character
Matthew 'Matt' Creek
- Role
- protagonist
- Age
- 15¾ at the start; turns 16 in Chapter 22
- From
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- First appears
- Chapter 1
Who they are
List-keeper, daydreamer, lifeguard, and the best young angler in the Ten Thousand Islands. Half Seminole on his father's side. Unusually long thumbs. Lost his father last summer and is spending this one as Uncle Dan's assistant fishing guide.
Tells
- keeps a summer to-do list in his dad's Guidebook
- learns a new word each day
- 'mental rebound' when worry hits
- loves Orange Crush, candy corn, tuna-and-mayo for breakfast, donuts
- sketches fish and pelicans into the Guidebook's blank pages
Things they say
“This will be the summer of The Big One.”
“Smile like you're awesome.”
“Catch you later.”
Appears in
- Ch. 1 Off Ground
- Ch. 3 Early Morning
- Ch. 4 The Monster of South Point
- Ch. 5 Unexpected Voices
- Ch. 6 Second Chances
- Ch. 7 A Tarpon to Remember
- Ch. 8 Dangerous Encounters
- Ch. 9 Wrong Place at the Wrong Time
- Ch. 10 Run for It
- Ch. 11 Escape to Lostman's River
- Ch. 12 The Storm
- Ch. 13 Hungry Visitors
- Ch. 14 The Unseen Giant
- Ch. 15 Silent Shadows and Warm Memories
- Ch. 16 A Dolphin in Trouble
- Ch. 17 Stranger in White
- Ch. 18 Push and Pull
- Ch. 19 The Return of Old Scarface
- Ch. 20 Finding an Old Friend
- Ch. 21 A Final Tarpon Entry
- Ch. 22 An Uncle's Promise
- Ch. 23 In It Together
