A Summer Adventure with the Old Salt

This is the story of a young man, Eric, and two friends who boldly leave the world of electronic fun behind and enter the challenging—and often fascinating—realm of real-world experience. They take a trip on a majestic old sailing ship, the Windchaser, whose captain is the highly experienced and amiable "Old Salt." On his shoulder always is not a parrot, but a puffin. "P.B," a charming little sea bird, has a unique way of getting around—wheels, rather than webbed feet. He and the captain are inseparable. Their travels take them into the Blue Whimsey Sea, full of intriguing little islands, a number of which they visit: Sugarcane Island (delightful and full of sweet treats), the top-secret and magical Isle of Dreams (where they meet amazing creatures that are supposedly gone from the earth), and Oyster Island, where raw materials from the sea are made into beautiful handcrafted treasures. In the process of all this they learn a great deal about sailing ships, the sea, each other, and the wild variety of life the sea has to offer. Along the way they are saved from a big storm that threatens to sink the ship by a mysterious and benevolent gigantic fish, adopt a shy little hermit crab, help P.B. to learn to fly, enjoy beautiful beaches and scenery, and are joined by some talented teenagers who make the trip even more interesting, educational, and memorable. Open this book and join the fun on the Windchaser!