Flipper’s New Adventure

Sandy is asked to vacate the family home to make way for a new highway. Rather than surrender his bond with Flipper, he runs away with the dolphin in their skiff to seek safety elsewhere. This decision sets in motion a perilous journey from the Keys toward the Bahamas.

Towing the skiff, Sandy and Flipper head out into open water, but they quickly run out of food, water, and gas. Flipper tows them toward a seemingly deserted island where they hope to ride out the search patrols. Their improvisation and trust in each other mark the start of their enduring bond.

Sandy finds shelter in a cave on a desert island and begins to establish a makeshift life. He witnesses a British holidaying family being taken hostage by escaped convicts, turning the island into a place of danger as well as refuge. The isolated shore becomes both sanctuary and threat.

Mrs. Hopewell and her daughters Gwen and Penny are forced into a small boat and row to the nearby island where Sandy hides. They are stranded and dependent on Sandy and Flipper for survival as the danger of their captors looms. The hostage situation reshapes the island's fragile balance.

Sandy and Penny strike up a budding friendship as he teaches her coconut harvesting, fire-making, and net weaving. Penny's presence injects a spark of hope into the isolation and softens the tension with the other captives. The bond between them becomes a quiet counterpoint to the danger around them.

Sandy discreetly provides the family with fish, canned food, a can opener, and a flashlight, doing so without tipping off the convicts. He acts behind the others' backs, balancing safety with the family's growing need for essentials. Flipper helps by staying hidden and keeping watch from the shore.

When the convicts return, the Hopewells' plight is reassessed and Mr. Hopewell radios the nearest Coast Guard station in Puerto Rico. Sandy and Flipper begin to form a rescue plan that won't reveal their whereabouts. The island becomes a staging ground for a daring rescue.

Sandy creates distractions by releasing canned food and luring a convict into a rowboat to retrieve the cans. Flipper tips the boat, knocking the man unconscious, and the duo seizes him and hides him in a cave. The other convicts are then drawn into the same trap, buying time for Penny and her family.

With the first guard neutralized, Sandy and Flipper maneuver the remaining two convicts toward the water using misdirection and clever tactics. The leader fights back with a knife, but Flipper and Sandy ultimately subdue him and secure the escapees. The odds tilt decisively in favor of the family’s safety.

During the struggle, the convicts' leader stabs Flipper near his tail, and the dolphin bleeds as he is flung back onto the beach. Sandy sobs over his injured friend and vows to protect Flipper at all costs. The rescue operation hinges on getting medical help quickly.

Flipper is brought to the Miami Seaquarium, where he receives veterinary care and rest. The bond between Sandy and Flipper is tested by distance, but their loyalty endures. Sandy and his family wait for news as Flipper’s condition improves.

Porter returns from his ranger training to learn of Flipper's condition and announces his assignment to the Coral Key Marine Preserve. He explains that Flipper will have a new, permanent home once he recovers. The update reframes the future for Sandy and the bond they've formed.

Flipper's recovery paves the way for his relocation to the Coral Key Marine Preserve, under Porter’s supervision. The film closes with the enduring friendship between Sandy and Flipper, even as they begin life apart. The sea and the preserve become their shared horizon.