'Come sit my friends and hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip'... , but I think you get the message by now. Yup, S. S. Minnow her crew and passengers set sail that day for a three hour trip.

Of course you remember the list of characters. 'The mate was a mighty sailing man.' Gilligan was so skinny he had to stand sideways twice to cast a shadow. 'The skipper brave and true.' Skipper was a large man and without much muscle definition. 'A millionaire and his wife.' Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III and they certainly were a charming couple. 'A movie star.' Miss Ginger Rogers, tall and slim and very sexy looking. 'The professor and Maryanne.' Professor Roy Hinckley, Rhodes Scholar and holder of numerous university diplomas. Scientist, astronomer, archeologist and generally a very smart fellow. Miss Maryanne fresh from the wheat fields of Kansas, so innocent and lovely not to mention extremely well put together physically.

There you have it, the refresher course of the cast. By now you're asking yourself why do I go through all the trouble of stating what anyone who's seen the program knows? The answer is really very simple. We watched each week as situations and disasters befell our castaways, but did you ever think of what wasn't shown on TV? I can't tell you how much I had often lusted for Ginger and Maryanne every week. As I grew older and watched the re-runs even Mrs. Howell took on a very nice flavor of the 'older' woman.

But you're still puzzled or thinking I'm off the deep end and it's time to quit reading and find something more interesting. Do that if you must but you'll miss knowing what really happened on that island. You see I have a friend in Hollywood. He worked on the original TV show and managed to save certain cans of film not meant for public viewing. Of course I can't tell you his name but he managed, over the years, to take those episodes we never saw and burn them onto DVD's. I was fortunate enough to have him give me these disks but sadly it was on his death bed. I gave him my sworn vow to never allow anybody to see them, but I didn't promise not to tell some of the stories. Now you know why I spent so much time writing the obvious. (Authors note: If you believe any of the above paragraph then you need to either find another more believable story or get your head shrunk. While I'm thinking of it don't ask about how they managed to find all the clothes they wore. Hey, it's make believe don't you know.) Now if you are ready I shall begin and hope you enjoy.

"Gilligan did you make sure all the stores are onboard and stowed away?" If nothing the Skipper was meticulous and neat.

"Yes, Sir. We have lots of canned goodies but why do we need them if we're only going to be gone three hours?" Gilligan wasn't what you could call the brightest of deck hands but he was extremely likable if a bit klutzy. Accidents, it seemed, were made just for him.

"You never know what will come up on the ocean. I've been sailing these seas for years and can't tell you how many times I've seen storms suddenly come from nowhere."

"Why can't you tell me Skipper? Why? Is it some secret you've been sworn to keep?"

"Oh Gilligan stop horsing around and make sure we're ready to sail. The passengers will be coming on soon and they've paid lots of money. So don't do anything stupid like forgetting to let go the moorings when I tell you."

It wasn't long before five nicely dressed people strode up the gangway and boarded the tiny ship. The Skipper met each of them shaking hands with the two men and doffing his captain's hat to the three ladies. Making sure all were comfortably situated in the main salon he barked his orders.

"Gilligan cast off and make ready for sea." The Skipper had always dreamed of being a ships captain but couldn't seem to get over being sea sick. He sighed at his lot in life gently pushing the throttles of the twin engines ahead.

Having cleared the mooring area he invited the guests above deck. They looked about as the Skipper expertly guided his tiny ship through the harbor and beyond the breakwater reef. Clear of the smooth safe waters of the harbor the gentle swell of the almost open ocean began to rock the tiny ship in a very soothing manner.

"Skipper have you looked at the sky lately?" Gilligan poked his head up from the engine room hatch, looked around before speaking. He saw the Skipper talking to the movie star.

"Yes Gilligan I've been keeping a close watch on all the hills and valleys of the ocean." He didn't turn to face his little buddy but kept his eyes mostly glued to the firm cleavage of Gingers bust.

"Oh, well OK I guess, but in case you were wondering the sky is starting to look real black behind us."

"Yes little buddy I see the black clouds and it's nothing for you to worry about. Now why don't you just go back down and..." The Skipper glanced behind them and gasped. "Gilligan get everybody below decks and make ready for heavy seas. Then get your skinny butt back up here and help me with the wheel."

The passengers were safely inside the lower cabin as the mate joined his captain. It wasn't looking very good. 'The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew the Minnow would be lost.'

Black clouds filled the sky as the wind rose. The calm ocean surged and swelled, waves broke over the bow sending cascades of green water across the deck. Rain fell from the skies soaking the crew as they valiantly fought for control over the spinning wheel, but alas all was to no avail. Lightning flashed, thunder roiled booming across the waters until at long last all was silent, smooth and still.

'Now the ship lay aground on the shore of this deserted isle, with Gilligan, the Skipper too, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the professor and Maryanne, here on Gilligan's Isle.'

Deep blue sky, the sun shining down and smiling as the birds chirped and sang in the trees. Water gently lapped the sandy shore as the gentle breeze wafted over the beach. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold with only one glaring exception. Beached in the sand was a tiny ship with several rather large holes in its hull. Further up from the waters edge lay seven bodies all of them still very damp in their clothing. The first to move was the ugly skinny man as he lifted his head and reset his upside down Dixie cup hat on his head. He looked around with wide eyes.

"Skipper, Skipper I think we've died and gone to heaven."

"Wha... , what's that you say little buddy?"

"Look, we're on land and it's nice and warm and not moving."

"Yeah I see what you mean." The Skipper looked around and saw a lovely paradise, then he saw his passengers. "Come on Gilligan and help me with these folks. We've got to make sure none of them is hurt. Oh I wish I had taken out that insurance policy before we sailed. Now I'm going to be sued."

Skipper stood on unsteady feet for a moment before moving. Digging into his mind he recalled her name, Ginger, as he approached her laying face down. Fear gripped his large round body as he knelt and gently rolled her onto her back. He saw that she was breathing and wow was she breathing. In spite of all that happened a few hours before he couldn't help but notice her chest. Two firm mounds barely covered by her evening party dress rose and fell with each breath. Between them was the same alluring cleavage he had been looking at before the storm hit and they still held his attention.

Gilligan checked on Mr. and Mrs. Howell and found them coming around. The Professor saw to Maryanne and helped her to sit up. All of them were still wet from the storm and being beached. Still it wasn't all that bad because of the warm sun. I wasn't long before most of their clothing had dried.

"Well folks I don't know what to say except I'm sorry. I had no idea that storm was coming but rest assured each of you will receive a refund." Skipper was trying his best to sound casual and hopefully staving off any possible law suits.

'No lights, no phone, no motor car, not a single luxury. Like Robinson Crusoe it was primitive as could be'.

"Oh my, no phone? How will I contact my stock broker?"

"No lights? How will I do my hair and make-up?"

"No motor cars, no pollution."

Mr. Howell, Ginger and the Professor had spoken one after the other.

"Not a single luxury? That means no beauty solons. Oh Thurston what shall I do?" Mrs. Howell, always just a bit slow on the uptake, finally made her observations.

"Primitive alright. Just as primitive as can be." Gilligan piped up with his silly looking grin.

"Oh Gilligan. Stop being so melodramatic." Skipper banged the skinny mates head with his captain's hat. "Now let's don't panic folks. I'm sure we'll be rescued very soon, maybe even today or tomorrow."

"Skipper, do you have any idea where we are right now? I don't want to sound like a wet blanket but that was a rather nasty storm and we could have drifted well away from the normal shipping lanes. I suggest we start thinking of constructing some kind of shelter and then look for food. Our first task will be survival." The others nodded in agreement with what the Professor had said.

"Gosh Professor I really don't know where we are. You're right about that storm being a bad one. The compass broke almost immediately and my sextant went over the side. I think you're right about making shelter and getting food. Gilligan, you go out and start looking for some bamboo for poles and see if you can find some palms with big fronds for the roof. Girls, if you don't mind, could you start looking around for fallen coconuts and anything else we can eat? I think Mr. Howell, the Professor and I will start by looking for the best place to make our little camp."

Maryanne, having been raised in Middle America, took charge and lead the other two off to search for food. The three older men began looking for an open space with tall palms to build the shelter. In the meantime Gilligan wondered off to find bamboo and palm fronds.

Half an hour later Gilligan raced back and found the other three men talking. They were discussing the merits of two possible places to make camp.

"Skipper, Skipper I found..."

"Quite Gilligan. Can't you see we're talking?"

"But Skipper I found something you..."

"Gilligan if you don't stop interrupting us we'll never get anything done. Now be quiet while we decide on the best place to start building."

"But, but..."

"Gilligan, shush. Now as I was saying before being so rudely interrupted, I think we should build one large hut and hang something in the middle to give the ladies privacy."

"Excellent thinking Skipper. How long do you think it will take to build something that large?"

"Well that's the rub. I figure two or three days if Gilligan can find enough material. How about it little buddy? Have you found the bamboo and palm fronds?"

"No Skipper but why don't we just move in now?"

"Because we haven't built anything yet." Skipper looked annoyed.

"You mean you didn't set up those huts in the clearing? Wow, I thought it was too soon."

"What huts are you referring to my dear boy?" Mr. Howell finally had something to say.

"Why the six huts over there just beyond that stand of palms." He pointed in the direction away from the lagoon where the Minnow lay like a beached whale.

Gilligan led them to a clear about three hundred yards from the beach. There the six huts sat in a semi-circle facing a huge fire pit. Tall palms surround the entire area giving protection from wind and water.