Pelorus Jack
It is sometimes nearly impossible to make some of life’s decisions without the guidance of experience, and at times only the Holy Spirit knows the way we should go.
Pelorus Jack was a dolphin – a Risso’s dolphin, to be exact. He was perhaps the world’s most well-known dolphin other than Flipper, of television fame. However, Flipper was a created character portrayed by many trained dolphins, while Pelorus Jack was a “wild” dolphin that lived in New Zealand.
In 1888, Pelorus Jack began his life’s work as a pilot. No one trained Pelorus Jack, yet somehow he knew that he could guide ships through the swirling waters of the treacherous 6-mile long channel between the two islands that make up New Zealand. For 24 years Pelorus Jack led steamships through that channel. So great was Jack’s fame that Mark Twain and Rudyard Kipling, two renowned writers, traveled to New Zealand just to be on a ship going through that channel. They wanted to see the dolphin and to join in the shout “here comes Pelorus Jack!!”
To perform his task, Pelorus Jack would wait at the mouth of the channel until a ship approached. Then he would carefully swim ahead of the ship, leading it this way and that on a safe course. When he had guided the ship safely through the passageway, Jack returned to the mouth of the channel to await the next one.
In 1904 the New Zealand government passed a law protecting Pelorus Jack.
The fine for harming the dolphin was set at 100 pounds. But in 1912 Pelorus Jack disappeared. No one knows what happened to him.
Pelorus Jack never once asked for wages, went on strike, or was late for work. He was completely dependable for 24 years! What an incredibly dedicated helper he was! The only other pilot as dependable as Pelorus Jack is the one whom Jesus made available to guide us through the treacherous waters of life: the Holy Spirit. He has been on the job for much longer than 24 years and will continue to guide us forever. You can depend on Him.
From Nature Quest
Submitted by Kathleen Ross
Alberta, Canada