bets are it's only something that will blow over anyway. Nothing to be frightened about."

But Captain expressed a rather serious look.

"I am pretty sure I know a storm prediction when I see one!" he assertively assured. "Extra caution must be taken to assure that everyone is safe and sound by the end of it!"

Duck expressed a rather confused look at the lifeboat, as his guard's whistle blew and he set off with his last passenger train, whistling aloud.

As Duck left with his last passenger train, Captain looked overhead at the dark clouds looming in a formation!

"Getting the word out is going to be like a needle in a haystack!" he expressed, rather flustered.

As the other engines came and went, passing through the Harbor, Captain proceeded to warn each and everyone of them…

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"…and that is why extra caution must be taken in this circumstance, Jock!" Captain explained to the yellow miniature engine, as he waited at the station platform with his goods train.

"Ha!" Jock scoffed, then confidently assured, "I'm not afraid! A few dark clouds won't be a problem for a strong engine such as myself!"

He whistled and set off as soon as his guard's whistle blew, leaving Captain in dismay.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"I'm not joking, Oliver!" Captain expressed to the GWR engine and his brakevan Toad. "You don't see dark clouds like that every day! I advise both of you to return to your shed as soon as you're finished with those trucks!"

Oliver smiled as he looked at the sky overhead.

"Don't worry, Captain!" Oliver soothed. "I'm sure those clouds will blow over soon enough!"

"But, but…" Captain stammered.

Just then, Toad's guard blew his whistle.

"I'm sorry, Captain, but I must get going!" Oliver expressed. "See you later!"

He left the station in full steam, as Toad looked concernedly at the sky overhead.

"Are you really sure that Mr. Captain could be imagining things, Mr. Oliver?" he inquired.

"We'll be fine, Toad!" Oliver beamed, as they continued along.

It seemed as though every time Captain encountered another engine, they would express the same level of concern as well…!

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Silly little lifeboat!" Daisy laughingly shrugged off. "A bit of wind shouldn't be any bother for the passengers or me springs! Too-da-loo!"

HONK-HONK!

She honked loudly as she left the station, Captain glaring after her!

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

None of the engines believed Captain's concern about the dark clouds at all!

Douglas chuckled as he left the station with his goods train, as did Bert as he left with his passengers! Captain sighed.

"Nobody believes me!" he thought. "But I saw those clouds! And I'm sure I know what I'm talking about…!"

As he finished his sentence, he saw as the dark clouds continuously moved overhead. Little droplets of rain were followed by the slight sound of thunder, which caused Captain to raise an eyebrow.

Captain was right about the weather; it wasn't long before strong winds began to pick up and rain began to fall hard as Skiff the Railboat returned from his railtour!

Skiff spat rain from his mouth and coughed loudly as Captain Joe anchored him to the track.

"Bad weather, Skiff!" he admitted. "Nothing we can do about it now other than keep these passengers dry till it stops pouring!"

"Rather difficult telling when it will, Captain Joe!" Skiff expressed sadly, as his passengers quickly disembarked.

A station employee came running out.

"Begging your pardon, Joe!" he announced. "The stationmaster would like to have a word!"

"Be back in a jiffy, Skiff!" Joe promised, "stay put!"

"That's all I can do!" Skiff wondered

He sighed as his passengers were escorted into the dry shelter of the station.

Skiff continues to spit rain uncomfortably from his mouth.

"Don't quite like having my face up in water!" he express meekly to himself.

"You'd best tell Joe to get you to your shed as soon as possible, Skiff!" Captain suggested from below. "There could be a potential storm on the way!"

"Really?" Skiff wondered.

"Yes!" Captain went on. "None of the other engines believed me, but I sensed it right from the looks of those clouds!"

Skiff looked up nervously.

"Weather's only gotten worse since I began this railtour," Skiff admitted. "Joe and I saw those dark clouds looming ahead on the horizon ourselves!"

Before the conversation could go any further, Joe returned.

"All passengers are safe and sound inside the station, Skiff! Stationmaster says that Duck will be here shortly to take them home. I must escort them safely and dryly aboard his coaches using the old umbrella."

"Erm, please, Joe," Skiff suggested, "but is there a chance you can take me back to my shed now?"

"Sorry, Skiff. Must go back in now. I don't know what those passengers would do without me once Duck arrives."

"But…but…" Skiff murmured, as he watched Joe run back inside the station.

Captain looked up with concern, as the wind picked up. It started to rock Skiff back and forth, causing him to wail heavily and whimper.

"You were right about this weather, Captain," he murmured weakly. "I do hope Joe returns soon."

The two friends listen to the sound of Duck's whistle as the Pannier engine returned.

"Phew!" he sighed. "Got here as soon as I could!"

"It's a good thing you did, Duck!" Skiff expressed relievedly.

"Why?" Duck wondered, confused.

"Wind and rain's only gotten worse since you last set out, Duck!" Captain admitted. "Could make way for a storm by the looks of it!"

"Oh," Duck thought, rather understanding. "Are you still worried about that storm, Captain?"

"Yes!" Captain stressily replied, "and I'm not imagining it either, Duck!"

Duck chuckled as he looked at the sky up above. Skiff gulped as the wind slightly picked up.

"I have a feeling you are, Captain!" he replied smugly.

"I'm not!" Captain argued. "I've seen those clouds myself, and so has driver!"

"I do believe it's all in your imagination!" Duck admitted, as Joe and Captain's driver helped the passengers aboard his coaches.

"Well, it's not! None of the other engines believed me either but I know bad weather's due when I see these sorts of things!"

"I've heard quite enough on this topic, Captain!" Duck firmly assured him.

"Erm, guys…" Skiff gulped, as he rocked back and forth due to the wind.

"Well, it's not over for me!" Captain glared.

"Sure is for me!" Duck calmly argued back. "We should be back at work in no time!"

"Ehh, guys? A little help, please?" Skiff meekly smiled, shivering as the wind rocked him back and forth. "Joe?"

Joe was too busy helping the passengers aboard Alice and Mirabel to notice Skiff warning.

"After all," Duck smiled. "It's only a bit of wind and rain!"

Skiff couldn't grasp the rails anymore when…

SWOOSH!

"GAHHHH!" Skiff wailed, as he started rattling uncontrollably on down the line.

"Skiff!" Joe called out, as he noticed the commiton.

"Uh oh!" Duck gasped.

"Come back, Skiff! Come back!" Joe shouted.

"I can't, Captain Joe!" Skiff stammered.

Skiff tried his best to stop, but no matter how hard he tried, the wind blew straight over and down the slope that led to the sea!

"Woahhhhhh!"

SPLASH!

Skiff gasped for air as his face bobbed up and down in the sea.

The tides were so rough and course that they led Skiff away from the dockside!

"HELLLLLLP!" he wailed, as the wind carried him away through the tides.

"Skiff!" Captain shouted.

"Oh no!" Duck gasped.

"He's gone!" Joe exclaimed. "What do we do?"

"Quick!" Captain suggested. "Hop aboard my mass! I can catch him and bring him back easily!"

"Capital idea, Captain!" his driver agreeed. "We have rope aboard your hull that we can catch him with!"

"Oh, oh, excellent! I'll help!" Joe insisted.

The two men quickly hopped aboard Captain's hull and untied him from the dock.

"Hold on, Skiff!" Captain confidently called out, as he ventured away from the dockside.

"Be careful!" Duck warned, as he watched the cavalcade set off!

Out at sea, Skiff was not having a fun time at all!

Skiff groaned and as coughed loudly as the ocean tides came up above his face! He constantly spat the water from his mouth!

"I don't like having my face so high up in the water at all!" he spluttered.

He wailed aloud as he swirled around uncontrollably in the ocean tides.

"Help! Help!" he called out, as the waves took him further away.

Further down the stretch of the shore, Captain was catching up gradually!

"I'm coming, Skiff! Hold on!" he shouted out.

His driver praised him further with every ounce of strength the little lifeboat had! Joe clung on for dear life!

"As fast as we can!" Captain boldly claimed. "Then we'll catch him gradually!"

"Steady now, Captain!" his driver cautioned.

"Is Skiff anywhere in sight?" Joe wondered.

"No," the driver responded. "No worries though! We'll find him soon!"

Motor splashing heavily against the water, Captain ventured on, determined to find Skiff.

At long last, Captain saw a familiar shape swerve back and forth from one side of the tide to the other!

"It's Skiff!" Joe cried.

"Hang on, Skiff!" Captain shouted, as he ventured quickly forward.

"Captain!" Skiff shouted.

The water rose up to his face and he coarsely spat it out!

"Joe!"

"We're coming your way, Skiff!" Joe called.

Captain expressed a bold, confident look as he ventured closer to Skiff, and Joe got out a line of rope.

"Don't worry, Skiff!" Captain assured him. "Everything is going to be alright!"

He stopped right before him as Joe got the coil of rope into place.

"Ooh! Careful!" Skiff whimpered.

"We'll have you out of here in no time, Skiff!" Joe promised.

Skiff smiled meekly as he climbed onto the ledge of Captain's hull.

"Easy now!" Captain winced, as they inched closer to Skiff.

"Steady as she goes it!" Joe claimed. "I'm coming for you now, Skiff!"

He quickly jumped over into Skiff's hull with the coil of rope in hand, as Captain's driver gripped it tight from inside the lifeboat's hull.

"Got him!" Joe shouted at last, as he tied the rope around Skiff's mass. "We're good to go!"

"Let's get out of here, Skiff!" Captain called, as he steered the poor lifeboat away.

"Careful, Captain!" Skiff meekly warned, as he trundled meekly alongside.

"We'll be back to shore in no time!" Captain assured him.

"Not if these tides can help it!" Skiff suggested, as the wind blew up into his face.

"Come along now!" Captain hurried, the wind battling against him.

"But, Captain," Skiff went on, "look out!"

Captain gasped at the ocean tide that he saw ahead.

SPLASH!

The pair wailed and swayed as their drivers held on for dear life!

At long last, the tide was over and the wind blew over, allowing both Captain and Skiff to return to the harbor.

"Phew!" Joe sighed, soothingly rubbing the side of Skiff's hull. "Close call, that one. Eh, Skiff?"

Skiff chuckled meekly.

"Yeah, Joe. Close call.

He smiled as he looked over at the lifeboat beside him.

"Thank you for saving me, Captain!"

"Think nothing of it, Skiff!" Captain beamed. "It's all in the line of duty! It's my job to keep the Island safe!"

"You were right about that storm, though. Sorry none of the other engines believed you about it."

"None of that matters now, Skiff!" Captain assured him. "What matters is that you and all of the passengers are safe!"

The two friends returned to Arlesburgh side-by-side, and Skiff made his way back onto the tracks. Duck was still waiting at the station platform.

"Stationmaster told me to wait for the storm to blow over," he told them. "At least the passengers are safe inside my coaches."

He looked over at the little railboat stopping beside him.

"Are you alright, Skiff?" he asked.

"Yes, I am, thank you, Duck! All thanks to Captain!"

"I see," Duck beamed

He looked down at Captain, sighing sadly.

"I'm sorry that I didn't believe you about the storm, Captain. You were right about it after all!"

"That's okay, Duck!" the lifeboat beamed. "I'm just glad that Skiff and all the passengers are safe!"

"You were brilliant, Captain!" Skiff admitted. "I don't know what I've done if you hadn't showed up. But let me tell you: I wouldn't be better off as a sailboat!"

Captain and Joe both laughed, as Duck slightly chuckled.

"Very useful," he agreed. "Yes, I do think I'll keep in mind about listening to Captain's warnings in future!"

He smiled down at Captain who smiled back up at him.

"Let's hear it for Captain!" Joe called out, as he stood aboard the side of Skiff's mass. "Hip hip…"

"…hooray!" Skiff and Duck answered.

"Hip hip…"

"…hooray!"

"Hip hip…"

"…hooray!" they finished.

Duck smiled as he whistled and set off with his passengers all aboard Alice and Mirabel.

And that wraps up my Ready! Set! Rescue! I DVD! Captain was a lot of fun to write for here: brave, assertive, bold and confident, and having Skiff play a major role was also fun! It's one of those where none of the engines believe Captain about the storm, but Skiff's predicament and the whole rescue operation was reassuring that Captain's predictions were correct. I hope you all enjoyed my DVD all about rescues. I feel it gave me the chance to develop the Rescue team even further. I shall end Set 3 with a final batch of 5 episodes, which could be coming any time soon. Till then, be sure to leave your thoughts and in the meantime, stay tuned for what the rest of Set 3 has to offer:

The Wrath Of Bulstrode - Bulstrode is brought to work at Norramby to help out with the fish deliveries. However, Saul's cautious nature makes him increasingly impatient, causing the two to clash at each other's throats!

Sleep Deprived! - Percy finds himself constantly having to get up early after taking the mail so late, and denies his friends' assistance in taking the pressure off of him to give him a rest.

Thieves! (based on Stop, Thief! by Christopher Awdry) - Thomas is informed that the stationmaster's house had been robbed, and comes across the thieves in the valley, ready to pursuit them!

Byron And Brenda - Byron and Brenda are tasked with clearing the grounds around a site by Wellsworth; however, things get out of hand as Byron attempts to take charge of the situation and Brenda just wants to do her own thing.

Bulgy Plays The Fool - Bulgy comes to help out with the extra summer tourists at Ulfstead, though he takes an immediate dislike to the Earl and views him as a buffoon. When Stephen's fire is slow to start, Bulgy relinquishes the Earl into handing all the passengers over to him, though he doesn't realize that HE'S the one being tricked since the Earl figures out his plan!