KERI'S ADVENTURE

I have known Keri since she was born. Some of you may or not know that Keri lives in Harwich Essex England near the North Sea. I had been looking through some stories I wrote about her. So I though I would post one for you guys. Funny I just realized I named the ship Lady Falcon. At the time I wrote the story. We didn't have Falcon. He came two years later.

When Keri woke up and looked out the window. She could see the sun shining and looked like a beautiful day for her to take a walk down to the docks where her dad operates the crane. There where a lot of ships in port that day. It was real exciting to watch cargo being loaded and unloaded from ship from all over the world. When she saw how busy her dad was. She though she would take a tour aboard the 654-foot Lady Falcon. There was no one around as she walked up the gang plank. Once aboard she started looking for the galley. She was so busy helping herself to food that had been left on the table in the galley. That she didn't hear the men yelling orders to head the Lady out to sea. When she look out of the port hole there was no dock no land just the deep blue sea. She was thinking. What have I got my self into this time? The Lady was transporting nearly 4,000 cars from Japan to USA when she started to take on water. The weather had changed and there 10 feet seas whipping the ship. In a matter of minutes. Started sending out SOS

Saying the Lady Falcon listing all most on her side in the turbulent North Sea. Need help fast. There is 23 crew members and an Airedale pup aboard. When the Coast Guard plane arrived they dropped three life rafts, but rolling waters shoved the rafts underneath the dipping port side of the 654-foot ship. Racing against an increasingly titling ship, rescuers tossed an additional raft along the higher starboard side, but it was a 150-foot drop to the water and beyond their reach.

Just then a merchant marine ship arrived that had been in the area reached the Lady. And saw the trouble. The crew of that ship tried, but failed, to rig a line to the Lady Falcon to keep her from tilting further.

Near the vessel, Coast Guard officers could see a 2-mile oil sheen.

Communications between the crew and Coast Guard became increasingly difficult when the batteries in the crew's handheld radio dimmed, Crew members had to shout information to the merchant ship, which then relayed messages back and forth to the Coast Guard.

The near by merchant marine vessel was standing by to take any crew member who couldn't fit on the three helicopters. But rescuers decided against conducting more hoist operation to lower the crew members onto the ship in poor weather. Made the decision to cram in everybody into the helicopters. The captain was the last one to leave the ship. He was holding Keri. Everything was well. Until Kerri started to slip from his arms. At the last minute she was able to grab on to his life jacket and with that Airedale grip hang on. On one helicopter you could see a happy wagging tail sticking out of the helicopter. But everyone was saved.

Peter had heard of a rescue taking place with an Airedale aboard a ship. But had no idea that it was Keri. Until they landed. Keri ran into Peters open arms and flood him with kisses.