What These Fishermen Found On An Iceberg Left Them Stunned In Disbelief

Daily fishing trips are hard work. You need to wake up early, getting everything prepped, then stay out as late possible fighting exhaustion. Those who do it for a living are some of the most passionate and compassionate people you’ll ever meet. For these three fishing friends, their daily trip turned into an incredible rescue mission. When they spotted something on top of a lone iceberg, they didn’t know what it was, but they knew they needed to act. The story that follows will warm your heart.

What do you think they found?

It Started With A Boat

Mallory Harrigan, Cliff Russell, and Allan Russell always loved going fishing together. The trio loved it so much that they even bought a boat together to start their own commercial fishing business.

Living in Canada, they knew what kind of fish they could catch and what the local markets and restaurants would be interested in buying. What they didn’t know was what to expect when they began hitting the waters every day in hopes of a good haul.

More Than Just A Business

Cliff, Mallory, and Allan were more than just business partners. They were friends, and they would help each other during the longest days and hardest times. Their new business could have tested that friendship, but it never did.

Every day, after hours on the sea, they would come home with new bumps and bruises on their bodies. No one would complain, and no one would quit. They loved each other and were always excited to show up for the job the next day.

Up next, find out how their crazy day started!

That Fateful Morning

On the morning that would change these friends’ lives forever, Mallory was especially excited. She didn’t know what fate had planned, but she had a good feeling about something and showed up early to prep the boat.

Once everyone was there, the trio went through their pre-launch check-off list. It was imperative they have everything they needed with them on the boat. Having to travel back to shore after launching would cost them hours on the water.

Setting Off

Prepping the boat was the easy part. They liked to pass the time telling jokes and stories. They may have been old friends, but every morning felt like a 10-year reunion.

The next part can be described as “the calm before the storm.” The water was calm as usual as the boat headed a few miles off the Canadian coast. They knew the perfect spot to catch crab off of the Canadian coast.

Letting Out Their Lines

Once they reached their destination, the friends turned off the boat engine and let it idle. This spot was perfect and was always full of crabs. They dropped their lines and let the cages drag on the seafloor.

It was the end of crab season, and while the previous weeks had been fruitful, they were hoping to go out with a bang. Since starting their business, this had been their most successful year. Would this be their most successful catch?

Still ahead, the journey to a new location creates a mystery for the ages!

The First Catch Was A Sign Of Things To Come

With the cages in the water, one of them steered the boat while the other two manned the lines, making sure they didn’t tangle. They knew this routine like the back of their hands.

As the first cages came up they couldn’t believe it. Their spot had paid off again and it looked like today was going to be their best day ever. They high-fived in celebration, emptied the cages, the prepared to do it all over again.

Moving To A New Spot

The day was going great. Allan, Cliff, and Mallory knew they had a chance to break their crabbing record. Finished at the first location, they turned the boat back on and set off for colder waters.

The further they got, the more dangerous things got. Colonies of seals could be seen resting on icebergs. Birds were nowhere in sight. But as beautiful and serene as the scene was, it was also filled with hidden dangers and surprises.

Iceberg, Straight Ahead!

Huge icebergs floated freely in the Labrador Sea. This was not the place to go on autopilot when fishing. One wrong turn could turn this fishing trip into the groups last.

Allan was on lookout duty when he spotted something in the distance on top of an iceberg. He pointed in out to Cliff and Mallory. No one could make out what the shape was. Mallory thought it was probably a seal sunbathing away from the colony.

On the next slide, Allan has a theory he can’t let go of!

Allan Couldn’t Let Sleeping Seals Lay

Cliff fell in line with Mallory’s theory. During their adventures together they had seen plenty of animals pop up in the icy waters from time to time. It wasn’t anything strange, so why was Allan acting so weird about it?

He probably couldn’t tell you why, but he did know something about what was on that iceberg kept eating away at him. He told his friends that it didn’t move around like a seal and he was skeptical. They looked through their binoculars and couldn’t help but agree.

Getting Closer

Even though they knew they needed to keep fishing, curiosity got the best of the group. They couldn’t take their attention away from whatever was stranded alone on an iceberg. They decided to move in closer.

As the boat got closer, the wind picked up along with the chill in the air. Then they noticed there was fur on the animal. Even scarier, the fur was wet. The poor animal must have been freezing! They decided until they knew what they were dealing with, their fishing expedition was on hold.

The Investigation

The friends approached cautiously in the boat. Not only did they not know what kind of animal they might have found, but they were going off-course and venturing into unexplored waters. Allan was convinced they were doing the right thing.

Cliff and Mallory weren’t as sure as Allan was, but the friends agreed that they needed to investigate the situation. If it was an animal in danger, then they needed to rescue it. They couldn’t live with leaving it to die on their consciences!

A Slow Approach

The boat moved through the water slowly. The friends watched over the sides of the boat for any unexpected dangers. Any large chunk of floating ice could damage the boat and the last thing they needed was to strand themselves.

The waves had picked up, too, making the boat move more than usual. Mallory urged the group to be extra careful. They may have been excited about what they were doing, but they still needed to keep their wits about them.

Choppy Waters And Wind Picked Up

Without warning, a strong gust of wind rattled through the area. This made navigation even harder. Even scarier for the group, this unexpected windy whipping made the iceberg move. How would the animal react?

Now that group had more than just ice to worry about. They were terrified the scared animal would jump off the iceberg from fear. Mallory kept her eyes glued to the animal. If the boat could just get a little closer she’d be able to identify what they were dealing with.

Find out what they found in two slides!

Chasing The Iceberg

The situation had taken a dangerous turn now that the team was forced to chase the iceberg. They weren’t just concerned with their safety, but also the safety of whatever was pacing back and forth on the iceberg.

They had to move fast to keep the boat near the iceberg. At the same time, they needed to remain cautious about the water surrounding them. Making matters worse, the day was half over and they would start running out of daylight soon!

The Animal Began Taking Shape

They finally got close enough to the creature to start figuring out what it might be. They could see it had four legs and looked similar to a dog. There was no way this was someone’s lost pet, though.

As they predicted, the poor animal was soaked with cold water and was shivering uncontrollably. Allan, Cliff, and Mallory knew at this moment that they needed to do everything they could to save this animal, even if it meant putting themselves in more danger.

The Animal Identified!

After a few moments of disbelief, the friends realized they were staring at an Arctic fox! They didn’t have time to figure out how it may have stranded itself. It was weak and there were birds starting to circle above it.

Not only was the fox in danger of freezing to death, but other animals were getting excited about their next meal. The friends jumped into action, desperate to make sure the little Arctic fox lived to see another day.

A Dangerous Rescue

With time running out, the group needed to work together to come up with a plan to save the fox. There wasn’t a lot of time, and there was still one big question that needed to be answered.

Would the fox even trust humans with its life? There’s no way of knowing how much contact this wild dog had previously had with humans. That meant despite their best intentions, there was a real possibility that they wouldn’t be able to help.

Find out the rescue plan, next!

The Plan

Cliff, Mallory, and Allan needed a plan to lure the fox to them. First, they tried speaking quietly and holding out their hands to see if the scared dog would come to the safety of their arms.

The fox’s first instinct was to run away. Of course, it had nowhere to go and ended up just staring at the strange humans trying to save it. It refused to jump to them, and they refused to leave.

Patience Is A Virtue

The waiting game was on. The fox showed no interest in the three friends. They continued to show interest in it though and they decided the best game to play was the long game.

Their patience was being tested, but they refused to give up. Finally, just as they were about to break, the fox stepped toward the boat. Would it take a leap of faith? Putting its trust in the hands of humans was looking like the only way to survive.

Fox Aboard!

The fox got as close as it could to the boat. It wasn’t strong enough to jump aboard however and looked to Allen for help. He gently picked it up and placed it on the boat.

Things still weren’t alright. Allan and Cliff grabbed towels to dry the fox and keep it warm but were hesitant to handle the scared creature. One wrong move and it could attack. How long was this fox’s trust going to last?

An Escape Attempt

Scared to death, the fox decided it made the wrong choice and jumped out of the boat without warning. Everyone was stunned as the wild animal raced in the water to get back to the iceberg.

The friends followed the fox until it ran out of energy. Allan gently picked it back up and placed it in the boat again. It scurried to a corner and stayed there, terrified of the situation it was in.

Back From The Brink

This time the team was going to make sure the Arctic fox couldn’t getaway. While Mallory was busy steering the ship back home, Allan and Cliff watched intently and waited for their moment to approach.

They knew if they couldn’t warm the fox back up its body would go into shock. They looked around the boat, trying to find anything to make the little guy warmer and more comfortable. They never took their eyes off the animal, though.

A Warm Place To Rest

From behind the steering wheel, Mallory suggested that they find a way to give the fox warmer accommodations. Cliff and Allan could only find sawdust, which they thought they could use for filled as bedding.

While collecting the sawdust, they found a plastic bin to put it in. This would make a great bed frame! They packed sawdust into the bin, hoping it would act as insulation, then placed it in an area on the boat with the most sun.

Getting The Fox In Bed

Allan, who up to this point was the de facto animal handler, picked up the Arctic fox and placed it in the bin. In a matter of seconds, the exhausted fox was sound asleep.

While it was recuperating, the team continued to get back to the Canadian shore as quickly as possible. The fox was okay for now but surely needed medical attention to make sure it would survive long term.

No Rest For The Tired

Still about 30 minutes from shore, Cliff took over driving duties from Mallory. He changed course, knowing they might not have 30 minutes. Then he hit a wave and the fox woke up.

It stared up from the bin, terrified and exhausted. Looking to calm the fox back down, Mallory suggested trying to feed it. Surely they could spare some of their fresh catch. A good meal could do wonders for the animal if it was willing to take food from humans.

All Turf, No Surf

The fox was dry now, and the bin had indeed helped warm it up. Mallory offered the fox some fish and crab but it looked away, disinterested. There had to be something it would eat?

Mallory decided to look in the crew’s personal food supply. She found some Vienna sausages, which she soaked in water and put in a bowl in front of the fox. It sniffed the food, then scarfed it down like a ravenous animal. This was its first meal of the day, and possibly more.

Coming Back To Shore

The fox fell back to sleep after eating its meal. Shortly after, the boat began docking at the shore. The noise ended up waking the fox back up. Mallory stayed near it, trying to keep it calm with the storm of noise around it.

Mallory spoke softly to the fox. It wouldn’t be able to understand what she was saying, but maybe her voice would help soothe it. She just needed to keep it calm until they were done docking.

Finding The Fox A Home

Safely ashore, the next decision the friends had to make was what to do with the fox. It was warm, dry, and fed, making this the last big thing to do.

True to her character, Mallory came up with the answer. She remembered there was an area near the docks that would be perfect to release the fox back into the wild. There would be no imminent danger and they could watch it safely reintegrate to its natural habitat.

A Room With A View

Not only was the fox’s new location safe for it to re-enter the wild; it was equipped with a makeshift dog house! The structure was 10 minutes from the dock and very remote.

They searched the area for the dog house. They knew it was located on the bluffs, but were uncertain of its exact location. Cliff carried the fox the whole way, doing his part to keep it safe while the friends finished their rescue mission.

A Successful Rescue

It took a bit of time, but the friends found the fox a house. As they had done all day, they left the fox as much to its own decisions as possible. They placed the bin near the house and waited.

The arctic fox stepped out of the bin, shook itself off, and walked to the house. It sat down at the entrance and looked over its new home. At this moment, Mallory, Cliff, and Allan all knew they had done something amazing.

Read on for another amazing animal rescue story!