1 A Rescue On A Washigton State Ferry

The loading ramp of the super ferry was hoisted up, and with its engines rumbling, the ‎ship pulled away from the dock, carrying close to three hundred cars, and a multitude of ‎foot passengers. Sea Gulls floating on the air currents, followed the ship out into open ‎waters. The birds watched as people walked on the upper deck hoping someone would ‎throw a crust of bread their way.‎

Part way across Puget Sound, miles from shore, the captain slowed the vessel to check ‎something in the engines. At this time, a man and his dog got out of their car to stretch ‎their legs. The man reached into the car to grab the leash. He thought the dog, a blue- ‎healer used in hunting, would wait for him. He was wrong. No sooner had he taken his ‎eyes off the dog to look for the leash, when the dog spotted the birds following the boat, ‎and with a bound took off running towards the birds.

A Rescue On A Washigton State Ferry 2

He ran to the back of the boat, ‎ducked under the steel cable that acted like a fence, and jumped out into the water.‎

At this point, the captain unaware anything was wrong cranked up the power in the ‎engines and the ship got underway again. A man standing at the back of the ship called ‎out over the deep drumming beat of the engines, Dog overboard!‎

The owner of the dog heard the shout and looked to the spot where dog was supposed ‎to be. Oh no! he cried out as he realized it was his dog in the water.‎ ‎
He ran to the back of the ship. He looked for the dog in the water and didnt see it. A ‎man from the upper deck pointed out into the distance.

Without hesitating, the owner of the dog found a life saving ring on the wall, took it ‎down, and hurled it in the direction of the dog. Then with a running start he leapt into the ‎water. The icy cold of the water shocked him. With strong strokes he swam out to the ‎ring and called out to his dog.‎

Bystanders on the ferry raced to tell the captain a man and his dog were overboard. ‎He instantly stopped the ferry and ordered the ships dingy with a small motor into the ‎water. A couple of well-trained crewmembers drove the small boat out to the man, and ‎hauled him into their craft. Then they went searching for the dog, and rescued it too.‎