# Man Overboard. New Story



## garymalmgren (Jan 26, 2021)

They say it is a 3000 foot drop if you fall overboard alone.
Not many survive.
Night,
8 miles from shore,
Rough seas.
70 years old.
9 hour swim.
Well, what can you say.








Man in 70s survives nine-hour ocean swim in dead of night after falling from catamaran


The man managed to make it to shore, but still had to wait to be rescued due to rough conditions.




www.abc.net.au


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

garymalmgren said:


> They say it is a 3000 foot drop if you fall overboard alone.
> Not many survive.
> Night,
> 8 miles from shore,
> ...


I usually say 900 feet. I presume that kills you just as dead as 3,000 feet.


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## BarryL (Aug 21, 2003)

Hey,

Sorry but I find that story hard to believe. I bet the guy fell asleep, ran the boat up on the beach, and then claimed to have fallen off and swam to shore. 

Barry


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## arf145 (Jul 25, 2007)

BarryL said:


> Hey,
> 
> Sorry but I find that story hard to believe. I bet the guy fell asleep, ran the boat up on the beach, and then claimed to have fallen off and swam to shore.
> 
> Barry


I was feeling like the world's worst cynic for having that very thought! I'd rather believe his story, though.


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## LeftAngle (Nov 8, 2020)

arf145 said:


> I was feeling like the world's worst cynic for having that very thought! I'd rather believe his story, though.


Don’t feel bad. That’s the first thing I thought as well. Being in my 70s and my wife terrified every time I take my 14’ boat out (and now my new to me kayak), I’ll believe him. 😁


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

I think we are all on the same page. Sounds like a good story, whole lot better than having fell asleep. Truth is either is possible, and just as dangerous.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

It's in an easterly trade winds area so it's possible. 

Article doesn't add up in that the call came through at 10pm. So at a max there's only 3-4 hours night swimming, but that's fine. 
It's tropical water so no hypothermia. 
But the coincidence of finding the boat you fell off at night right next to where you swam ashore is amazing. 
Great story. I hope it's true as it would be such a feat.


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## garymalmgren (Jan 26, 2021)

Yep. 
There is a lot of skepticism connected to this little saga in being expressed in Australia too.
Will keep you informed if anything fresh crops up.

gary


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## RichF28 (Jun 17, 2015)

Old guys RULE!!!!! Or at least we can come up with great stories......


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## capttb (Dec 13, 2003)

I think in Golf they call it a "gimme", give the guy props, both ended up on the same beach who cares how it really happened except his insurer and they might even give him a pass for effort.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

BarryL said:


> Hey,
> Sorry but I find that story hard to believe. I bet the guy fell asleep, ran the boat up on the beach, and then claimed to have fallen off and swam to shore.
> Barry


I'm right there with you on this one. Having sailed that coast, if memory serves, I'd say that the current would not let him reach the same spot on the shore as his boat, after hours of swimming while the boat sailed more quickly.


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## SchockT (May 21, 2012)

capta said:


> I'm right there with you on this one. Having sailed that coast, if memory serves, I'd say that the current would not let him reach the same spot on the shore as his boat, after hours of swimming while the boat sailed more quickly.


Not to mention aren't there a lot of sharks and rather nasty jellyfish along that coast?

It seems a bit of a stretch that he would wind up right where his boat went aground.

Sent from my SM-G981W using Tapatalk


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

SchockT said:


> Not to mention aren't there a lot of sharks and rather nasty jellyfish along that coast?


No jellyfish that time of year. White Pointer sharks more further south where the water is cooler. There are Tiger Sharks but... 
Winds trade winds, easterly. Current ..."Freshwater Bay, about 75km north of Yeppoon" it looks like a fairly wide bay. depending on where he came ashore and where he fell overboard there may not have been much current.

The article said 9kms. Thats 4.5nms. in 9 hours. 1 km per hour = 250 meters (yards) per 15 minutes. Thats pretty achievable. Slow, gentle, lots of rests, but a fit sailorly type. Says he's in his 70's. Does that mean 71 or 79?

Plus he had motivation: Swim or die. 

He could have done it.











Its about the line you'd run your boat north or south, 5mn off shore turning round the headlands.


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