Chapter 4

Breaking

equipment panic grazing hoping

dripping protruding attract struggled

investigate completely tumbled directly

Long e

described breeze feet deep decided really

leaped frenzy appear frantically really feel

R Family

snorkeling shark started ladder circle

forgotten shore anchor occurred horror

Phrases

beautiful white sailboat wide variety of fish

on his shoulder on the radio in trouble now

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Chapter 4

Sailing

Pete came by the next morning to get Barb. They

walked to the dock where Pete’s sailboat was docked.

It was a beautiful white sailboat called “Ocean

Breeze.” It was a twenty-nine footer with a white sail

that had blue and yellow stripes on it. They stepped

onto the “Breeze” and set sail. The boat could really

move quickly with the wind behind it. Barb had never

sailed, so she had to get used to changing sides of the

boat, which is called “tacking,” when Pete moved the

sail to catch the wind.

They sailed for a couple of hours, then Pete

dropped anchor about a mile from shore. The water

was still only about twenty feet deep. They decided to

do some snorkeling. Pete brought out the equipment.

After putting on the fins and masks, they dropped

over the edge of the boat into the water.

Sunlight Tales

22

Pete and Barb took a deep breath and dove to the

ocean floor. They saw a wide variety of fish.

Suddenly Pete saw Barb panic, looking at something

just past him. It was then that he saw it, a twenty-foot

shark. It was coming directly at Barb. The shark

swam by Barb and grazed her arm, which then started

to bleed. Pete knew they were in trouble now, for

blood causes a feeding frenzy in sharks.

He quickly swam to Barb, grabbed her and pulled

her to the surface. Her arm was dripping blood into

the water. He helped her get on the ladder, and she

started to pull herself into the boat. She then saw the

large fin protruding from the water and coming

directly at Pete.

“Get in the boat quickly!” Pete yelled. He then

started to pull himself up the ladder.

“Hurry, Pete! The shark is only a few feet from

you!” yelled Barb. Pete was just about to pull himself

up into the sailboat when there was a big thud, as the

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Sunlight Tales

24

shark rammed the sailboat with the top of its head.

Pete tumbled into the water, and the boat drifted

several feet from him.

Pete froze in the water, hoping that by being still

he wouldn’t attract the shark. He had forgotten that he

had blood on his shoulder. Then he saw the large fin

appear from the front of the sailboat. It was coming at

him.

Barb grabbed an oar and started hitting the water

near the sailboat, hoping to attract the shark. It didn’t

work. The shark went for Pete. It opened its mouth

and went after Pete’s arm and shoulder. Pete struggled

to bring his legs up and pushed off the shark. He then

swam frantically to the boat. The shark turned and

came directly at him.

Barb watched all this in horror. Pete was now five

feet from the “Breeze,” and the shark was above

water with its mouth opened. Barb was so concerned

about Pete that she completely forgot about …. safety.

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She took three giant steps, leaped in the air and …

(3.6)