“I was adrift on an ocean with utterly no sight of land.

An expanse of blue water stretched

in every direction as the boat bobbed helplessly in the waves like a toy in a bathtub.”

Tell a story that includes these lines. You may include details about:

- how you ended up adrift at sea

- your emotions and reactions throughout the experience
- how you were rescued.

The sun peeked out above the horizon, warmly greeting me as I happily paddled out into
the open water in my little, wooden dinghy. That morning, when I snuck out, the rest of the
house was still cocooned in peaceful slumber. We had been on vacation on this picturesque
island for almost a week now and had yet to feast on freshly caught fish. We had all thus far
been unlucky in snagging any fish at all, not even a sardine. I was determined to be the one to
bring the prize home. “This catch will make me a king among my cousins!” I thought
gleefully as I finally reached what I hoped was a fruitful spot. Plunk! I cast my line out,
stretched my tanned limbs and basked in the morning glow as the emerging sun transformed
the fluffy wispy clouds from peachy pink to cotton white and the aquamarine water gently
lapped against the sides of my boat. Patiently, I waited for a nibble on the freshly-dug, juicy
worm at the end of the sharp silver hook submerged in the jewelled water.

Shortly after, the growling beast in my stomach reminded me that I did not yet have
breakfast, but surely my hunger would be worth it when I hauled a gigantic kingfish back to
loving my family. As time wore on, I began to feel fatigued from my lack of nourishment, but
I persevered, hoping that I would strike gold at any moment. Suddenly, I felt it – a strong tug
on my nylon line! “Ah ha!” I thought smugly, “This is it! The jackpot!” Firmly,I planted my
feet on the smooth floor of the boat and eagerly began to reel in the line. However, I was met
with great resistance and had to put all my strength into hauling my catch in. “This must be a
behemoth!” I exclaimed gleefully. At that very moment, the creature tugged with such
ferocity that my line snapped, and I fell backwards, arms flailing wildly.

Eventually I groggily opened my eyes, and came to the stark realisation that I was adrift on
an ocean with utterly no sight of land. An expanse of blue water stretched in every direction
as the boat bobbed helplessly in the waves like a toy in a bathtub. A dull throbbing in the
back of my head jogged my memory as I prodded the sore spot with shaky fingers. When the
fish broke my line, I fell and hit my head on the side of the boat. Evidently, I must have been
unconscious for some time as dark clouds loomed menacingly in an iron grey sky.
Disoriented and faint from hunger and thirst, I desperately cast my eyes around, looking
fruitlessly for some landmark to make my way back to shore. The once calm sea now
battered relentlessly against my diminutive craft. Boom! Thunder roared like a mighty lion
as bright forks of lightning danced across the bleak seascape. My heart dropped to my
stomach as the cold hands of fear gripped my trembling limbs. Frantically, I looked around
the dinghy, anxiously seeking any tool that would prove useful to my predicament. My
parents’ stern warnings now rang loudly in my ears, “Don’t ever go out into the water alone.”
Oh, how I fervently wished I had heeded their words!

Just when I thought my situation could not get any worse, to my dismay, I spotted a grey
triangular fin, slicing through the choppy water, circling my boat as though honing in on its
vulnerable prey. The savage beast began to ram the flimsy vessel, and suddenly the boat was
tossed into the sky by a colossal wave, toppling me into the freezing water, making me easy
prey for the ravenous man-eating predator. I plunged into the icy abyss, momentarily blinded
as the saltwater stung my eyes. My survival instincts awoke and I kicked my legs furiously as
I struggled to keep my head above water, eyeing the shark’s fin as it drew nearer. I closed my
eyes and muttered a silent prayer as I realised the story of my life had come to a premature
end.

Suddenly I felt strong hands grabbing me and I was hoisted out of the jaws of death. Relief
washed over me as I recognised the Coast Guard uniform of my benevolent rescuer. As I
was swathed in a huge fluffy towel, I was informed by Officer Jones that my parents had
alerted them of my disappearance, as the missing dinghy was indicative of my poorly
thought-out plan. The happy reunion with my joyful family was followed by a much-
deserved tongue-lashing from my worried parents as they reprimanded me for my reckless
actions. Whilst I can put on a brave face when I recount my ocean misadventure, my insides
quiver when I recollect that I was so close to becoming shark bait.