These Fishermen Put Their Lives On The Line When They Saw Something On Top Of An Iceberg

This is the story of three fishermen who acted out of the kindness of their hearts. After this, things were never the same for them ever again. One day, they made a discovery that put their friendship to the test. It began as a normal day at work, but it all changed when they found something atop an iceberg. What could it be?

The Trio

Allan Russell, Mallory Harrigan, and Cliff Russell are good friends who enjoy fishing with one another. They liked it so much that they turned it into a business! They paid for a boat together to start a fishing company.

One Boat

They only had 3 people and one boat, but the most important thing to them was liking it. They live in Canada, where there are lots of fishing areas. They already knew the area, which was their advantage.

Into The Unknown

However, nothing could have possibly prepared them for what the sea has in store for them each time they went out to the sea. They were aware of this, but not once did they think this was possible.

Fishing Lifestyle

Fishing is a highly demanding job, mind you. One must get up early in the morning to prep for the day at work. It is tiring to catch fish out at sea. However, the group does this on a daily basis and was used to it.

Built On Friendship

Fishing is not a laughing matter. It will test even the strongest bonds. Should things go wrong, their long friendship might come to an end. Luckily, the three of them only got closer after working together.

Job Duties

When they are doing their jobs, it is not unusual for them to spend a lot of time in difficult waters. It is part of the job to incur lots of bruises, bumps, and injuries. While it was not easy, they liked fishing a lot.

Hard At Work

They never complain about the rough conditions of the job even though it can get truly hard. It never occurred to them to quit either. For them, it is enough to love what they do and who they do it with.

Morning

This story began on one clear morning. Mallory, Allan, and Cliff all met up early for another day at the job. These crab fishermen hail from Labrador, Canada. They all went to the harbor that morning.

One Fine Day

They did not have any idea that the day was going to be a life-changing one. They were all too busy prepping the boat for a day at sea. Mallory, however, had a feeling that it was going to be a good day.

Just Like Any Other Day

Mallory woke up even earlier than she normally did that morning. She went to the boat to start working on the prep before her friends could even arrive. She was motivated and cheerful on that fateful day.

Lists

When everyone got there, they all began to check the list of things that they must have on the boat. They made the list to ensure their safety while on the job. Emergency tools are very important for them to have.

Preparation

If they ever forget even a thing from the list, they would have to work for a longer time. It is because they have to come back to the dock to fetch that object. This is why they always doublechecked the list.

Heading Out To The Sea

While it sounds tedious, this is the easy part of the job. Mallory, Allan, and Cliff can pass the time by telling jokes and stories. They have known one another for so long but always had something to say.

A New Day

If you saw them in the morning, you might think that these pals had not seen one another in a long time. They always had things to discuss. The friends like to pass the time just laughing and chatting away.

The Calm Before The Storm

This part is something like the “calm” right before the storm. On that morning, the water looked clear. They went to a good crabbing area off the coast. It was several miles away but worth the travel.

Dropping Their Baskets

When they reached it, they switched off the engine and stayed there. It was a good place to catch crabs. They took out the pots and put them on the ocean floor. They hoped there were lots of crabs there!

Record-Breaking Year

The team had to wait for some time for the crabs to drag the cages more. Ideally, the crabs would climb into the cages. While it was getting close to the end of the crab season, they hoped to get a good catch.

Out Of Luck

In the last several weeks, they had good luck in that spot. They always took off with a lot of crabs when they made that trip. Could this be the day that they finally ran out of luck? They sure hoped not.

Omen In Crabs

They made sure to divide the load amongst themselves. One manned the boat and the others kept an eye on the lines. This was something that they did often, so they knew the routine by heart already.

Best Day

Now, for the big reveal. What did they find upon pulling out the cages? Surprisingly, it was the best day thus far. They celebrated their luck and dumped the loot into the boat. They then set it up again.

A New Fishing Spot

They kept going at it for the next couple of hours. It was a good thing the crabs just kept coming. They were thrilled by this, of course. However, it was time for them to move to the icier waters next.

Dangerous Waters

That far out, it was hard to even spot birds. To the naked eye, everything might seem peaceful and calm. However, the group of experienced fishermen knew the true dangers that these waters had to offer.

One Wrong Turn

Icebergs are common features of the Labrador Sea. It is a dangerous area for fishermen no matter how experienced or skilled they are. Overlooking even a minor detail can cost a person their life out there.

Something Up Ahead

Allan was on lookout duty when he saw the big iceberg in front of them. He navigated their boat around the chunk of ice, but something about it caught his attention. There was something different about it.

Something Off

The sun was very bright that day, so it was rather hard to get a good look at the iceberg. When Cliff and Mallory looked at it, they agreed with Allan that something was strange about it. What could it be?

The Iceberg Appears!

Even as they got closer to it, they still found it hard to figure out what was so strange about this iceberg. There was a dark spot on it, but they could not see what it was. Mallory suggested it might just be a seal.

Taking A Closer Look

Cliff was in agreement with Mallory. There were a lot of seals in the area, and they knew this from all the time they spent out there. However, Allan did not quite buy this theory of theirs. What was it really?

What Could It Be?

He used his binoculars to check out the dark spot. He informed the others that it was probably not a seal because of how it moved. Cliff and Mallory took a closer look and eventually agreed with what he said.

Getting Closer

They had plans to keep working until the end of the day. However, they knew that it was important to find out what was going on here. They were too curious to simply let it go, so they agreed to go up to it.

The Investigation

No doubt, it was risky for them to stray from the path they normally took. Luckily, Allan was able to his pals to take a look. Had he not done this, he would have not learned what this animal really was.

Approaching

They agreed that they had to find out the truth. While Mallory and Cliff did not think it was all that important, he changed their minds. There was no way they were leaving an animal in danger like that.

Chilling Temperatures

Soon enough, it became apparent that they were not dealing with a seal. It was furry and wet! With the wind getting stronger, they had to act quickly. Fortunately, this animal was discovered by kind people.

Advance Slowly

They had to go about this slowly since the icy waters were very dangerous. They knew that a single piece of ice could damage the boat irreversibly. Their boat might capsize and leave them stranded out there.

Constant Watch

It began to get more hectic now that the waves were rising and rising. The movement of the boat made it even riskier. Mallory had to tell her friends to be more careful. Two of them took over lookout duty.

Rough Seas

The wind started to pick up. The waves and winds rocked the boat as well as the iceberg. They did not have any problems dealing with these things, but they felt worried about the animal on top of the ice.

Ice Blocks

They had to worry about more things than the ice blocks. Mallory was aware that the animal might jump out and into the water. If they got a bit closer, she might be able to devise a plan to sort out this mess.

Pursuing A Piece Of Ice

The waves were getting higher, and the wind was picking up. The iceberg was getting further away from them! They started to worry not only for the animal but also for their boat and one another! Uh-oh.

Tricky Circumstances

In order to stay near the iceberg, they had to pick up the speed a bit. It was going to make navigation that much harder. It was already dangerous, but the fact that the sun was going down made it riskier.

Getting A Glimpse

As they approached the iceberg some more, they were able to get a good look at the animal. Why, it looked just like a dog with its fur and four legs! However, there was no reason for a puppy to be there.

Helpless

From where they were, they saw that the animal was wet and shivering. It is very important to help out the creature if they wanted to give it a shot at survival. They did not want the animal to freeze to death.

Arctic Fox

They got even closer and finally figured out what this creature was. It was actually an Arctic fox. They did not have the time to talk about how it got there in the first place because it seemed cold and weak.

Not A Family Pet

The fox was getting a step closer to its death as the minute passed by. They needed to come to a decision soon. Soon, they made up their minds to stop working in order to help this wild animal out.

A Bold Rescue Attempt

The animal was not only wet and freezing but also running out of time. They had to come up with a way to bring it to safety. Time was of the essence here. Would the animal trust them enough to do this?

Good Intentions

They had no idea if this fox had prior exposure to humans before this encounter. Wild animals have a tendency to act violently when they feel vulnerable. Hopefully, the fox would let them help it out.

A Wild Fox

The first thing they had to do was to try and tame it. They put out their hands and spoke to the animal in a quiet way. They called out to it since this was a tactic that would work on domesticated animals.

Getting Away

Sadly, the Arctic fox was not like a tamed house pet whatsoever. It did not come to them and even tried to move away. There was nowhere for it to go as it was backed into a corner. It only stared at them.

A Waiting Game

They tried to lure in the animal multiple times. They were aware that this animal did not plan to come up to them. However, patience is a virtue. They agreed to just let it warm up to them in the meantime.

Progress

They agreed that they could rest and wait for now. They let the boat stop right beside this iceberg. At long last, the creature finally approached the boat. It must have realized that this was the way out.

The Rescue

The fox approached the boat with caution. It did not look like it could make the jump from the iceberg to the boat. This was why Allan scooped it up in his arms and took it inside their boat.

Back In The Water

While it was safer on the boat than the chunk of ice, the fox did not like the contact and jumped into the sea. They could only stare in horror as it tried to swim. They made sure to follow it with the boat.

Back Into The Boat

After that, Allan took it out of the water and took it inside the boat. It appeared to be just as scared as it was and tried moving away from them. It huddled in that corner, all wet and cold. What happened next?

Unanswered Questions

The animal had wet fur, which was not good with the cold and the wind. Cliff and Allan had their towels ready to warm it up. However, they did not want to get bitten. How could they get it to trust them?

Saving A Fox

They did not want the fox to die, so they had to keep it warm. Mallory was on the steering wheel, while the two tried to take care of the animal. They still had a long way to go in order to get to dry land.

Time Is Of The Essence

The fox clearly did not have lots of time. Cliff and Allan waited for it to get more comfortable before they dried it down. They looked at the fox some more, wondering what they could do to help it out.

A Warm Bed

Mallory had been the one to think of a way to make it feel warmer. She came up with the idea to make a nest for it. With the use of sawdust, they can make one that would work. It was a great idea in the end.

Trying To Keep Warm

They took the sawdust and then put it in a plastic bin. They hoped that the fox would go in and stay warm there. The team felt relieved when the fox burrowed in the saw dust. They left it out in the sun.

The Fox’s Bed

How were they able to get the fox to go inside the bin anyway? Allan seemed like he was capable of getting close to the animal, so he just scooped it up and then placed it inside their bin.

Racing Back To Shore

It continued to sleep, and the only thing they could do was to pray that it would remain safe until they got to the shore. They knew that the poor fox was going to need a lot of help upon reaching land.

An Adjusted Course

They still had half an hour to go when Cliff took over the steering wheel for Mallory. He knew a route that would take them to shore more quickly. The sooner they got to land, the better it would be.

Terrified & Tired

However, a big wave shook the boat and woke it up. The fox was panicked, scared, and tired. They tried giving it food to get it to calm down. It looked weak, so they hoped that it would get its strength back.

Success

They were able to make it feel warm and comfy with the makeshift bed. Mallory got some fish and crab, but the fox did not appear interested in what they had to offer. What kind of food was it going to like?

No Crabs, Please!

Mallory fetched food from the galley. From their pantry, she took out Vienna sausages, left it in water, and handed it to the fox. The animal clearly preferred it over seafood and even scarfed them all down.

Safe Return

Once it was done with its meal, it went back to sleep. It stayed asleep until they finally reached the shore. Once again, it woke up in a panic because of the noise. Mallory tried talking to it to calm it down.

Calming Words

She tried talking to the creature to help it stay calm. Mallory was aware that the animal had no idea what came out of her mouth. However, she hoped that her tone would help it stay as calm as possible.

A Home For The Fox

After getting to the shore, it was time for them to come up with the next step. The animal was now warm and dry. It has already eaten food as well. This would be the last part of the adventure for them.

The Perfect Spot

Mallory had an idea. She knew of a spot that would make for a good home for this fox. She wanted to release it there since it was near the docks. It was free from any danger as well. Would it suit the fox?

The Fox’s New Home

It was a safe spot, so the others agreed with her plan. They were thrilled to learn that a small dog house was located there. It was only 10 minutes, but they had to look for it as they did not know where it was.

Quite Content

Cliff carried the animal in his arms as they searched for the spot. At long last, the fox looked like it was perfectly at ease with the contact. In the end, they were able to find where the dog house was.

A Successful Rescue

They wanted this animal to make decisions for itself, so they put down the bin beside the dog house. The three of them wanted to see what it would do. The animal looked around at the new environment.

Apprehension

The fox refused to go outside the bin for a little while. However, it then climbed out, shook its fur, and surveyed the area. It took some time, but the wild animal finally left the entrance of the dog house.

Settling In

It began to settle in as it explored the habitat some more. It was safe and sound at long last. It was a good thing that the three fishermen had been there to help the poor little fox.

Just To Be Sure

They stuck around for some time to make sure that their furry friend would be fine. They looked at it as it got to know the area a little more. Can you imagine how relieved they were to see it settle down?

Slowly Making Its Way

However, it meant that this was the end of the road for them. They needed to drive the boat back and go home. The friends did a lot of good things that day, but even they have to rest after this adventure.

Long Day

Fishing is very exhausting as it is. However, this day was not like any other day at the job for the three of them. They were not only physically tired but also emotionally. They deserved to rest after all of this.

When All Is Said And Done

As they headed home, they could not help but appreciate the beauty that surrounded them. While they saw this place each day, they agreed that the view seemed even lovelier than usual on this fateful day.

Internet Post

Talk about the adventure of a lifetime! Mallory Harrigan made sure to post it on Instagram: ‘Managed to nurse this baby back to health the other day with @cliffordrussell9455 and @alanrussell7 🐺 His fur should be brown by now but he was on that piece of ice for so long that it never changed color.’

Proud

We can see that all three of them were proud of their actions. They posted about this story on social media. Of course, they had every right to do such a thing. We would do the same thing ourselves.

Responses

Naturally, the story went viral after they put it up online. A lot of people had good things to say about what they did. We are glad that everyone else appreciated what the three fishermen got up to.

More Comments

A number of these people talked about the goodness of humans. Without a doubt, the three of them are admirable people. They risked their lives for the animal even when they would get nothing in return!

A Job Well Done

They were able to complete their mission. They exchanged smiles, knowing that they did the right thing when they had to. Aren’t you proud of this awesome group of friends? What kind people they must be!