Saved after 31/2 months adrift

signonsandiego.com ^ | September 24, 2002 | James W. Crawley

[DETAILER]

hmmmmm..... No radio, no cell phone, no "float plan", apparently nothing to signal anybody at all? Not even a flare gun? How about a simple mirror to flash at any boats on the horizon? This guy undoubtedly is a survivor, but I think he's also nearly a Darwin candidate.

[PatrickHenry]

The best thing was that he didn't have to watch Daschele on the TV all the time he was out there. That's what probably kept his spirits up.

[maica]

There have been several books written by survivors of sailing disasters in that part of the world. The ocean really is empty if you do not happen to drift into a shipping lane, and it is very hard to be seen by a passing ship if you are in a virtual rowboat. Your horizon is only about two miles away.

[Hammerhead]

All of Jean Claud's movies suck.

He deserves to be adrift at sea.

[BigBobber]

I agree something is fishy. Big storms off California in June or July are very rare. Someone should check the weather records and see if this guy is on the up-and-up.

[MomwithHope]

oooops!! Open mouth, insert foot.

[Travis McGee]

I don't doubt it one bit, far more bizarre things happen all the time at sea. When his mast broke, his VHF radio would have gone. Without an engine, no battery juice. This is very easy for me to understand and believe.

[Travis McGee]

Yes, but every sea survival story must be evaluated on many factors, temperature of water and air, water supply, the vessel (tiny raft or adrift sailboat). Thirty days spent by 4 men in a 5 foot leaky raft may be more of an ordeal than what this guy endured, they are all different.

[Travis McGee]

I sailed these waters from Panama to Hawaii. The first half (2500 miles) is roughly parallel to Central America, slowly diverging away from Mexico.

Trust me, you can spend weeks out there and not see a soul. Water is the main issue, on my trip (solo) during the 1999 "Great El Nino" there was not enough rain to fill a thimbal, and someone adrift would have died of thirst.

[hchutch]

You have a point.

Still, it's quite remarkable. And give McCluskey a Bravo Zulu for the rescue.

[maica]

No one can doubt the truth if they see the video of his boat. Foxnews even had Mr Pham on briefly this afternoon. Have you seen him or the boat on TV?

[Travis McGee]

No, I haven't seen TV today. I'll check later.