Aniib Issaluk

The storm had rolled in fast, faster than I’d expected. I’d been out gathering shellfish along the rocky shore of Vancouver Island, Canada, humming an old whale song under my breath, when the sky shifted. The air grew heavy, and the wind began to howl through the cedars.

The ocean doesn’t forgive carelessness, and I knew better than to linger. I had barely secured my basket when I saw the fishing boat in the distance, its small frame tossed like driftwood. It wasn’t one of ours—none of the Nuu-chah-nulth would be out in weather like this—but the sea doesn’t care who you are or where you come from.

At fifty years old, I’ve seen storms like this before. I ran for my canoe, pulling it down the slick rocks, my hands steady despite the surge of adrenaline. The waves slapped at the shore as if trying to warn me away, but I couldn’t ignore the boat’s struggle.

Paddling out felt like wrestling with a bear. Each wave threatened to upend me, but I leaned into the rhythm, letting my arms and shoulders move as they had since I was a girl. The storm roared around me, rain lashing my face, but I kept my eyes on the boat, now closer and tilting dangerously.

“Hold on!” I shouted, though I doubted they could hear me over the wind. Two figures clung to the side, their faces pale and terrified. As I drew near, I saw one of them—a man—slip, his hands scrambling for a grip.

“Jump!” I yelled, and the man obeyed, plunging into the icy waves. With a sharp turn of my canoe, I pulled him up, the muscles in my arms burning as I heaved him aboard. The second figure, a young woman, was too frightened to move.

The boat was sinking fast. I paddled hard, skimming the edge of the wreckage, and reached for her. She grabbed my arm, her nails digging in, and together we tipped the canoe precariously before she tumbled inside.

By the time we reached the shore, the storm had begun to ease, the sky cracking open to let a sliver of light through. The man and woman sat shivering, their faces full of gratitude.

The ocean had tried to take them, and today, I’d won.