J B Crawford

Elof and the Red Grouper J B Crawford

Elof looked out the large window of the shiny Boeing 787 Dreamliner and saw the dramatic peak of snowy, icy Mount Rainier rising from a surrounding sea of clouds. He was on his first cross-country flight to visit his grandfather in DeSoto, a small fishing village on Florida's Gulf Coast. Elof just completed his freshman year at the University of Washington at the early age of 16. His PSAT scores were perfect and UW offered him early admission on full scholarship. His junior year of high school became his freshman year of college. He wants to be an engineer and study aeronautics and astronautics - he wants to be a rocket scientist. Elof learns about his family history from his grandfather and sees how his people helped build the country and keep it safe. The young engineer-to-be serves as a green deckhand on a deep-sea grouper boat in the Gulf of Mexico. He meets 15-year-old Miranda, already an experienced grouper boat crew member. They have many exciting adventures together. Miranda jumps overboard and frees Elof when he is dragged into the water by a fish hook imbedded in his bloody hand. They make a special trip to the 171-year-old Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas, 70 miles out in the Gulf from Key West. They rescue two crew members from a grouper fishing boat struck, burned, and sunk by lightening. Later, they make a trip on land to Cape Canaveral for a special rocket launch. They even visit Snooty, the oldest manatee in the world, at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton. After juicy burgers at Council Smith's, Elof learns humility as Miranda creams him in billiards, running the solids in a single turn and deftly sinking the 8-ball with a solid think against the back of the pocket. Elof and Miranda have a future together. Open these pages and share in the adventures and fun they have as shipmates and sweethearts.