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“Duck still wonders about the lands beyond the horizon but he enjoys being with friends most of all and I think he knows that sometimes the best travels are those we can only dream about, don't you?”
― The narrator breaking the fourth wall

All at Sea is the eighteenth episode of the third series.

Plot

Percy and Duck enjoy working at the Docks near the ocean, especially on a clear night. One summer morning, the two engines notice the horizon is packed with sails flapping against the sky. Duck then tells Percy that he wishes he could sail to far away lands but Percy thinks it is silly since he knows engines cannot float. Harold soon arrives and tells the two engines that the boats are competing in the Regatta and that it is his job to hover around in case he is needed. Duck then asks Harold if he has ever been to the horizon, to which Harold says he has and can also land on ships (aircraft carriers), anywhere and at any time.

Duck then goes on talking about the regatta for the rest of the day, leading Percy to lose patience and tells Duck that their rails can take them to all the places they could ever wish to see. Suddenly, the harbour emergency siren goes off; a man taking part in the Regatta had suffered a no-good hand injury and Duck needs to take him to a hospital at the next station. Harold brings the man ashore and Duck quickly races over. Harold states that he would have taken the man to the hospital himself but he needs to stay at sea in case of other emergencies. Duck soon makes his way down the line and arrives at the station, where the grateful sailor is dropped off and Bertie prepares to take him to the hospital. Bertie then compliments Duck, saying that he looks splendid flying along the line and it is no wonder they call him "Great Western". After Bertie drives away, Duck then agrees with Percy that engines are happiest when their wheels are firmly on the rails.

Later that night, Duck notices a shooting star as he and Percy are staying a bit longer at the warm and calm quay. Percy laughs and tells him that it is Harold hovering overhead. Something flutters down towards Duck and his driver manages to catch it. It is a flag from the Regatta that Harold has given to Duck as a present, which Duck sees as kind of Harold and he begins to understand just what an engine needs.

At this point, Duck still dreams about traveling to the horizon but knows that he will never be happier than he is on Sodor with his friends and understands now that sometimes the best travels are those that only exist in dreams.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • According to concept art, this was meant to be the seventeenth episode of the third series.
  • The final scene of this episode was one of David Mitton's favourites in the entire series. He liked it so much that he framed a print of it and gave it to Britt Allcroft, who has also said this is one of her favourite episodes, alongside the first series episode, Down the Mine.
  • The shooting star is represented by a digital video effect, the first such effect to be utilized in the series.
  • Big Mickey, Izzy Gomez, S.S Vienna, Coast Guard and some of the schooner's models from TUGS can be seen. The Bigg City Port's Fire Station building, a large brown building, the steel company and a grey warehouse from TUGS are also present during the Regatta scenes.
  • In the restored version, during the shot of Duck shortly after arriving to see Harold and helping the injured Sailor, the colourful banner in the background is missing and the workman helping the injured sailor is also different.
  • Due to scenes on one particular set across the third series being filmed in one go, the rolling stock at Lower Suddery is in the same position as in Percy, James and the Fruitful Day.
  • This is one of two episodes from the third series that were originally written by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton, the other being Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure.
  • This is the first episode to show the back of Thomas' bunker without the red lining on it.
  • This episode marks Bertie's last speaking role until the fifth series episode, Lady Hatt's Birthday Party.
  • When Harold drops the regatta flag, the same music and sound that was used when he dropped a parachute on Percy in Percy's Promise can be heard.
  • In the Welsh dub of this episode, the writing on the flag which Harold drops on Duck is translated. The flag says "Da Iawn, Dyc", a possibly unintended Duck-centred pun on the Welsh phrase "da iawn, diolch", meaning "very well, thank you".
  • In the scene with Harold on the landing pad, right behind him on one of the sailboats is a cut-out of a locomotive.
  • This episode was never released on DVD in South Korea.

Goofs

  • When Duck's driver holds the Regatta flag, the lighting looks as if it is still daytime.
  • In the shots where Harold is in the sky, some strings can be seen attached to him.
  • When Duck's driver catches the Regatta flag, a strain of hair can be seen.
  • When Percy loses patience with Duck, some of his lining is peeling off.

Quotes

Harold: [lands] Wakey, wakey.
Duck: I'm looking at the boats.
Harold: That's the regatta. Lots of boats. Lots of races. Great fun. I hover around in case I'm needed.
Duck: Do you go to the horizon?
Harold: Yes and beyond.
Percy: I didn't know there was a beyond.
Duck: Do you go to other places at sea?
Harold: Certainly. I can land on ships, you know. Anywhere, anytime. [flies off] Goodbye!

Harold: My job is to stay at sea in case of other emergencies. Otherwise, I would take this gentleman to hospital myself. Must fly. Goodbye!

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Albanian Të gjithë në det
Brazilian Portuguese A regata
Chinese Mandarin 都在海上
Czech Vzhůru na moře
Danish Sa til søs
Dutch De zee
Finnish Kauas merten taa
German Auf See
Greek Το όνειρο της Τζάκι
Hungarian A kikötőben
Italian La regata
Japanese うみをはしりたかったダック
Korean 여행을 꿈꾸는 덕
Latin American Spanish Todos al agua
Norwegian Dra til sjøs
Polish Morze
Romanian Cu toții la mare
Russian Все на море
Serbian Na moru
Slovenian Gremo na obalo
Swedish Till havs
Turkish Herkes Denizde
Ukrainian Усі коло моря
Welsh Ger y Môr

Merchandise

Home Video Releases

UK

UK DVD Boxset

WAL

US

CAN

  • Percy's Ghostly Trick and Other Thomas Stories
  • 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

US/CAN DVD Packs

AUS

  • Escape and Other Stories (Direct-to-VHS)
  • Series Three

AUS DVD Packs

NZ

  • Escape and Other Stories

ZA

IND

MYS

NL

GER

GER DVD Boxset

NOR

DK

SWE

FIN

  • Edward, Trevor and the Useful Party

SVN

SRP

GRC

GRC DVD Boxset

TUR

THA

JPN

JPN DVD Boxset

KOR

CHN

HK

Episode

References



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