After a long but successful day of fishing, the crew aboard this boat headed back to shore with the help of the wind. Up ahead they spotted an oddly-shaped iceberg in the distance. The strangest part, however, was that it appeared as though there was something on top of the iceberg. They couldn’t figure out what it was, so the crew decided to get a closer look…
Vast & Mysterious
It goes without saying that the ocean is quite a mystery. For centuries, explorers have tried their hand at the open seas and have been swallowed up by its vastness. While these three fishermen were no explorers, they were certainly experienced out on the water. But experience aside, nothing could have prepared them for what they would find out on that iceberg…
Labrador
The crew had headed out early that morning in the frigid waters off the coast of Labrador, an island in Newfoundland. The day was ice cold but beautiful and the conditions were perfect. Because of the great conditions, they headed out a bit further than usual…
A Crew of Three
On board was Mallory Harrigan, her partner Cliff Russell, and Alan Russell—all experienced on the water. But this day was unlike any other…
Drifting Close
The crew of three sailed a bit further than usual that day off the coast of Labrador. When they spotted the iceberg, it appeared as though it was stationary, but really, it was drifting straight towards them…
Drifting
The iceberg drifted closer and closer and that’s when they noticed something was on top of it. They wanted to get closer to find out, but the current around the iceberg was strong. They took a risk and decided to maneuver around it to their best ability and explore this mystery…
Movement
As they got closer they noticed some movement from the unknown object. This iceberg was much too far and too tall for something living to have reached the top of it. They had to find out the truth…
Getting Windy
The wind slowly picked up and the conditions worsened. The crew knew that things weren’t going to improve, but they also knew that if they left without figuring out what was atop the iceberg, they would worry if it had needed their help…
Radio Location
They ensured their safety by making sure that they radioed in their last known location. Collectively, they decided to push forward to help whatever was in distress on the iceberg…
Two of Three
Mallory and Cliff wanted to explore the mushroom-shaped iceberg, but Alan was not convinced. He worried about the conditions and the safety of the exploration, and yet, Mallory convinced him with her determined attitude…
Best Guess
The trio discussed what they thought might be up there. Their best guess was a bear of some sort, but they were so far off the coast it was tough to figure out just how it had gotten there. Soon, though, their guesses would all be blown out of the water…
Danger Ahead
Icebergs are one of the most dangerous things a ship can face in the open water. There is no way to tell just how big an iceberg truly is below the surface without putting a ship at risk by getting too close. The crew knew they were playing with fire, but their curiosity won out…
Flipping
Another danger with icebergs is the possibility of them flipping over. When this happens a tremendous amount of energy is produced, creating strong currents and even tsunamis. This was a risky move by this small fishing crew…
Ice Patrol
After the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the International Ice Patrol was formed. The IIP located icebergs and mapped them for ships crossing through the waters. The fishing crew were aware of their predicament, and considered, at this point, there was no other choice but to continue on with their end goal…
The Iceberg Issue
Unfortunately, the IIP only tracked and recorded icebergs larger than 5,400 sq. ft. Though the iceberg they faced wasn’t quite that large, compared to the size of their small fishing boat, it was massive…
Making a Plan
The trio knew the dangers they were facing were no joke, so they came up with a game plan…
Nearing the Iceberg
The problem was, as they neared the iceberg, there was no safe place to stop the ship that was close enough. They needed to find a way to climb onto the iceberg safely…
Maneuvering Closer
They decided that an easier way would be to back the ship in towards the iceberg. One of the crew members reached the top of the cabin to climb atop the iceberg. When he reached the top he shouted in horror…
Ready to Attack
On top of the iceberg, an Arctic Fox was fighting for its life. He was nearly-frozen and seagulls hovered above him, waiting to feast. The trio decided to lure the fox onto the ship to save its life, but this was no easy feat…
Saving the Fox
“Cliff says he thinks he got out there to check out a bit of meat on the ice and it broke apart, sending him out to sea.†When the ice broke, he had nowhere to go. Had the crew not happened upon him, he would have died…
Lifeless
As soon as the crew began to approach the fox, his nearly-lifeless body began to move. He was exhausted and malnourished, but most of all, he was scared…
Complicated
The rescue effort was complicated. Based on the evidence they saw atop the iceberg, the fox had been there for some time, a few days even. But still, he managed to hang on long enough to be found by the fishing crew…
Break the Ice
“He was trying to run away from us at first we had a really hard time getting him aboard,” stated Mallory. They decided they would have to break the ice to get to him, but he was not having it…
Into the Box
“He fought and fought to get away until he literally couldn’t move anymore,” said Mallory. When he had totally exhausted himself, they were able to get the dip net over him and scooped him into a large box…
R&R
The crew threw together a makeshift bed for the fox so that it could relax and regain some strength. He slept the entire ride back to shore…
Picky Eater
“He was a bit nervous but once we fed him he was pretty calm,” said Mallory. They offered him a few different food options, and the fox was actually quite picky…
No Thanks
“He wouldn’t eat at all for the first 5 or 6 hours. We gave him chips and crackers but he didn’t want anything,” said Mallory. He stayed in place, laying calmly on one side of the box. The crew grew nervous when he refused all of their offerings…
Landing Ashore
“He woke up and we fed him a tin of Vienna sausages,” said Mallory. He ate and ate like there was no tomorrow. When the boat reached the shore, they were determined to help him get his normal life back…
They saw a small old doghouse and took the fox to it. It provided him some shelter while he continued to rest and recover. He just shook himself off and that was it!” said Mallory. But it turns out, that wasn’t quite it…
Private Island
When he finally left the doghouse he began to explore the area. The crew had left him in a wild area of the island filled with small critters that would keep him fed. They noticed something unique about the fox that worried them…
Winter Coat
The fox was white, when typically, an Arctic fox, at this time of year would be brown. When they sense a rise in temperature their coat changes to help them camouflage in with their environment. “He was on that piece of ice for so long that it never changed color,” Mallory said. Because of this, they feared he would be an easy target for predators…
Making It
The fox was officially free now, though, and there wasn’t much they could do. Luckily, Mallory reported that they still see him from time to time because he visits several old dog houses that are in William’s Harbor…
The Sausages
The crew is proud and happy when they see him, remembering the tough rescue they endured to get him to safety. Mallory joked about the rescue saying, “the real hero here was the Vienna sausages.” And it’s a good thing they had them…
Sharing the Story
Mallory shared the whole story on her Facebook page and the story was an instant viral hit. People loved the story and expressed their gratitude to Mallory, Alan, and Cliff for their selfless efforts…
Gratitude
“It’s so nice to see there are still compassionate and caring people in the world, many thanks to the crew of this fishing boat,” someone commented on the post of Mallory. Their act of kindness gave the fox a second chance at life…
New Life
The effort was risky, but it had been worth it, and the crew proved that there is still a bit of humanity out there in the world.