Leaning hard over on the rudder John brought his small boat about. He headed towards an unusually shaped island in the distance that roused his curiosity. John had sailed most of his 14 years. He was a tall slim boy with black hair and hazel eyes. He liked to read, especially science and survival books. This year he had taken his hard-earned lobster-trap money, made a small sailing boat and christened her the Dolphin.

Now he was about 50 yards from the five-acre island. The island was shaped like a C with a large triangular appendage pointing out of the top of the curve. The inlet between the points of the C was rather rocky and shallow, John didn't fancy taking the Dolphin into the small bay. However, a large wave suddenly turned his boat on its side, the wind caught its sail and threw the boat into the rocky confines of the inlet. With all his might, John tried to turn the small boat, but wave after wave hit the helpless craft. The Dolphin was driven into a rock, the hull ripped open and she began to sink.

John grabbed his ammunition tin of emergency supplies, and scrambled onto a rock. Just then a large wave ripped the Dolphin away from the rock, drove it up the beach, threw her wood to and fro, and snapped the mast like a toothpick.

Wet and tired, John walked into a small clump of trees and sat down. His boat was wrecked, and the wood strewn across the beach. It was his first day out in his new boat and now his pride and joy was a pile of kindling. Sighing, he turned and laid out his supplies: a hunting knife, fishing tackle, a signal flag, matches and one day's supply of fresh water. With a frown, he looked at his waterproof watch; it was around 1:00. He was due home at 5:00. He was wet and hungry and miserable. John thought to himself, "There's no way of knowing how long I'll be here. I should build a shelter and get some food."

First John combed the beach for any useful remains of his sailboat. He found a large scrap of sail, about 8-foot by 10-foot, and several smaller shreds of various sizes. He also retrieved some scraps of lumber and a 6-foot section of mast. He stored the lumber and canvas a few feet above the high tide line.

After storing what usable lumber he could, he set out to find something to eat. He passed by some sea blite* because of its strong, salty flavor, but did find some nice orach and salty glasswort tips to nibble on. After he had a sip of water, John set to work.

John's first priority was to build a shelter. He dragged the section of mast into a pine grove and set the pole in a notch of a pine. He propped branches and scraps of wood against the mast, forming a lean to. Then, not satisfied with the result, he laid the canvas on top of the boards. Then he laid down an armload of pine branches as a floor. It formed a decent shelter. He made a rain catchment from an intact section of the bow of his boat. Next he gathered some dry wood and lit a fire near the lean to. He also set up a signal fire on shore to light in case he saw a ship or plane.

That night he thought, "My parents will have search planes out by tomorrow." Then, using his life jacket as a pillow, he lay down and went to sleep.