Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX, Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network, since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, and recreational investment and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally, as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. You'll find true real estate professionals at IanLindsay.ca.

Eddie Van Haddock & The Rockfish: In a little town by the sea where the stories never end, lived Captain Dave and his crew, every child's favorite friend. With a smile as wide as the ocean and a heart that's full of dreams, he sails a mellow submarine where magic gleams and beams. Every morning at sunrise, when the world awakes anew, Captain Dave and his crew set sail in waters deep and blue. Through the ticking clock of time, where adventures come alive, they laugh and learn and play each day in their underwater dive.

Dave Graham: Dave Graham:
Deep beneath the sparkling blue waters of the sailors’ sea, a bright yellow submarine bobbed gently with the current. This wasn’t just any submarine — this was The Mellow Submarine, the friendliest vessel in all the ocean.

Its round portholes looked like happy eyes, and painted on its side in swirly purple letters were the words S.S. Mellow. Inside the submarine, Captain Dave adjusted his captain’s hat, which was decorated with colourful seashells he’d collected on his many adventures. His beard was as fluffy as sea foam, and his eyes twinkled like sunlight on water.

He was looking at a special poster that had arrived that morning, delivered by Stella from the Starfish Postal Service.

“First Mate Larry!” Captain Dave called out in his jolly voice. “Come look at this!”

Larry the lobster scuttled over, his bright-red shell gleaming under the submarine’s cozy lights. Larry wore a tiny sailor’s cap between his antennae and a blue neckerchief around his middle. He was the best first mate any captain could ask for — always cheerful, always helpful, and excellent at organizing things with so many legs.

“What is it, Captain?” Larry asked, climbing up onto the navigation table to get a better look.

Captain Dave held up the poster. It showed a picture of happy children and toys, with big letters that said:

Tigh-Na-Mara Toy Drive for SOS — Help Bring Joy to Children This Holiday Season

“Oh my!” exclaimed Larry, his antennae wiggling with excitement. “A toy drive! That sounds wonderful!”

“Indeed, it does, my friend,” said Captain Dave, stroking his fluffy beard thoughtfully. “And look here — it says they’re collecting toys at Tigh-Na-Mara, overlooking Rathtrevor Beach. That’s not far from here at all.”

Larry did a little happy dance, clicking his claws together.
“We should help, Captain! We should bring them a toy!”

Captain Dave’s face lit up like a lighthouse.
“What a splendid idea! But what toy should we bring?”

Just then, Penny the penguin waddled into the control room. Penny was the communications officer, and she always wore a pair of yellow rubber boots that squeaked when she walked.

“Did someone say toy drive?” she asked, her beak clicking with curiosity.

“Yes,” said Captain Dave. “We’re going to bring a toy to the children at the Tigh-Na-Mara Toy Drive.”

Penny flapped her flippers with joy.
“Oh, how wonderful! I know just the thing — remember that beautiful remote-controlled sailboat we bought and stored in the storage room?”

The sailboat was indeed special. It had been carefully painted with bright blues and reds, with real cloth sails and tiny ropes that actually worked. It even had a little captain figure at the wheel wearing a hat just like Captain Dave’s.

“Perfect!” exclaimed Captain Dave. “Children love boats. Let’s take it to Rathtrevor Beach and to Tigh-Na-Mara!”

The Mellow Submarine buzzed with activity as everyone prepared for the special mission. Ollie the octopus, who was in charge of maintenance, checked all the submarine systems with his eight helpful arms. He polished the periscope until it sparkled and made sure the submarine’s special beach-landing wheels were working properly.

“All systems are shipshape!” Ollie reported, saluting with three arms at once.

Larry checked their navigation charts, plotting the best course to Rathtrevor Beach.
“We’ll need to go through the Kelp Forest Passage, around Seal Rock, and past Friendly Whale-Watching Point,” he announced, marking the route with his claw.

“Don’t forget to pack snacks!” called out Bubbles the blowfish from the kitchen. Bubbles was the submarine’s chef, and she always made sure everyone was well fed on their journeys. She packed a basket with sea-cucumber sandwiches, kelp chips, and her special ocean-berry juice.

Captain Dave put on his best adventure jacket — the one with pockets for important captain things like his compass, his whistle, and his collection of lucky sea glass.

“All right, crew,” he announced. “Let’s set sail for Rathtrevor Beach!”

“Aye-aye, Captain!” everyone cheered together.

The Mellow Submarine glided smoothly through the underwater world. Schools of silvery fish parted before them like curtains, and curious seals swam alongside, doing playful barrel rolls past the portholes.

“Oh look!” squeaked Penny, pressing her beak against the window. “There’s Walter!”

Walter the wise old whale floated near Friendly Whale-Watching Point, as he often did. He was enormous and grey with kind eyes and barnacles on his chin that looked like a wise grandfather’s beard.

Captain Dave slowed the submarine and popped open the top hatch.

“Ahoy there, Walter!” Captain Dave called out.

“Well, hello there, Captain Dave!” Walter’s deep voice rumbled like distant thunder. “Where are you and your crew headed today?”

“We’re on a special mission to deliver a toy to the Tigh-Na-Mara Toy Drive at Rathtrevor Beach,” Larry explained proudly.

Walter’s huge face broke into a smile.
“How wonderful. Giving gifts to children is one of the most special things you can do. Would you like me to guide you through the currents? They’re a bit tricky today.”

“That would be most helpful, friend,” Captain Dave replied gratefully.

With Walter leading the way, the submarine made excellent time. The great whale knew all the best currents and the smoothest paths through the underwater valleys.

Soon they reached the sandy slope leading up to Rathtrevor Beach.

“This is as far as I can go,” Walter said. “But I’ll wait here to hear all about your adventure when you return.”

“Thank you, Walter!” the crew called out together.

Captain Dave engaged the submarine’s special beach-landing wheels — big wide wheels that could roll across sand without getting stuck.

The Mellow Submarine slowly emerged from the water, dripping and gleaming in the sunshine.

What a sight it was! Families building sandcastles stopped to stare and wonder. Children ran over, their eyes wide with amazement.

“It’s a submarine!” one little boy shouted.

“A yellow submarine!” added a girl with pigtails.

Captain Dave opened the main hatch and climbed out, waving cheerfully.
“Ahoy there, land friends!”

Larry scuttled out behind him, carefully carrying the wrapped present. Penny followed, her rubber boots squeaking on the ladder.

“Are you pirates?” asked a small child holding a bucket of seashells.

Captain Dave laughed, his belly shaking like jelly.
“No, no — we’re not pirates. We are underwater explorers, and we’ve come to bring a toy for the toy drive!”

An adult approached — Mrs. Marina, a Toy Drive volunteer. She wore a bright badge that said Toy Drive Volunteer, and she had the kindest smile.

“How extraordinary!” Mrs. Marina exclaimed. “You came all the way from under the sea to donate a toy!”

“Indeed we did,” said Captain Dave proudly. “We believe every child deserves a special gift, and when we heard about your Toy Drive for SOS, we knew we had to help.”

Larry held up the beautifully wrapped sailboat.
“We brought this sailboat. We hope a child will love it.”

Mrs. Marina’s eyes grew misty.
“This is so thoughtful. Would you like to bring it inside and perhaps meet the other volunteers?”

The crew followed Mrs. Marina into Tigh-Na-Mara. Inside were mountains of donated toys — dolls, trucks, puzzles, books, and games of every kind. Volunteers were sorting them into boxes labelled by age group.

“Everyone, meet Captain Dave and his crew from the Mellow Submarine!” Mrs. Marina announced.

The volunteers greeted them warmly. There was Mr. Tom, dressed as an elf, and Miss Sophie, wearing reindeer antlers. A group of children helping sort toys gathered around Larry, amazed by his bright-red shell and moving antennae.

“Can you really breathe underwater?” one child asked.

“Oh yes,” Larry replied, doing a little dance that made the children giggle. “And I can walk sideways, backwards — and even do this!” He spun in a silly circle.

Penny showed the children how she could slide on her belly, which they thought was the best thing ever. Even Ollie, who was usually shy, came out to juggle seashells using all eight arms at once.

Captain Dave carefully placed the sailboat in a special box.
“I hope whoever receives this has grand adventures with it,” he said warmly.

“Would you like to help us sort more toys?” asked Miss Sophie. “We could really use extra hands — or claws — or tentacles — for the next hour.”

The submarine crew helped organize toys. Larry tied ribbons, Ollie sorted eight toys at a time, and Penny stacked boxes with her strong flippers. Captain Dave told stories of their underwater adventures to keep everyone entertained.

As the sun began to lower, painting the sky orange and pink like a beautiful seashell, Mrs. Marina clapped her hands together.

“Thanks to everyone’s help — especially our special underwater friends — we’ve sorted all the toys. We now have enough to make sure every child supported by SOS will receive something special this holiday season.”

A little girl tugged on Captain Dave’s jacket.

“Mr. Captain… will you come back and visit us again?”

Captain Dave knelt to her level, his eyes twinkling.
“Of course we will, little one. The ocean and the land are neighbours. Neighbours should always help each other.”

“And,” added Larry, “we heard there’s going to be a summer beach cleanup. We’ll definitely come help with that!”

As stars twinkled in the darkening sky, it was time to return to the sea. Walter was waiting, and they needed to get home before the tide changed.

“Thank you for your donation — and your help,” Mrs. Marina said, shaking Captain Dave’s hand. “You’ve shown everyone that kindness can come from the most unexpected places — even from beneath the waves.”

The crew waved goodbye as the submarine rolled toward the water. Children ran alongside, calling:

“Goodbye! Come back soon!”

As the submarine slipped beneath the waves, the last thing the land friends saw was its periscope — with Captain Dave’s hat hanging from it like a waving flag.

Underwater, Walter was waiting.

“How did it go?” he asked eagerly.

“Oh, Walter, it was wonderful!” Penny exclaimed.
“We made so many new friends!” added Larry.
“And the children loved our stories,” said Ollie.

Captain Dave smiled contentedly as he steered the submarine toward home.

“You know, crew, we did something very special today. We showed that no matter where you come from — land or sea — everyone can help make the world a better place.”

Back in their cozy underwater home, as everyone settled down for the night, Larry asked:

“Captain… do you think the child who gets our sailboat will like it?”

Captain Dave looked out the porthole at the vast, starry ocean.

“Oh, I’m certain of it, Larry. And you know what the best part is? Every time that child plays with that sailboat, they’ll be reminded that someone, somewhere, cared enough to give them something special. That’s the real gift — knowing that kindness exists everywhere, even in places you’d never expect.”

Larry yawned, his antennae drooping sleepily.
“Captain… can we do this again next year?”

“Absolutely, First Mate Larry. In fact, I think we should make it a tradition. The Mellow Submarine will always help when help is needed.”

Weeks later, on a special morning, a young boy opened a present his mother had received from the SOS Community Centre. Inside was the beautiful sailboat — bright blue and red paint, real cloth sails.

His eyes lit up with wonder.

“I’m going to have the best adventures with this boat. And when I grow up, I want to be kind like the people who gave it to me.”

Somewhere deep under the sea, Captain Dave was polishing his compass when he felt a warm feeling in his heart. He didn’t know why, but he had the sense that somewhere, a child was very happy.

Captain Dave smiled to himself and went to check on his crew — already planning their next adventure in helping others.

Eddie Van Haddock & The Rockfish: When the night falls softly, and stars light up the sky, Captain Dave tucks his crew in with a gentle lullaby. Dreams of whales and mermaids, of treasures lush and green, await each little sailor aboard the mellow submarine.

Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX, Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network, since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, and recreational investment and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally, as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. You'll find true real estate professionals at IanLindsay.ca.