Experience the thrilling survival journey of The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson (1998), a heartwarming family adventure series filled with island exploration, teamwork, and inspiring resilience as the Robinson family transforms shipwreck tragedy into an unforgettable tropical survival story.
David Robinson accepts an offer to open a new branch for his firm in China, and embarks with his wife Elizabeth, their children, a crew, and their dog Bruno on the perilous sailing voyage. Then, a storm hits and strands the ship on a reef.
BOSTON - AMERICA - 1830's - David Robinson finds the comfortable life as chief clerk in his father-in-law's shipping firm tedious . He accepts the offer to open a new branch for the firm in Canton in China, and embarks with his wife Elizabeth and children, Ernst, Joanna and Christina and the family dog, Bruno, on the perilous sailing voyage. Aboard the ship the children meet the crew: a novice seaman Ben Thomas (and there is certainly a hint of mutual attraction between him and Joanna), Billy Cobb, the black cabin boy (with whom the young Christina strikes up an immediate rapport), Emily Chen, an aristocratic Chinese girl, who is aloof and cold - and very mysterious... But she pales in comparison to the mysteries surrounding Parsons - an old sea dog with a criminal bent. Believing the Robinsons have treasure in their cabin, Parsons sends his half-wit brother Seth, to steal it as a raging storm brews. David surprises Seth and in the ensuing struggle, Seth is accidentally killed. Parsons accuses David of murdering his brother and traps the family in their cabin, as the passengers and crew struggle to the life-boats to abandon ship - and the storm threatens to sink it. Surely the family will meet their doom at the bottom of the ocean... Against all the odds and amidst a thrilling sequence, the family survive the storm, climb up on the deck and find that they are stranded on a reef, with the rest of the crew and passengers gone... They make a raft and manage somehow to reach the nearby island, taking with them useful items from the ship, including chickens and Bruno. During the raft trip Christina accidentally falls overboard in the shark infested waters and is feared drowned.
BOSTON - AMERICA - 1830's - David Robinson finds the comfortable life as chief clerk in his father-in-law's shipping firm tedious . He accepts the offer to open a new branch for the firm in Canton in China, and embarks with his wife Elizabeth and children, Ernst, Joanna and Christina and the family dog, Bruno, on the perilous sailing voyage. Aboard the ship the children meet the crew: a novice seaman Ben Thomas (and there is certainly a hint of mutual attraction between him and Joanna), Billy Cobb, the black cabin boy (with whom the young Christina strikes up an immediate rapport), Emily Chen, an aristocratic Chinese girl, who is aloof and cold - and very mysterious... But she pales in comparison to the mysteries surrounding Parsons - an old sea dog with a criminal bent. Believing the Robinsons have treasure in their cabin, Parsons sends his half-wit brother Seth, to steal it as a raging storm brews. David surprises Seth and in the ensuing struggle, Seth is accidentally killed. Parsons accuses David of murdering his brother and traps the family in their cabin, as the passengers and crew struggle to the life-boats to abandon ship - and the storm threatens to sink it.
A month after the shipwreck. Through Ernst's narration - and the diary he is keeping of events - the family are still struggling with living/surviving off the land and are growing crops, keeping chickens, rearing wild pigs and a goat. But, prompted by the sudden activity of the island's volcano, they are planning to escape and have improved the raft to make it seaworthy. Parsons and Ben have set up home in a squalid cave on a barren outlying island nearby. They fear the family may surprise them and steal the boat. From their island they observe the unsuspecting Robinson's through a telescope. Parsons is still bent on revenging himself on David. Exploring the island the children find a tunnel leading to a cave with a large carved head and a sarcophagus. Christina removes a large black pearl from the cave. David and Ernst investigate the cave, which they surmise to be some kind of ancient burial chamber for native kings. They are trapped when a native canoe arrives indeed carrying a King, his brother, a shaman and several warlike members of a native tribe.
A month after the shipwreck. Through Ernst's narration - and the diary he is keeping of events - the family are still struggling with living/surviving off the land and are growing crops, keeping chickens, rearing wild pigs and a goat. But, prompted by the sudden activity of the island's volcano, they are planning to escape and have improved the raft to make it seaworthy. Parsons and Ben have set up home in a squalid cave on a barren outlying island nearby. They fear the family may surprise them and steal the boat. From their island they observe the unsuspecting Robinson's through a telescope. Parsons is still bent on revenging himself on David. Exploring the island the children find a tunnel leading to a cave with a large carved head and a sarcophagus. Christina removes a large black pearl from the cave. David and Ernst investigate the cave, which they surmise to be some kind of ancient burial chamber for native kings. They are trapped when a native canoe arrives indeed carrying a King, his brother, a shaman and several warlike members of a native tribe. The King's brother stages a coup d'etat, but David and Ernst rescue him.
A month after the shipwreck. Through Ernst's narration - and the diary he is keeping of events - the family are still struggling with living/surviving off the land and are growing crops, keeping chickens, rearing wild pigs and a goat. But, prompted by the sudden activity of the island's volcano, they are planning to escape and have improved the raft to make it seaworthy. Parsons and Ben have set up home in a squalid cave on a barren outlying island nearby. They fear the family may surprise them and steal the boat. From their island they observe the unsuspecting Robinson's through a telescope. Parsons is still bent on revenging himself on David. Exploring the island the children find a tunnel leading to a cave with a large carved head and a sarcophagus. Christina removes a large black pearl from the cave.
Third/fourth month. The family are still battling against the forces of Mother nature (and often themselves) and are looking forward to their first harvest, which they plan to celebrate on the Fourth of July, American Independence Day. Ernst, however, is still hopeful of rescue, so that he can build a career( as a writer ) for himself back in civilization. Unknown to anyone a ship is heading towards the island. She is The Viper, a notorious pirate ship captained by the rascally "Captain" Samuel Scaggs and his ex-convict partner, Bonnie Mary. Ben is excited when he sees a ship heading for the Robinsons's island. Parsons recognizes The Viper and advises that he has a mate on board. Ben wants to warn the Robinson family, (probably due to his continuing infatuation with Joanna ), but Parsons says the pirates will gain his revenge on David Robinson for him. Hunting for wild turkey, Ernst and Billy encounter Scaggs and his landing party. Believing Scaggs to be an honorable man, Ernst accepts his invitation to go aboard, but Billy has second thoughts.
Third/fourth month. The family are still battling against the forces of Mother nature (and often themselves) and are looking forward to their first harvest, which they plan to celebrate on the Fourth of July, American Independence Day. Ernst, however, is still hopeful of rescue, so that he can build a career( as a writer ) for himself back in civilization. Unknown to anyone a ship is heading towards the island. She is The Viper, a notorious pirate ship captained by the rascally "Captain" Samuel Scaggs and his ex-convict partner, Bonnie Mary. Ben is excited when he sees a ship heading for the Robinsons's island. Parsons recognizes The Viper and advises that he has a mate on board. Ben wants to warn the Robinson family, (probably due to his continuing infatuation with Joanna ), but Parsons says the pirates will gain his revenge on David Robinson for him. Hunting for wild turkey, Ernst and Billy encounter Scaggs and his landing party. Believing Scaggs to be an honorable man, Ernst accepts his invitation to go aboard, but Billy has second thoughts. Billy's fears are soon realized when Scaggs makes Ernst walk the plank, believing he is lying about there being no-one else on the island. Parsons arrives and tells Scaggs about the Robinson family. The family are surprised at night and overrun by the pirates. Scaggs and Mary take possession of the tree house - and show no signs of being in a hurry to leave... Parsons convinces Scaggs that David killed his brother and Scaggs decides to hold a trial, with himself as judge, jury and hangman. Ernst escapes from imprisonment on the pirate ship and almost rescues the family, before being overcome. Scaggs finds David guilty and sentences him to hang.
Third/fourth month. The family are still battling against the forces of Mother nature (and often themselves) and are looking forward to their first harvest, which they plan to celebrate on the Fourth of July, American Independence Day. Ernst, however, is still hopeful of rescue, so that he can build a career( as a writer ) for himself back in civilization. Unknown to anyone a ship is heading towards the island. She is The Viper, a notorious pirate ship captained by the rascally "Captain" Samuel Scaggs and his ex-convict partner, Bonnie Mary. Ben is excited when he sees a ship heading for the Robinsons's island. Parsons recognizes The Viper and advises that he has a mate on board. Ben wants to warn the Robinson family, (probably due to his continuing infatuation with Joanna ), but Parsons says the pirates will gain his revenge on David Robinson for him. Hunting for wild turkey, Ernst and Billy encounter Scaggs and his landing party. Believing Scaggs to be an honorable man, Ernst accepts his invitation to go aboard, but Billy has second thoughts. Billy's fears are soon realized when Scaggs makes Ernst walk the plank, believing he is lying about there being no-one else on the island. Parsons arrives and tells Scaggs about the Robinson family. The family are surprised at night and overrun by the pirates. Scaggs and Mary take possession of the tree house - and show no signs of being in a hurry to leave... Parsons convinces Scaggs that David killed his brother and Scaggs decides to hold a trial, with himself as judge, jury and hangman. Ernst escapes from imprisonment on the pirate ship and almost rescues the family, before being overcome. Scaggs finds David guilty and sentences him to hang.
The family still look to each other - and often the dear Lord - for comfort, support and guidance as they struggle with life in the natural world which at times feels like a tropical paradise and other times like a prison. The family decide to build a fort on a hill to defend themselves in the event of attack again from any third parties such as pirates/natives. While searching for driftwood, Ernst sees a beautiful native girl arrive alone in a canoe. She is tired and distressed. He is trying to befriend her when a war canoe arrives in pursuit of the girl. She and Ernst hide in the burial chamber, where they are finally rescued by David. The family revive the girl and discover she is a princess, Moya the daughter of the king (the same king from Book Two ). Moya tells the family that a tribal war has broken out on their island. Her father has been killed and she has run away because her life is in danger. The family decide to welcome Moya into the family fold. Unknown to the family, the shaman has stayed behind from the war party, determined to kill the princess since she is heiress to her native kingdom. Moya starts to live with the family and the two cultures come to understand something of each others ways. Ernst becomes infatuated with the girl. Moya is an expert pearl diver and offers to help the family search the wreck for additional materials that may be useful for the new fortress the family are building. .The shaman, casting his dark spell, gets Moya into difficulties as she searches the submerged wreck. She is rescued by David, but shortly after, the family are alarmed to see another war canoe arrive
