Main article: Catch of the Day
Sertori Living Room[]
Suspenseful music on TV, which is showing a Great White Shark
Don and Kim are watching, while Bev sits with them polishing plates
Don: Nasty. You don't wanna mess with one of those.
Kim: Have you ever seen a great white, Dad?
Don: Only once. Took half my catch for the day and shredded my net. You don't mess with 'em. They'll rip ya to bits. Tiny bits. Little teeny weeny bits.
Cleo walks in from the kitchen
Cleo: (whispering) Kim? Kim?
The sisters walk back into the kitchen
Cleo: (whispering) Uh, dishes?
Kim: Ten dollars.
Cleo: What? You only charged five to do 'em yesterday.
Kim: You want me to keep doing your chores? Well, my price has gone up. Besides, I wanna watch TV. Ten dollars.
Cleo: No way.
Kim: What's up with you anyway? I know you're scared of water but this is ridiculous.
Cleo: Fine. Ten
Don: Cleo!
Cleo: I'll pay you later.
Cleo walks into the living room
Don: Check this out. This is the best part. Feeding frenzy.
Cleo: How can you even watch this stuff?
She storms out and Bev and Don watch her go
Swimming on Reef[]
Emma and Rikki swimming together
JuiceNet Café, Outside[]
Emma and Rikki are sitting at a table
Lewis sits down and joins them
Emma: You won't believe it. We've timed ourselves, and guess how long we can hold our breath for?
Lewis: Um…
Emma: Fifteen minutes.
Rikki and Emma high five
Lewis: That's impressive.
Rikki: Yup. It's pretty cool.
Shots of the girls underwater
Emma: We could probably stay down for longer if we really tried.
Rikki: You're on.
Emma: You think you can beat me?
Rikki: I know I can. Bring it on.
Lewis: You guys must be jumping out of your skin about this stuff.
Emma: Yeah. Well, two of us are.
Cleo approaches
Lewis: (loudly) Hey, Cleo. Guess what? These guys can hold their breath for fifteen minutes!
Emma: Lewis!
Rikki: Lewis!
Lewis: Sorry.
Cleo: What's going on?
Emma: We've been, you know, swimming.
Rikki: It's the best thing. The reef is out of this world.
Cleo: That's great. So has anyone been able to finish that calculus homework? Question seven's a nightmare.
Emma: We missed you this morning. Why weren't you answering your phone?
Cleo: And that project on geography. That's due Thursday. We really need to get together on that one.
Rikki: Listen, Cleo, whatever's happened to us is incredible. You've got to come out with us. The water is amazing.
Cleo: I'm not doing it, okay? I didn't ask for any of this to happen to us. So stop bugging me about it, okay?
She gets up and leaves
The others look at each other sadly
School[]
Byron: Hey, Cleo! You've got to come down the beach.
Cleo: (angrily) Why? Why does everyone want me to come down to the beach?
Byron: Hey, chill, all right.
Cleo: Sorry. I'm a bit tense. What's going on?
Byron: I saw the first of this season's turtles laying eggs this morning at the beach. It was amazing.
Cleo: Wow. That's wonderful.
Byron: Yeah, but I heard a rumour that one of them got caught in a fishing net heading back out to sea.
Cleo: Oh! Poor little thing.
Byron: See ya.
He walks off
Cleo gets to her locker
Lewis approaches, smiling at Byron as he goes
Lewis: Hey, Cleo, do you wanna go hang out at the mall later?
Cleo: Busy, sorry.
Lewis: Cleo, look, I know these recent developments have hit you pretty hard, but you can't hide forever. Just because you're a... (looks around, then whispers) mermaid-
Cleo: I am not one of those things. I've never liked the water. And I never will.
She starts to storm off
Lewis: What are you gonna do? What, hide from water for the rest of your life?
She turns back for a moment before continuing away
Outside Science Class[]
Emma and Rikki leave class to greet Lewis
Rikki: You bombed out, right?
Lewis: She's just taking a little time to- Yeah, I bombed out.
Cleo comes down the stairs to see the three talking
They notice her
Lewis: I am pretty sure she doesn't want to talk about it.
Emma: Forget it, Lewis. We can deal with this. It's… a girl thing.
Emma and Rikki leave Lewis and walk up the stairs towards Cleo
Emma: Cleo… about this whole mermaid business.
Cleo: There are more important things in life than seeing how long you can hold your breath for and frolicking with the dolphins.
Rikki: I don't frolic. I glide.
Cleo: Whatever. It's not important. I don't wanna talk about it.
Emma: How can you say that? This is the most amazing thing that's ever happened to us. Probably the most amazing thing that's ever happened to anybody.
Cleo: Well, what about the turtles?
Emma: Turtles?
Cleo: Apparently a sea turtle got caught in a fishing net this morning. That's important.
Rikki: I don't believe this. You're such a hypocrite.
Cleo: Why?
Rikki: Cleo, your dad's a fisherman. His nets are the ones trapping the turtles.
Cleo: That's not true. My dad would never do that.
Rikki: Really?
Cleo storms off
Sertori Kitchen[]
Don: Cleo? Coffee.
She takes the offered mug and sits next to him at the bench
Cleo: Dad? Have you ever caught any sea turtles?
Don: What kind of a question is that?
Cleo: It's simple. Have you ever caught a turtle in one of your fishing nets?
Don: Cleo, you know me. I do what's right. Okay?
Cleo: That's not an answer.
Don: We do everything by the book. We have nets with grids in them. If a turtle comes in, it's directed to an opening. Plus, we fish miles away from the nesting beaches.
Cleo: Well, some of the turtles are still getting caught.
Don: Not by me. And not by any fisherman who's doing the right thing.
Boat on the Water[]
Rikki and Emma swimming
They spot a net with a turtle caught in it
On deck, one of the fishermen is hauling in a net
Eddie comes out of the hut
Eddie: Come on, Jake. We won't meet quota if we don't move it.
Rikki reaches on board and grabs a knife
The girls cut the turtle loose
The men pull up the broken net
Emma and Rikki look on pleased as the turtle swims away
JuiceNet Café[]
Emma and Rikki watching the TV
Newsman: Local fishermen today have been confronted with a possible menace from the deep. Commercial fishermen have reported incidents that may involve a rogue shark. They were lucky to escape injury…
Cleo walks in
Cleo: Hi, guys. What's going on?
Byron: Hey, Cleo. Your dad's on TV.
Don: (on TV) I've fished these waters for a long time and there's only one thing that causes damage like that. A huge rogue shark.
Emma and Rikki look shifty
Newsman: Coming up after the break...
Cleo: Poor Dad.
Rikki: Sorry to have to tell you this, Cleo, but your dad didn't catch a shark, it was a turtle.
Emma: We cut the net to set it free.
Cleo: No way. My dad wouldn't catch turtles.
Emma and Rikki look at each other
Emma: It's true, Cleo. I'm sorry.
Cleo looks upset
Docks[]
Cleo walking up
She enters the cabin of Don’s boat, where he is working
Don: Cleo. I haven't seen you down here for ages. Did you see me on TV? Did I look okay? How about that shark, eh?
Cleo: You don't really know what gets caught in your nets, do you?
Don: Is this about that turtle thing again?
Cleo: Yes.
Don: Cleo. We use the right nets and we fish in the right places. It's the law and we don't break it.
Cleo: I'm really disappointed in you, Dad.
She walks out
Don: Cleo?
Eddie comes into the cabin
Eddie: Boss, didn't know you were back.
Don: It's starting to look like I shouldn't go away.
Eddie: Sorry I lost half the catch.
Don: Well, no one can predict a shark attack, Eddie. Not even me.
Eddie: The net was shredded.
Don: Where is that net, Eddie?
Eddie: I dumped it. What's the point in keeping a wrecked net?
Don looks suspicious
JuiceNet Café[]
Cleo: He denied everything. It's really awful. I mean, what could I say? "I know you're lying, Dad, because my mermaid friends saw you fishing close to the nesting beach."
Rikki: He was using illegal nets too.
Emma: It's true, and they didn't have those grid things in them.
Cleo: This just gets worse and worse. My dad.
Rikki: Well, to be honest, we didn't actually see your dad.
Cleo: But it was his boat, right?
Rikki nods
Docks[]
Lots of activity
Emma and Rikki walking along
Rikki: Great. Every fisherman on this side of the planet is getting psyched to catch that stupid shark.
Eddie overhears
Eddie: Shark? Don't you girls worry. If it's still out there, it's sushi.
He holds up a huge, sharp hook threateningly
Emma and Rikki walk on
Emma: What a circus.
Eddie goes back to sharpening the hook
Emma: They'll be searching everywhere.
Rikki: Wanna risk a swim?
Emma: No way. It's too dangerous with these guys out there. Let's face it, until this cools down, we're grounded.
JuiceNet Café, Outside[]
Cleo standing, leaning against a column sadly
Lewis: I know what you're thinking. Rikki and Emma told me about your dad.
Cleo: Great. So now the whole world knows my dad's a criminal. What would you do, Lewis?
Lewis: I'd change my name and move to the country. But that's just me.
Cleo: You're no help.
Lewis: Oh, come on, at least it takes your mind off the whole, you know, mermaid thing.
Cleo: Okay. I'm scared of it. Is that what you wanted to hear?
Lewis: Cleo, everybody's scared of something. But you, you're amazing. You can do anything.
Cleo: Just because I've got these powers doesn't mean I'm amazing.
She walks off, upset
Lewis: (to himself) I didn't mean the powers.
Cleo’s Bathroom[]
Cleo in the bath, looking angrily at her tail
She sighs
Sertori Kitchen, Evening[]
Kim: Are you going to catch that shark tomorrow, Dad?
Don: Maybe. The council's put out a bounty. Everyone's gonna be looking for it. If we run into it, we'll pick it up.
He sets down a platter of fish
Cleo looks upset
Bev: What's the matter, Cleo?
Cleo: I'm not hungry.
Don: It's fish! Come on, eat.
Cleo: Like I said, I'm not hungry.
Don: I caught it this morning. Fresh from the Esmerelda.
Cleo: The Esmerelda? I thought you were on your own boat this morning.
Don: When you run three boats you gotta be flexible. Gus is in hospital. I'm skippering the Esmerelda till he's back on deck.
Cleo: So you weren't on your boat this morning?
Don: I just explained.
Cleo: So you don't really know what it's been catching or where it's been fishing?
Don: Eddie's skippering for me. I trust his judgement. He wouldn't do anything wrong.
He nods finally at her, then offers his plate back to Bev
Don: Maybe one more? (referring to the food)
Docks[]
Eddie: (shouting) Hurry up. I don't wanna be the last to leave again. We gotta make up for the catch we lost yesterday. So we've got a big day ahead. Cast off. We're headed for Pattersons Beach.
Johnno: Hey, Pattersons Beach is a no-go zone.
Eddie: I'm using the old nets too, Johnno. You got an opinion on that?
Johnno: Yeah, the boss won't want that.
Eddie: There's only one boss on this boat, Johnno, and that's me.
Cleo is watching and listening from the docks
Eddie: Just be quiet and do your job.
The boat starts off and Cleo goes to follow, watching it go
Lewis comes up behind her
Lewis: Cleo? What are you doing here?
She points at the boat
Lewis: What's wrong?
Cleo: They're using the wrong nets and going to the wrong place.
Lewis: Okay?
Cleo: Yes. I'm gonna stop them. Go and tell the others.
Lewis: What?
Cleo: Just go!
Lewis turns away and there is a splash behind him
He turns back, curious
Lewis: Cleo?
The water is still foaming from where she dived in
Lewis: Oh, great.
Underwater, Cleo is struggling, trying to hold her breath and panicking
Then suddenly she gives in, and realises she’s okay
She smiles and swims off
At the boat[]
Eddie: Right, no one slacks off today. Keep your eyes open for that shark.
Johnno: Yeah, the shark's the least of your problems.
Eddie: Any more lip from you, Johnno, you won't have a job. Got it?
Cleo swimming along
At the boat
Eddie driving the boat
He spots a turtle, but continues on
Johnno spots it too and comes inside
Johnno: Hey. There are turtles out there.
Eddie: Yeah? So?
Johnno: So you can't fish here. It's illegal. Don will have your guts.
Eddie: Only if he finds out.
Johnno: You're playing a dangerous game, Eddie.
The radar system beeps, showing a large shape which we know to be Cleo
Eddie: Look at that. That's not a turtle. I'm going about.
Cleo swimming
Radar system beeping
Eddie: Looks more like that shark.
He turns back to Johnno angrily
Eddie: (shouting) Get ready! I don't wanna lose it again.
Cleo swimming
She spots some turtles and the net which is close by
She swims up and gets caught in the net
She starts to struggle and gets more tangled
Gilbert House[]
Lewis runs in
Emma and Rikki come downstairs
Lewis: (shouting) Guys! Guys… Cleo!
Emma: Where is she?
Lewis: (out of breath) She's… she's in the water.
Rikki: At last!
Lewis: No. No…
Rikki: (shouting) Lewis, speak! Like a normal person.
He simply gestures, and they all run out of the front door
Boat[]
Cleo is still struggling in the net
Johnno sees that they’ve caught something
Cleo has tired herself out and is still, having passed out
Johnno runs back into the cabin
Johnno: Yep. You got it, skip. The shark's in the net.
Eddie: Get it up before it rips that net to pieces. It's not getting away this time.
Johnno obliges, and the net starts to rise upwards
Emma and Rikki arrive and spot Cleo
They start to try to untangle her
Eddie: Must be a big one. It's fighting hard.
Emma uses her powers on the coiled metal rope which is pulling in the net
It freezes, crackling
Eddie and Johnno go to look over at it in confusion
Emma and Rikki free Cleo from the net and she wakes back up
They surface, away from the boat
Cleo gasps
Emma: Are you okay?
Cleo: Yeah. I panicked. I didn't know you could hold your breath for so long, but then I remembered what you guys said, and you know what? I lost count at 16 and a half minutes.
Rikki spots the boat close by
Rikki: Later, guys.
They go back underwater and swim off
Docks[]
Don on his boat, he spots Cleo
Don: Cleo? Is something wrong?
Cleo: Dad, I have to tell you something. And you're not going to like it.
The other boat[]
Eddie: (to Johnno) You got rid of the net?
Don: (rounding the corner into the cabin) What net, Eddie?
Eddie doesn't answer
Don: Didn't you hear me, Eddie? I said, what net?
Eddie: The… um… the net that…
Don: Johnno?
Johnno: (coming inside) Yeah?
Don: Why don't you tell me what's been happening here?
Johnno: Happy to, boss.
Sertori Kitchen, Evening[]
Don: I fired him. I trusted Eddie and he broke every rule in the book. I couldn't keep him on after that.
Kim: You're so tough, Dad.
Cleo: The turtles will thank you for it.
Don: How did you know he was using the wrong nets and fishing in the wrong areas?
Cleo: I heard a whisper. Full of mystery, the sea. Right, Dad?
Don: Yeah. Sure.
Cleo: I'm sorry for doubting you, Dad.
She kisses him on the forehead
Her phone rings, she picks it up and walks into the kitchen
Cleo: Lewis? Yep, look, tomorrow morning. There's something I wanna show you.
Beach[]
Lewis, crouched down, is uncovering some eggs
The girls, in their bikinis, arrive
Lewis: Guys, look! Turtle eggs.
Cleo: Oh!
She crouches down
Cleo: Little turtles are so cute. I hope they all make it.
Lewis covers the eggs back up, and stands
Lewis: So, you wanna show me something?
Cleo: Yes, I do. Ready?
She looks at the girls and they all smile before running for the water
Lewis goes to sit down on a rock
The three girls all dive in, leaving Lewis on the rock alone
Lewis: Cool.