A British boat designer has recounted his harrowing 76 days adrift in the Atlantic Ocean after his vessel was struck by a large marine creature. The 29-year-old, who had built his own 6.5-metre sloop named Napoleon Solo, was returning from a solo crossing when disaster struck.
Late one night, something—likely a whale or large shark—smashed into the hull, creating a gaping hole. The sailor awoke to find water thundering into his cabin. He managed to retrieve essential survival items including water, food, flares, a spear gun, and a sleeping bag before climbing into an inflatable rubber raft as his boat sank.
Adrift 800 miles west of the Canaries, he subsisted on minimal supplies, using a solar still to produce just over a pint of water daily. He fished with his spear gun and kept a log. Despite seeing several ships, none spotted his flares. By day 50, a rip in the raft nearly proved fatal, but he managed a repair, calling it his biggest victory.
After 76 days, Guadeloupe fishermen noticed birds hovering over his raft, drawn by fish guts he had discarded. They rescued him, by which time he had lost a third of his body weight and required six weeks to walk properly again. Reflecting on the ordeal, he says it changed him for the better but adds, 'Would I want to be adrift in the ocean again? No way.'
