High adventure under the low seas, as one extraordinary boy, finds his destiny. Andee the Aquanaut becomes the greatest eco-warrior of all time.
This fast action story will appeal to children ages 8 through 16 as it takes them through Andee's transf...
Andee awoke on his bed of dry seaweed and decided to explore more of his island home. He jumped and somersaulted into the water. As soon as he hit the surface, his suit appeared.
Amazing, he thought as he powered up toward the sunlight and out into the warm currents of the coral reef.
The reef teemed with life. Red algae bloomed while seahorses swayed in the sea-grass. Clownfish hid in their sea anemone homes and pufferfish blew themselves up to the size of balloons. Stingrays' wings rippled across the sand while reef sharks hunted in search of prey.
"What a fantastic place. I'm going to circle the entire island, making sure all my marine friends are safe." As he traveled around the island, he soon realized something. "Wow!" It's shaped like a giant star! Just like the ones I used to see at night before bedtime. I shall call my new home Star Island." He smiled to himself.
In and out he swam along the star-like arms of the reef.
He motored along an outstretched arm into the shallows before deciding to climb out onto the rocks to explore the land. As he lifted himself out of the water, his suit slowly disappeared. In its place, his favorite blue boardshorts with a white stripe down the sides emerged. He smiled as he jumped over rockpools.
Star Island was as stunning as he remembered from the first day he'd woken up on the sand, stranded, after the storm. The beautiful birdlife and colorful plants and palms were plentiful, creating a paradise with parrots and cockatiels squawking and abundant cacti blooming alongside vibrant flowers and vinery.
I wish Tingo and Tango could see the island from this point of view, he thought.
In the center of Star Island, Andee spied a rock face which looked to be the highest point of the land.
"I'm going to climb up so I can see for miles around," he said. He clambered to the top, which was even higher than the resident coconut trees.
"It really is shaped like a star!" He beamed, surveying his surroundings.
Andee could see as far as the blue horizon in every direction. It was an incredible sight. But something strange caught his eye. Things like giant boulders were moving through the water toward Star Island.
What are they? He wondered.
Quickly, he scaled down the rock face, then ran barefoot through the palms toward the shoreline, in the direction of the giant boulders. He jumped, somersaulted, and dove into the sea without any hesitation.
As he propelled through the water in the direction of the boulders, the sea filled with dark shadows. Something monstrous loomed in front of him.
Andee gasped! It was a turtle ... a giant beast heading straight for him!
To avoid being crushed, he darted to one side. "Phew! That was lucky! I almost got bulldozed!"
Hundreds of giant turtles were marching in formation. The sound of them roaring through the ocean was deafening. Andee was careful not to be swiped by their enormous feet so he wouldn't be squashed like an ant!
He gripped his ears, as they started chanting loudly, "Oooooh Oh, Oooooh Oh, Oooooh Oh." The sound was haunting, booming under the sea.
"WHO ARE YOU?" bellowed a voice.
Andee couldn't believe his ears.
"WHO ARE YOU?" it boomed again.
"I am Andee, Andee the Aquanaut," replied Andee in a shaky voice.
"What business do you have with the Giant Turtles of Star Island? Don't you know these waters are forbidden to humans?" rumbled the turtle.
"Well, I'm not just a normal human," said Andee confidently. "I'm Andee the Aquanaut, Guardian of the Great Seas; Protector of all Marine Life and Friend to all Dolphins."
"Hmmm," grumbled the giant turtle, then started to laugh, "Ha, ha, ha! How could such a small boy like you be the Protector of all Marine Life? Ha, ha, ha."
And, like a chorus, all the giant turtles laughed together. Andee slammed his hands over his ears. The sound was positively deafening! "It's true," he shouted over the roars. "I've been to the Lost City. I'm the Chosen One."
"The Lost City?" grunted the giant turtle. The laughter stopped. "How do you know about the Lost City?"
"The dolphins helped me in the beginning, and the Wise White Dolphin confirmed it," shouted Andee.
"Hmmm," mumbled the turtle.
All the turtles muttered to one another. Andee couldn't make out what they were saying. "Hello? What are you talking about? Hey!" Andee snapped impatiently.
Finally, the giant leader spoke once more. "Maybe you could be of use to us, Andee the Aquanaut. Why don't you climb onto my shell, and we'll go ashore?"
"Alright!" Andee punched his fist with excitement, then swam over and clung onto the giant shell of the turtle. "This is great! It's like riding on a mountain. Wooohooo!" he hollered.
The turtles strode forward. "Oooooh Oh, Oooooh Oh, Oooooh Oh," they chanted as they marched up the sand.
"Every year we come to Star Island to lay our eggs, Andee," explained the giant turtle. "Star Island is the only place where giant turtles are born. While we are an ancient species, we are also a threatened one.
"Really? Andee opened his arms. "Why? You're giants, and giants aren't afraid of anyone!"
"Every year, after our eggs are laid, we bury them in the sand, under cover of night, and we leave to go back to the deep ocean from where we came. Our eggs are very vulnerable. Each year, hundreds are stolen. We need someone to guard our eggs until they hatch. Will you help us, Andee?" the giant turtle asked politely.
"Of course! Your eggs are vulnerable. Yes, I would be honored to help you," agreed Andee. "I'm Andee the Aquanaut, and Star Island is my home. I shall protect your eggs as if my life depended on it."
The turtles conferred further, and the giant turtle spoke once more. "Good, that's settled, then. Andee the Aquanaut, you will guard our eggs for us. The Giant Turtles of Star Island will be most grateful to you and will forever be a friend to Andee the Aquanaut."
Later that night, under a blanket of stars, the turtles dug holes in the sand. Andee watched in amazement at how delicate these enormous creatures were in laying their eggs in the sand.
This is a big responsibility, he thought. Maybe I need help.
After the giant turtles finished laying their eggs, they made their way down the beach, following a moonlight track out to sea. "Remember, Andee, we are counting on you," said the turtles.
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Striding into the deep blue sea, they all chanted as they crashed into the waves. "Oooooh Oh, Oooooh Oh, Oooooh Oh."
