The Junior Nektons

The Junior Nektons is the sixteenth episode of Season 1, and the sixteenth episode overall.

Synopsis
"Ant and Fontaine are sure they can control some young fans visiting the Aronnax. But when they have to rescue a whale calf, success depends on them and all the hyperactive kids working well together. What could go wrong?"

Plot
On the Aronnax the Nektons are getting ready for the arrival of some eight-year olds part of the group known as the Junior Nektons. Ant is making sure Jeffery "behaves" while Fontaine maps out the schedule. Will and Kaiko are nervous about Ant and Fontaine looking after some eight-year olds since they don't always work together. The Junior Nektons arrive by helicopter. They consist of a nauseous boy named Alan, an enthusiastic girl named Charlie and twin boys Ted and Todd.

Once onboard the Junior Nektons start interacting well with the others. Charlie admires Fontaine and makes seabird calls for her (since it said on Fontaine's profile that she liked seabirds) while Alan feeds Jeffery. The Aronnax then reaches the annual sperm whale migration and the Junior Nektons are amazed. Ant explains that part of the Nektons' conservation efforts is tracking the whales using electronic trackers they place on them. Will and Kaiko take the Rover to do just that. After the tracker is placed Alan sees something on radar which turns out to be a driftnet right in the path of the whales. Knowing that whales can drown from swimming into driftnets Will and Kaiko race to cut it before the lead whales arrive. Back on the Aronnax, Alan sees a baby whale tangled in lobster pods, unable to reach the surface to breath. Ant and Fontaine decide to handle it.

Ant takes the White Knight out to help the calf, when he reaches them the mother understands he wants to help the calf but the calf doesn't and hits the White Knight with itss tail when Ant tries to untangle him, causing Ant to hit the sea floor. Will and Kaiko reach the driftnet which is bigger then anticipated with only eight minutes before the lead whales arrive they start cutting. Ant seeing no other options decides to bring the calf aboard to cut him free tells Fontaine to open the moon pool and prepare the harness, knowing that the calf won't like it and the mother will hate it Ant acts quick, Fontaine decides to let the Junior Nektons help. Once the calf is aboard Ant and Fontaine start cutting the lobster pods off while Ted and Todd keep the calf moisturised and Alan monitors its vitals all while the mother is pounding at the Moon Pool door.

Will, using a knife, continues cutting through the driftnet but they only have three minutes before the whales reach them. Back on the Aronnax, Charlie almost gets hit by the calf's tail. Fontaine (having been annoyed by her bird calls) yells at Charlie to move away, Charlie runs off crying. Ant finally gets the calf free and lowers it back into the water but the moon pool door is unable to open due to the mother whale damaging it. At the driftnet, Kaiko uses the Rover to pull the net tight while Will swims straight down cutting through the remaining tethers all at once just as the whales pass through. Will then finds a tag that shows the fishing company. Realizing they can't hear the mother whale anymore Ant starts to run out of ideas, Fontaine goes to look for Charlie, Alan tells Ant that he's the reason he became interested in the ocean in the first place and he, along with Ted and Todd, remind Ant to "have faith in the fish". Ant then has an idea. Fontaine finds Charlie on the bridge and apologizes to her telling her that she learned how hard it is to look after kids, Charlie in return says she's learned how to mimic the sound of an adult and baby whale. After hearing this, Fontaine realizes that Charlie may have just saved the day.

Ant gets into the White Knight and tells Alan to flood the moon pool room so that there is enough pressure to force the moon pool door open. Fontaine tells Charlie that they can use her whale calls to try and bring the mother whale back using the Aronnax's outer speaker. Using the White Knight's laser, Ant is able to bend the door back allowing it to open normally. Alan then opens it but the extra water causes a whirlpool to form, which allows the calf to swim out but sucks Alan, Ted and Todd into the ocean. Ant is able to retrieve them with the White Knight. After calling several times, Charlie is able to bring the mother whale back and the calf is reunited with her, The mother then shows a sign of gratitude by taking Alan, Ted and Todd for a "ride" on her fin back to the Aronnax. Will and Kaiko return in time to witness this.

As the Junior Nektons start to leave Will informs the others that the fishing company has moved the driftnet after he tracked them down from the tag. Ted and Todd say goodbye, Charlie finishes some bird sounds for Fontaine and Alan reminds Ant to have "faith in the fish".

Characters

 * The Nekton Family
 * Antaeus Nekton
 * Fontaine Nekton
 * Kaiko Nekton
 * William Nekton
 * Jeffrey
 * The Junior Nektons
 * Charlie
 * Ted and Todd
 * Allen

Trivia

 * A running gag in the episode are the Nektons unable to tell Ted or Todd apart.