The sea is extremely choppy - there are high waves and a howling wind. A sailor in his dinghy has been caught in the storm and is clearly in trouble. Zoom in on the cliff-top where Jo and Petunia are enjoying a picnic. He has a pair of binoculars and she is holding an ice cream cone, which she licks, noisily…

Petunia:

Oh, it's ever so nice and peaceful up here, Jo. Nice view, too.

Jo:

Aye, very nice, Petunia. And look at that nice little boat. He's having a lot of fun out there in his little dingy [sic]. That's what they call them, you know, "sailing dingies".

Petunia:

Aren't they nice people at our hotel, Jo?

Jo:

Heh-heh! Hello, now he's splicing his main brace.

Petunia:

Though I don't think the man on table number six is very nice.

Jo:

Do you think he's in trouble, Petunia?

Petunia:

Oh no, Jo. He's just enjoying himself on holiday.

Jo:

Oh, he's decided to have a swim.

Sailor is tossed overboard

Now he's going to climb back again. I expect that water's a bit cold, don't you?

Sailor is tossed overboard again

Oh, he's changed his mind. Now he's waving to us. Coo-eee! I can't say I recognise him, though.

Petunia:

Well he must know us. Maybe he's the gent on table number six?

Jo:

No, it's not him he's mu... Oh! Now he's shouting. Er... LOVELY DAY, IN'T IT?

Sailor:

HELP! HELP! Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Jo:

I can't hear a word he's saying, you know.

Jo reads the speech bubble above the sailor's head

Jo:

"HELP!! - DIAL 999 AND ASK FOR THE COASTGUARD"

Well, I never!

Jo rushes to the telephone box and calls the coastguard

Sailor:

If you see a boat you think maybe in distress...

"DIAL 999 AND ASK FOR THE COASTGUARD".

You can see this Public Information Film on
the "Charley Says..." video and DVD.

 This film was updated and re-issued in 2006. Gone are Jo's knotted hankie headgear and Petunia's union flag bag. And instead of dashing to a phone box, Jo now calls for help on his mobile phone. Compare the 21st-century version of the Coastguard film with the original from 1968 for yourself at the COI Fillers website.

Links to other pages in the PIFs section...

• PIFs: Contents in Full
• Introduction / Videos
• Download and Play Area 1
• Download and Play Area 2
• Your Memories

• Charley Says... Strangers
• Jo & Petunia: Coastguard
• Jo & Petunia: Acceptance of The Country Code
• Pelican Pedestrians

• Teenagers Learn To Swim
• Teach Them To Swim with Rolf Harris
• Road Testing the Pedestrian
• Grown-Ups and Road Sense
• Lonely Water

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