Ghost Whisperer 2
Copyright© 2026 by Duncan7
Chapter 4: Snorkeling
The next morning Ed and Ellen awoke together.
“Good morning, dear,” said Ed.
“So, are you ready for snorkeling today?”
“After breakfast, I am.”
They got up and did their morning routine. Ed dressed in swim trunks and a shirt. Ellen wore a swimsuit and a robe over it.
They walked out of their suite arm in arm and proceeded to the aft bridge deck. The sun was already rising, and Mystic was anchored a distance from the beach. It was going to be a warm day.
Florence greeted them with a smile, a pot of coffee, and mugs. Her uniform was crisp and immaculate as usual.
Ed and Ellen sat at their table and sipped their coffee.
“Ah, perfect!” said Ed.
“Chef suggested Eggs Benedict for your breakfast. Or we can arrange whatever you’d like,” said Florence.
“So far Chef has been spot on. I’ll try her Eggs Benedict, please,” said Ellen.
“Same for me, please.”
Florence departed with their orders.
“I think our staff are conspiring to pamper us,” said Ed.
“Or they’re hoping to earn a bonus. Just remember no tipping. We’re their employers, not their customers. At the end of our cruise, we can decide on any bonuses.”
“Agreed, dear.”
Soon, Florence returned with their breakfast. She put the plates on the table in front of them.
“We’ve given this classic a Caribbean twist. A seared slice of fresh mahi-mahi instead of ham, and mango salsa on the side. It’s served with Caribbean-style fried plantain instead of hash browns.”
“Oh, wow!” said Ellen. “That looks scrumptious.”
A second server arrived with two drinks on a tray. Florence took them and placed them on the table.
“I know you enjoy your coffee, but this is fresh passion fruit juice.”
“Thank you, Florence,” said Ellen.
Moments later, the staff were gone.
“Mm, this is too good!” said Ed.
All conversation halted while they savored their breakfast.
After breakfast, Ed and Ellen walked down to the swim platform at the stern. Someone had arranged seating and sunshades for them.
Max, the bodyguard, was preparing a motor launch.
“Ma’am, I understand you’re going snorkeling. I’ll be in the launch, between you and the shore, to keep away unwanted guests. I’m also trained in lifesaving and CPR, should the need arise,” he said.
“Thank you, Max,” said Ellen. Max moved the launch away from Mystic and took up position.
A deckhand gave them masks, flippers, and snorkels. “Sir, my name is Ramon. I’ll be keeping watch from Mystic, in case you need anything,” he said.
Ed sat and put on his flippers. Ellen followed his lead.
“I’ve not done this before in Seattle, as the water is much colder there.”
“Me too.”
“Excuse me, do you need some instruction?” asked Ramon.
Soon, he explained the basics to them.
Ed jumped into the water and waited for Ellen.
Looking into the water through his mask was amazing. The water was so clear, and he could see many tropical fish.
They just paddled around on the surface for a while. It looked like the water was about twenty feet deep by Ed’s reckoning.
Just then, a dolphin approached him. It stopped on the surface a few feet from him.
“It looks like you’re having fun,” said O’win, the dolphin.
“Yes, I’ve not done this before. It’s awesome!”
“My pod are keeping watch around you.”
“Keeping watch?” asked Ed.
“For anything unfriendly. We encourage sharks and the like to go elsewhere.”
“Oh, thanks!”
“Would you like some help? You could hold my fin and I can tow you around.”
“Sure. What about Ellen?”
O’win called out, and soon a second dolphin arrived. Ed explained to Ellen what was about to happen.
O’win swam close to Ed, and he took hold of his dorsal fin. Soon they dived and zoomed around underwater. The only challenge was holding his breath.
Eventually, Ed tapped O’win gently, and they surfaced by the stern of Mystic.
Ramon looked worried. “Sir, I couldn’t see where you went.”
“It’s okay, our friends were taking us for a ride.”
Ellen swam over to the ladder, and Ramon helped her climb aboard. Ed followed her up the ladder.
“Thank you for the ride, O’win!”
“No problem. We’ll be around the area for the rest of the day,” said O’win.
The dolphins left. Ed walked over to Ellen, who sat on a sun lounger and sipped a drink.
Ed sat nearby. He noticed Max in the motor launch, scanning the beach with binoculars.
“That was a wild ride,” said Ellen.
“It was. They’re our friends. They were keeping a perimeter watch for sharks for us.”
“That’s nice of them.”
Florence arrived with a drink on a small serving tray. Ed took the drink; it was more passion fruit.
Ramon adjusted the sunshades to provide partial shade for them. “You don’t want too much sun on your first time out.”
“Thank you, Ramon,” said Ellen.
They sat in the warmth and shade together. Ellen lay back on her sun lounger. Ed sat there, wondering how incredible his life had become.
“Hello, Ed? Might you be able to help us?” It was O’win at the edge of the swim platform.
Ed jumped up and walked to the edge of the swim platform. “What is it? How can I help?”
“My pod encountered a turtle; it’s caught up in some fishing net.”
“Sure, I can help. Is it far from here?”
“Not far,” said O’win.
Ed waved at Max to return to Mystic. He turned to Ramon.
“Please, can you get me a knife? I have to free a turtle from some fishing net.”
Shock overwhelmed Ramon. “You can talk with dolphins??”
“Now, please!”
Ramon hurried to get the knife.
“Ellen, I have to go help a turtle. I won’t be long,” said Ed.
Max pulled up alongside as Ramon returned, holding a divers knife in a sheath.
“Thank you, Ramon. Max, I need a ride. Follow that dolphin.”
O’win swam off, followed by Max and Ed in the launch. Within a few minutes, they came to a stop. Ed could see the turtle on the surface, tied up in netting. Several dolphins pushed him to the side of the launch.
“O’win, please keep him beside the boat. I’ll work as fast as I can.”
Ed leaned over and worked to cut away the netting. Max leaned on the opposite side of the launch to stop the launch from tipping. He also talked into a walkie-talkie, explaining the situation to Mystic.
The serrated edge of the knife worked best. He sawed back and forth, cutting strands of netting.
“Hey, O’win! Once the turtle is free, help me gather all this netting. I’ll make sure it doesn’t cause trouble again,” he said.
“Sure thing, Ed!”
Ed had to avoid the turtle biting him, as the turtle didn’t understand. Too bad it wasn’t a talking turtle.
Eventually, he cut the last strand, and the turtle paddled free. Then, several dolphins brought bits of netting to Ed. He took it all inside the launch.
Ed sat back, breathing heavy. “We just saved a turtle’s life!”
Max smiled and nodded, “That was something else. You can talk with dolphins?”
“Just one dolphin. He asked for my help.”
Ed turned to O’win, “Please move back, we’re going back now.”
One by one, the dolphins moved back. Max pushed the throttle forward, and they motored back to Mystic.
Max pulled alongside the swim platform. Ed climbed aboard.
“All done?” asked Ellen.
Ed handed the knife back to Ramon. “Yes. Mission accomplished.”
He walked back to sit beside Ellen.
“You always keep things interesting,” she said.
In the afternoon, Ed and Ellen returned to their suite.
“That was a fun adventure,” said Ellen.
“Yes. I enjoyed riding with the dolphins.”
“Perhaps they’ll offer it again another day.”
Ed looked at his bedside table and his phone on a wireless charger.
“Oh, looks like I got a message on my phone.”
“You’d better play it,” said Ellen.
Ed picked up his phone and played the message on speaker: “Ed, this is Washta. I got a call from Abey; she said her dog was upset and could you call to sort him out. Her number is...”
Ed dialed the number.
“Hello?” Ed recognized the voice of Abey’s mother.
“Hello, this is Ed. I learned from Washta that Abey wanted to talk with me,” said Ed.
“Just a minute.”
Ed waited. Ellen looked at him, so he shrugged.
“Hello, Ed?”
“Yes, I’m in Dominica in the Caribbean. How can I help you?”
“It’s Adam. He’s gotten so agitated. Could you talk with him?”
“Sure. Put me on speaker.”
“Okay. Go ahead,” she said.
“Adam, this is Ed. I’m far away from you. What’s the matter?”
“Ed, is that you? Where did you go?? Did something happen??”
(Of course, they both sounded like barking and growling. Italic = Abey on the phone, Blue = Adam on the phone)
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