# Sailor missing 66 days found! Breaking News.



## MarkofSeaLife

More to follow



> PORTSMOUTH -- A man reported missing for over two months, was rescued by a ship 200 miles off the coast of North Carolina Thursday.
> 
> The man, 37-year-old Louis Jordan and the sailing vessel Angel, were initially reported missing by his family to the Coast Guard Jan. 29.
> 
> "His family is driving up to Norfolk right now and excited to see him again," Coast Guard Lt. Krystyn Pecora said.
> 
> The Coast Guard released audio of the first emotional phone call between Louis and his father, Frank Jordan.


Photos and further story

http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/2015/04/02/coast-guard-rescue/70849184/


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## MobiusALilBitTwisted

Wonder when more data on his trip will be out, from the photo and the audio he sounded fine, tho this could be misleading.


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## MarkofSeaLife

More info



> Jordan told his father, Francis, by phone that he survived by catching fish with his hands and eating them raw, Lt. Krystyn Pecora of the Coast Guard said. He also used his hands to cup and drink rain water.
> 
> In an audio clip released by the Coast Guard, the father asks the son how he is feeling.
> 
> "I'm doing fine now," Louis Jordan says.
> 
> The son tells the father he couldn't fix the boat and sail it back to South Carolina, where he departed in January.


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## MobiusALilBitTwisted

A lot is still missing from the story, not making lite of his ordeal just would liek to learn more, something to learn from.


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## CalebD

Man reported missing at sea 66 days ago found by Coast Guard - seattlepi.com

Another take on same with a little more info.


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## smackdaddy

Oh I see the problem. He wasn't in a production boat:


> He Was Sailing on an Alberg Boat
> 
> According to WRAL, Jordan's boat was a 35-foot sailing Aalberg vessel called Angel. Aalberg's are named for the designer, Carl Alberg, who died in 1986 having designed 47 different boats.





> But his January trip may have been his first time sailing in the open ocean.
> 
> "He might sail up and down the Intercoastal Waterway, but he didn't have the experience he needed to go out into the ocean," Weeks said.


Those "very safe traditional blue water boats" will kill you.


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## MarkofSeaLife

My take from the story is NOT to cut your finger nails. You never know when you might have to catch fish with your hands!

Good on him! 66 days in v early spring off Hatteras can not have been fun.


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## smackdaddy

Okay this just got more interesting:



> Louis Jordan, 37, walks under from the Coast Guard helicopter to the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia *after being found on the overturned hull of a sailboat 200 miles off of the North Carolina Coast.* Jordan had been missing since January.


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## Don L

66 days, not even close to a record


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## MarkofSeaLife

Don0190 said:


> 66 days, not even close to a record


On an upturned hull it might be.


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## TakeFive

Don't forget that he was apparently only provisioned for a daysail.


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## mbianka

*Sailor rescued off Hatteras after being missing 60 Days*

I'm looking forward to hearing this sailors story.

Containership Crew Rescues Sailor Lost at Sea for More Than 60 Days - gCaptain Maritime & Offshore News


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## blowinstink

*Re: Sailor rescued off Hatteras after being missing 60 Days*

Me too


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## JonEisberg

Based on the information so far, this one sounds a bit fishy, to me... 

Two months after leaving SC, and he's still off Hatteras? A message in a bottle would be halfway to Ireland during that time...

He was sitting on the "overturned hull" for how long, in the North Atlantic, in one of the colder starts to spring the mid-Atlantic has seen in years, through a pretty relentless succession of gales, without becoming hypothermic?

What really caught my eye, however, is that his homeport/point of departure was Bucksport Marina... I think anyone who's been to Bucksport might catch my drift... 

Time will tell, of course - but I have my doubts this guy was actually "at sea" for 2 months... No shortage of places one could hole up and 'disappear' for awhile along that part of the S. Carolina coast, especially in mid-winter...

I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time...


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## CalebD

JonEisberg said:


> Based on the information so far, this one sounds a bit fishy, to me...
> 
> Two months after leaving SC, and he's still off Hatteras? A message in a bottle would be halfway to Ireland during that time...


None of this really adds up.

"Aarlberg" sailboat? Really? Named for the designer Carl Arlberg? Who makes this shi† up? 
Smacky and his production boats fetish. Sheesh.


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## newhaul

Here's more on cruisers forum including some from the former owner of angel CF Member rescued after being lost at sea for 66 days - Cruisers & Sailing Forums


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## smackdaddy

I'm still trying to get my head around how this boat stays inverted for 2 months:










How exactly does _that_ keel fall off?


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## aeventyr60

He was a cruising forum dude, that must explain it...


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## jerryrlitton

smackdaddy said:


> Oh I see the problem. He wasn't in a production boat:
> 
> Those "very safe traditional blue water boats" will kill you.


Did not kill him. However a Benehuntalina may have done him in. He no doubt had a non production raft.


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## Don L

On CF there is the guy that sold him that boat and he says it wasn't in good condition. I too wonder how/why it stayed inverted.


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## aa3jy

Hmmm..looked pretty damn good living on fish and rain water according to his interview on the Today Show this morning...says he read the Bible cover to cover several times during that ordeal....

http://tinyurl.com/mvg449w


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## JonEisberg

aa3jy said:


> Hmmm..looked pretty damn good living on fish and rain water according to his interview on the Today Show this morning...says he read the Bible cover to cover several times during that ordeal....
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/mvg449w


Yeah, a bit more clarification in the piece by NBC's Tom Costello ...

The boat was obviously not "inverted", but rather "capsized" or rolled on 3 separate occasions... Quite possible I suppose, especially if dismasted...

Still no idea how early on in the ordeal he lost the rig or ability to sail... Based upon the postings linked to over on CF, the guy obviously didn't have much of a clue about sailing, so it's easy to imagine he was simply floating around out there...

Still, the thing that doesn't add up for me, is his final position after supposedly being offshore for 2 months after a departure from Winyah Bay, presumably... Such a slow rate of drift in such close proximity to the Gulf Stream seems suspicious, at the least...

And, the "catching fish with his hands", from the deck of an Alberg 35? Hmmm... I know those boats have low freeboard, and all, but... And surviving on the rainwater he collected? Collecting rainwater is one thing on a stable boat at anchor, but is very much more difficult to accomplish on a boat at sea, especially one that has been dismasted... But anything's possible, I suppose...

Call me skeptical, still...  It should be interesting to follow whatever details might 'emerge' from this one...


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## Maine Sail

I do like to study these types of events to see if there is any trends in preparedness or perhaps delusions on the owners part of his or her or the boats ability...

This is a link to a thread the rescued sailor apparently started back in June of 2014 and I found reading through the posts very enlightening.. You can lead a horse to water.........

*LiveaboardL Thread*

Quoted from CF:


liveaboardL said:


> What's the best way to arrange the sails?
> Sometimes I had to put a lot of pressure on the rudder to keep the boat from drifting towards shore.
> 
> Sometimes I had the jib set so that it would stop the boat from putting too turning too hard towards either shore! That was golden.
> 
> Sometimes when I adjusted the jib, the boat wanted to turn more towards starboard, or port.
> 
> I'm still not sure how to detect exactly when an accidental jybe is going to take place. Those things are freaking scary! esp. w/ a wooden boom.
> 
> *Sometimes, the only way I can go forward is w/ the engine, & then both sails are flapping wildly, but being single-handed, sometimes I just have to let them flap.*
> 
> I still get turned around into a 360 sometimes too.
> 
> Learning to sail is fun, but, I got a lot to learn.


I think reading some of the posts made by the owner of Angel will lend an idea as to how this sort of thing could have happened:

*Posts from Angels Reported Owner*

This was another post which may reflect on his abilities towards respecting things such as electricity..



liveaboardL said:


> *How can you plug in a 30 amp extention cord into the marina's 50 amp outlet? They both have 3 prongs, so if I file one of the little side-legs off the 30 amp male plug, then it should fit in the 50 amp outlet, but which terminal goes in which hole?* Anyone ever tried this?
> 
> Another thing to consider: If this is possible, before I try it, I need to make sure it's 110 volts.
> But what about phase? What's the difference between the different phases available at marinas? Should I be concerned about phase?
> 
> I don't intend to operate anything more than 200 watts, so, I won't have a draw big enough to cause a fire.


I wonder if he did get those tires? Perhaps that was why he was still off Hatteras after two months...?



liveaboardL said:


> If there's a hurricane & you're caught 3 miles out, and it's just starting, is it safer to turn around & sail to land & seek a hole, or to sail further out to sea?
> *How many miles can a hurricane move a sailboat under bare poles w/ no sea anchor & maybe a few tires for a drogue?*
> 
> How far out from land is it considered to be safe, when in bad weather & you can't power or steer?


And this was from the previous owner of Angel:



Kevin84 said:


> Lol. Yeah. That boat's condition is why I sold it. *She's in dire need of a refit.* Surveyors I had look at her when I owned her told me, emphatically I might add, to have the boat hauled and leave it on the hard until the work was done.


This was a response from the previous owner to the current owner, Louis the guy just rescued, in one thread:



Kevin84 said:


> I would not exactly call that boat "beamy." She's only 9'8". Kinda narrow for her length. Also, the main on that boat has only 2 reef points, not 3. Unless you've replaced it that is. *That boat will handle a sea fairly well. Once she's refitted. I wouldn't take her out beyond the breakwater in her current condition. At the least get her hauled and a survey done before attempting to take her out of the harbor.*


Aptly warned yet chose to ignore the previous owners warnings....



Kevin84 said:


> As far as I can tell, yes it is. It's not only his ability as a sailor though. Unless he had recently done a complete keel to masthead and stem to stern refit, Angel was in very poor condition. She had soft decks, numerous leaks, her rig was loose (you could not get the stays to tighten) and even had possible hull delamination. Sadly, I told Louis (assuming this is the same person) that Angel was in no condition for offshore use. Unfortunately some people learn things the hard way. Regardless, I'm very glad he's alive and will give him credit for having the balls to survive out there for as long ss he did.


And newbies get angry when they come here and ask "Can I buy a boat for 2K and do blue water?"....... I think the question now has a "case study" that answers this question...

Oh and perhaps this is why the rig was lost....?? Yes the rotted bulkhead, where the chain plate mounts, was cut away to make room for a 120V outlet..... WOW!!!!


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## svHyLyte

JonEisberg said:


> Yeah, a bit more clarification in the piece by NBC's Tom Costello ...
> 
> The boat was obviously not "inverted", but rather "capsized" or rolled on 3 separate occasions... Quite possible I suppose, especially if dismasted...
> 
> Still no idea how early on in the ordeal he lost the rig or ability to sail... Based upon the postings linked to over on CF, the guy obviously didn't have much of a clue about sailing, so it's easy to imagine he was simply floating around out there...
> 
> Still, the thing that doesn't add up for me, is his final position after supposedly being offshore for 2 months after a departure from Winyah Bay, presumably... Such a slow rate of drift in such close proximity to the Gulf Stream seems suspicious, at the least...
> 
> And, the "catching fish with his hands", from the deck of an Alberg 35? Hmmm... I know those boats have low freeboard, and all, but... And surviving on the rainwater he collected? Collecting rainwater is one thing on a stable boat at anchor, but is very much more difficult to accomplish on a boat at sea, especially one that has been dismasted... But anything's possible, I suppose...
> 
> Call me skeptical, still...  It should be interesting to follow whatever details might 'emerge' from this one...


In another news interview, the fellow described having to repeatedly bail hundreds of gallons of "hip deep" water out of his boat and being unable to dry his clothes of blankets. He fished using a "hand net" (aka "Cast Net") which is entirely plausible considering that fish do often congregate under flotsam in mid-ocean, which is what his boat had become. That he drifted so long in the same general area is equally plausible considering the meanders the spin off the Stream and circulate for upwards of a week at a time in the same general area (see image below). Moreover, I suspect that the remains of his rig may have acted as a sea anchor unless he had jettison everything.










One advantage to being in the Stream is that the water temperature is warm enough to have kept him from hypothermia. Another is the fact that the Stream does generate a good deal of rain, which he reports having captured for drinking. Perhaps with more experience he might have been able to jury rig a means of propelling the yacht, however slowly, but given his lack of knowledge, that he was able to survive was enough, no?

FWIW...


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## aeventyr60

Was this UP's story?


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## Maine Sail

aeventyr60 said:


> Was this UP's story?


Ouch.....


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## oysterman23

svHyLyte said:


> In another news interview, the fellow described having to repeatedly bail hundreds of gallons of "hip deep" water out of his boat and being unable to dry his clothes of blankets. He fished using a "hand net" (aka "Cast Net") which is entirely plausible considering that fish do often congregate under flotsam in mid-ocean, which is what his boat had become. That he drifted so long in the same general area is equally plausible considering the meanders the spin off the Stream and circulate for upwards of a week at a time in the same general area (see image below). Moreover, I suspect that the remains of his rig may have acted as a sea anchor unless he had jettison everything.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One advantage to being in the Stream is that the water temperature is warm enough to have kept him from hypothermia. Another is the fact that the Stream does generate a good deal of rain, which he reports having captured for drinking. Perhaps with more experience he might have been able to jury rig a means of propelling the yacht, however slowly, but given his lack of knowledge, that he was able to survive was enough, no?
> 
> FWIW...


I was very skeptical to see him in such good shape. 60 days on cold fish and rainwater? Anyway it should be interesting to learn further detail. Inexperienced for sure. But he seems to have taken pretty good care of himself would expect exposure to have left signs of strain in face and body weight.... very "fishy"....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk


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## paulk

A lot of sketchy info in the media. His family reported him lost, but he may have been anchored somewhere on the ICW and just not been seen by anybody. In the TV interview he doesn't say how long it was between getting dismasted and getting picked up. He had no idea where he was when he got rolled the first time, nor much idea about why he got rolled. Maybe he took his sails down to stop for the night?


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## Maine Sail

Some of Louis' threads on Cruisers Forum certainly lend a bit of insight... These posts were made by the rescued sailor on another sailing forum.......

*Preserve Fish Meat In Hot Climates*

*How Far Out To Sea Is Safe In A Hurricane?*

*Raise Battery Voltage For The Inverter?*

*Fire if improper electrical connection?*

This one contains one of my favorite quotes:

Quoted From Cruisers Forum:


liveaboardL said:


> *I was rewiring my boat after smoking a little herb* and now whenever I run my bilge pump, the bilge water empties into the cockpit while, at the same time, pushing some of the bilge water out of the boat like it should.
> 
> When the bilge pump is turned off, the water slowly drains from the cockpit back into the bilge.
> 
> Now get this, my other bilge pump sucks water from my cockpit and empties it into the bilge, but on only one side. I think the other side is clogged or something.
> 
> So while one bilge pump sucks, the other one blows. Damn I've been watching too much FAP.
> 
> Suggestions?


*Bilge Pump Emptying into the Cockpit*

*What's the Best Fishing Tackle & Stretegies for Cruising East Coast US?*

*30 amp ext cord to 50 amp outlet jerry-rig*

*Shocked from Touching A/C Distribution Panel*

*Chainplate's isn't mounted right. Is it still OK to sail?*

*Current, vs wind, vs boat direction?*

*Easy, free Fish & other food while living aboard*

*Drinking Rainwater with Tiny Bugs Swimming in It
*

*Alberg 35: heave to, drying out, reefing...*

*Worst, Most Common Boating Mistakes Caused from Ignorance*

This un-edited video interview is simply stunning and leaves me with more questions than answers.......

Video Interview:

*Interview With Louis Jordan After Rescue*

.


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## tempest

Maine, He did say the mast was down and it was bouncing on the deck. He took his hacksaw to cut it free with his good arm and jetisoned it along with the sails. He also lost his steering, and his cockpit wasn't draining etc. 

I wanted to know what was he doing out there to begin with? By his account, he went out to sea to get food. The fish he was catching to eat at the marina had stopped coming by. 

Why didn't he pay attention to the weather forecast ? He believed that to be a good sailor, and not just a fair weather sailor he had to learn how to deal with bad weather. He missed the part that the boat has to be capable too. 

Whatever he lacks in common sense he seems to make up in the will to survive. Maybe he'll go home now for awhile and figure out a safer way to eat. He looked healthy but pretty traumatized.


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## Don L

would seem no matter how crazy someone might be, it doesn't change that he was rescued by someone else, or are they in on it?


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## JonEisberg

Don0190 said:


> would seem no matter how crazy someone might be, it doesn't change that he was rescued by someone else, or are they in on it?


Nah, I doubt this is akin to the NASA moon landings, being staged in a warehouse outside of Houston... 

I think the doubts that many have, are simply that he was "at sea" for that amount of time... That was certainly my initial thought, that once he left Bucksport, he might have holed up for awhile in some backwater off the Waccamaw, before venturing out the Winyah Bay Entrance...

But now we've learned he departed from Little River Inlet, instead... So, there exists a pretty simple means of confirming whether his timeline as claimed is valid. Namely, a check of the logs of the 3 swing bridges on the ICW between Bucksport and Little River... If they show the SV ANGEL to have transited prior to 1/23 or thereabouts, and there are no records of his passage thru any of the opening bridges further to the north, one would have to concede there's a very strong probability he entered the Atlantic when and where he claims...


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## smackdaddy

There looks to be some serious lawyering up going on in that vid when she asks a how far out he was and for how long prior to the capsize. This is going to be interesting.


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## tempest

Smack, I don't know. We'll see. But, keep in mind, that if his story is true the guy just spent two months at sea trying to stay alive and had no one to talk to other than himself and his god; suddenly, he's rescued and has microphones and cameras stuck in his face. 

I don't get the impression that he's devious. He's 37 and seemed lost in life before he got lost at sea.


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## smackdaddy

Tempest said:


> Smack, I don't know. We'll see. But, keep in mind, that if his story is true the guy just spent two months at sea trying to stay alive and had no one to talk to other than himself and his god; suddenly, he's rescued and has microphones and cameras stuck in his face.
> 
> I don't get the impression that he's devious. He's 37 and seemed lost in life before he got lost at sea.


I'm not saying he's devious by any means. Don't know the guy and couldn't make that kind of judgement.

That's why I say he appears to be lawyered up. His hesitation at that question, glance to the side, and the interviewer's seeming acknowledgement just makes me think he's being advised not to discuss that part of the story.


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## Waterrat

As with most of these stories about being lost at sea for 30, 60 or more days, folks always say this person looks too good to be lost at sea that long. I have heard some use the generalization of the three's. We survive three hours with out shelter, three days with out H20, three weeks with out food. Lot of variables of course but if a person can survive for three of four weeks they probably have a system set up that is more then sufficient to maintain adequate health and hygiene. In fact I would be more surprised if someone looked sickly and crappy being lost at sea for 66 days I would be surprised they made it that long. Humans are nothing if not adaptable. People live and thrive in what I would generally think are far more difficult and horrid conditions. Don't get me wrong it would have been very tough mentally and physically but survival is a mind set just as happy, sad, etc. I think survival is more a choice and mind set then anything else.


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## blowinstink

Oh Brother, he tries to drag the Pardeys down with him . . ..


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## jerryrlitton

Waterrat said:


> As with most of these stories about being lost at sea for 30, 60 or more days, folks always say this person looks too good to be lost at sea that long. I have heard some use the generalization of the three's. We survive three hours with out shelter, three days with out H20, three weeks with out food. Lot of variables of course but if a person can survive for three of four weeks they probably have a system set up that is more then sufficient to maintain adequate health and hygiene. In fact I would be more surprised if someone looked sickly and crappy being lost at sea for 66 days I would be surprised they made it that long. Humans are nothing if not adaptable. People live and thrive in what I would generally think are far more difficult and horrid conditions. Don't get me wrong it would have been very tough mentally and physically but survival is a mind set just as happy, sad, etc. I think survival is more a choice and mind set then anything else.


I agree with the mind set bit. For sure, however I don't think he has it. But I have been wrong before. However I don't agree with the three hours without a shelter, perhaps 3 minutes without air. I would agree with that.


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## Waterrat

Jerry
As I said it is a generalization that would totally depend on your exposure. I can see a time where survival with out protection is in minutes and where it may be days or never but hypothermia is a bigger threat to life then food, and water in almost all survival situations. Especially when cold water is involved. 

In regards to mind set of this gentlemen. I don't know the guy I have not read any of his threads but if he survived 66 days off the east coast of USA during winter in any situation half as poorly prepared as is speculated in this thread and walks away healthy I would say he definitely has the survival mind set. Tough to show more proof then he already has. 

It seems pretty obvious if he thought ahead a few more steps and made a few simple preparations he could have been home warm and safe a whole lot sooner but he didn't. Judge if you want and how you will but he survived 66 days in very difficult conditions. Some are smart, some lucky, some tough and some none of the above. He surly is tough.


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## NCC320

Look carefully at this guy as he is leaving the helicopter at arrival to the Coast Guard base. It's the dead of winter (i.e really cold), and he says everything got wet and he couldn't dry it out. Since he lived on the boat, whatever winter clothing he owned would be available however, but if it is wet? He's gotten a broken collar bone and can use only one hand. It was reported he had lost 90 lbs., but the man looks robust and healthy. His clothes seem to fit well even after losing weight. Something really doesn't seem just right about this story, especially 66 days offshore. Water how deep inside the boat? We have to give it to him that he went offshore and had to be rescued. But could it be that something else is going on?


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## fryewe

Well, I'll be the first to admit the guy's story is at best incomplete...but the first thing that comes to mind after reading the posts on this thread is how similar some of them are to the thread on the Central American fisherman who washed ashore on a Pacific island after being adrift for months with nothing but an open boat and his wits to keep him alive. 

Turns out a lot of posters quietly ate their words when it became clear that fisherman was telling the truth...though a language barrier kept the early reports from being complete and clear. Similar situation here...neither the reporters nor the sailor are knowledgable enough to have a discussion that tells a clear story.

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, even without nefarious intent. The gaps in our knowledge about this story will eventually get filled.


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## CLucas

smackdaddy said:


> I'm still trying to get my head around how this boat stays inverted for 2 months:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How exactly does _that_ keel fall off?


Perhaps the front fell off. (



)


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## downeast450

Show me the Bible he read over and over after being submerged several times. I Own a few copies of The Good Book and have never seen one, even in a drawer in a motel, that could survive that. I will risk being called a naysayer. I think this story is a fantasy.

Down


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## Capt Len

If the mast fell off, surprise!! and the engine wouldn't start, surprise! And he fell down because it was rough ,surprise, not much do do but wait the time until rescue. A friend survived a .similar adventure on an overturned 31' tri in the Tasman Sea .He ate his Bible so much more believable. Another adventure of friends on a tri (same design) upside down 2 men and a dog for about a month south of the Charlottes in the dead of winter. A couple of months in the gulf stream ,no biggie.


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## SimonV

downeast450 said:


> Show me the Bible he read over and over after being submerged several times. I Own a few copies of The Good Book and have never seen one, even in a drawer in a motel, that could survive that. I will risk being called a naysayer. I think this story is a fantasy.
> 
> Down


You shouldn't be too quick to find fault with someone's story using your own failings. I along with others keeping valuables aboard use waterproof devices to protect said items. I keep my Good book safely sealed in a waterproof device called a Ziploc bag.


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## Dolby

http://www.greatmysterious.com/2012_11_01_archive.html

After the bow hatch not being dogged down for a couple hours on the little Bahama bank in 20 kt NW winds......no way this guy could dry out in the open sea...I'm skeptical


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## Minnewaska

smackdaddy said:


> There looks to be some serious lawyering up going on in that vid when she asks a how far out he was and for how long prior to the capsize. This is going to be interesting.


I don't see lawyering up, I see a very typical reaction from someone who is taking some actual experience and then making up a story around it and trying not to contradict stuff he's already made up.

It's like the kid who did half their homework and is being asked a question from the teacher. They get started fine, but when the facts run out, they start testing some things and gauging your reaction to see if you're buying it.


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## Minnewaska

I have no problem with speculating over this story. We're not holding this kid in eternal judgement, we're simply trying to understand what circumstance caused the rest of us to pay a hundred grand to go get him.

What bothers me about this story is the major media. All outlets that I saw. None questioned the story. No skepticism. Literally everyone that I've talked to about this story has some degree of skepticism. I was even having breakfast at a hotel over the weekend, when it came on the TV. I made some comment to my wife and the couple at the table next to us overhead and laughed. They didn't buy it either.

At the least, there is good reason for skepticism, even if the story is fully true. Journalism has degraded to selling advertising and titillating the viewer. The media have divided themselves between news, analysis and news entertainment. They've given themselves a complete pass on facts for the latter two, which are just opinion, and pretend the viewer should know the difference from hard news. Journalistic integrity is over.


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## JonEisberg

Minnewaska said:


> I don't see lawyering up, I see a very typical reaction from someone who is taking some actual experience and then making up a story around it and trying not to contradict stuff he's already made up.
> 
> It's like the kid who did half their homework and is being asked a question from the teacher. They get started fine, but when the facts run out, they start testing some things and gauging your reaction to see if you're buying it.


Yup, that is exactly what I saw in that one interview from GOOD MORNING AMERICA - someone who is making much of it up as he goes along...

The surprisingly modest rate of drift is still the real puzzler, it seems...

2 years ago, the Pearson 365 RUNNING FREE was abandoned about 400 miles from Bermuda, on a passage from Jacksonville to the Onion Patch... I've never found the precise coordinates, but it sounds as if the location was somewhat below the bottom of this map, and well E of the Stream:










Now, that boat was abandoned with the rig still in the boat, so she had more windage than the dismasted ANGEL... And, naturally the spring weather patterns differed from February/March... However, 54 days later, RUNNING FREE fetched up on the beach near Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, having traveled over 700 miles... (for those not familiar with East coast geography, that would be just below the "B" pin on the map) Most likely, without much of a protracted assist from the Gulf Stream...

On the other hand, ANGEL traveled basically from the latitude of Cape Fear, to 200 miles E of Hatteras, due E of the "A" pin, above... From Little River Inlet, the border of South and North Carolina just SW of Wilmington, that's roughly 400 miles, and much of that drift likely on the conveyor belt of the Stream... According to the interview with Mr Jordan, sounds like he made it out to the Stream rather quickly, prior to his first capsize... In any event, his rate of drift figured as a daily average would appear to have been less than half of that of RUNNING FREE, despite his proximity to the Gulf Stream...

Must have been one hell of an eddy he got spit out into off of Hatteras, is all I can say... 

Adrift 54 days, boat comes ashore on Martha's Vineyard - Martha's Vineyard Times










[/QUOTE]


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## Capt Len

If a mast fell off (no capsize) and dragged along like a sea anchor(by the forestay?),the prevailing winds would have little effect but the local eddies set the course. The media hype is stunningly amazing, but the story, minus unproved embellishments like how many rollovers and proficiency as a fisherman,etc. I find plausible. We all know of incredible tales of deprivation at sea and feats of seamanship but this isn't one of them


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## outbound

Admit my ignorance. But several times going north when near land it appeared we fought a significant counter current which disappeared by moving just a few miles offshore. This appeared to be independent of any eddy or breakout even when looking at the water temperature charts. Is it feasible he drifted north on the stream and south on the counter current?


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## MarkofSeaLife

outbound said:


> Is it feasible he drifted north on the stream and south on the counter current?


Indeedy-doo.
The gulf Stream us only 30nms in some places, but the counter current much more broad thou slower moving.
As no one has, seemingly, plotted his alleged route its quite open to some counter current.

Other thing about this, and I havent read all the posts and interviews, is some saying he looks to healthy.
He started a fat punk, went on an enforced low carb diet for two months with lots of water. He returned looking fit and well. Theres no secret to a good low carb diet cutting the blubber whilst maintaining muscle mass. Easy particularly if the fish he was catching were fatty.

Maybe a few here could try try it: dump carbs totally as there is no nutrient you need thats not in meat and fat. Pretty simple diet that works. Just as Inuits, Eskimos and assorted cavemen...

OK, to science!












> Figure 7. The trajectories of three near-surface drifters that illustrate (1) that source waters for the Florida current are from the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico via the Loop current; (2) The Florida current feeds the Gulf Stream that flows east of Cape Hatteras; (3) the looping motion in Buoy ID 30688 (blue) is due to the buoy being in a Gulf stream spin-off eddy (Spin-off eddies are also found inshore of the Gulf Stream); and (4) the looping motion in Buoy ID 30659 (green), off of the Carolina Coast, is due to the buoy being in South Atlantic Bight recirculation cell that is also evident in Figure 1.


So all 3 bouys did a lap of nowhere!


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## JonEisberg

Capt Len said:


> If a mast fell off (no capsize) and dragged along like a sea anchor(by the forestay?),the prevailing winds would have little effect but the local eddies set the course.


That is true... However, one of the first things he claimed to have done after his first capsize and dismasting, was to cut free the rig...

With a broken collarbone, no less... 



outbound said:


> Admit my ignorance. But several times going north when near land it appeared we fought a significant counter current which disappeared by moving just a few miles offshore. This appeared to be independent of any eddy or breakout even when looking at the water temperature charts. Is it feasible he drifted north on the stream and south on the counter current?


Sure, anything is possible... How _likely_ such a scenario is, however, could be a different matter entirely 

If he were meandering around inshore of the Stream, there is one other aspect of the story that seems a bit unlikely... That area between Cape Fear and Hatteras is actually a fairly busy area, vessel traffic-wise... Between the shipping going into Wilmington, and to a lesser degree Morehead City, and the very busy traffic lanes off Hatteras where ships are either riding the Stream, or staying inshore or outside the Stream in the opposite direction, he was supremely unlucky not to have been spotted over the course of more than 2 months...

In addition, the amount of recreational sportfishing that occurs in those waters might surprise many, the winter Hatteras bluefin tuna fishery is a very big deal... I've stopped in Beaufort in January in years past, where the marina was chock full of big sportfishers and smaller commercial boats who had traveled from as far away as Montauk , spending a month or more down there in search of the big kill... I stopped in Morehead a few days before Christmas, and there were plenty of boats headed out the inlet the next morning, on what was shaping up to be a fairly crappy day... But, at least it was a very fast ride across to Wrightsville...  I'm not sure how busy it was down there this winter in January/February, but with diesel prices lower than they've been in years, I would guess there were plenty of boats out fishing for bluefin during that time...

Especially, after the largest bluefin ever caught off North Carolina - one weighing in at 1,005 pounds - was brought back into Morehead City in mid-January...



> Bluefin tuna fishing around Morehead City is shaping up to be one of the best in years, and last Tuesday, it may have hit its peak. After a grueling battle that lasted 3 ½ hours over nearly 10 miles of ocean, two fishermen trolling near Beaufort inlet hauled in what is unofficially the largest bluefin tuna ever brought to North Carolina scales, weighing 1,005 pounds and measuring 115 inches long.
> 
> Enormous bluefin tuna is biggest ever boated off North Carolina -- but no state record - North Carolina Sportsman


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## jephotog

This guy didn't even know the most common sailing lingo.

The boat had a ceiling and floors, lines holding up the mast and ropes attached to the mast.

"At this time the drain holes decided to get plugged up.... real bad timing."

"Jerrymast and jerry rudder in sailing terminology"

I guess the standing riggings decision to stop holding up the mast was also bad timing.

Moron.


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## Maine Sail

jephotog said:


> This guy didn't even know the most common sailing lingo.
> 
> The boat had a ceiling and floors, lines holding up the mast and ropes attached to the mast.
> 
> "At this time the drain holes decided to get plugged up.... real bad timing."
> 
> "Jerrymast and jerry rudder in sailing terminology"
> 
> I guess the standing riggings decision to stop holding up the mast was also bad timing.
> 
> Moron.


I don't fault the guy for bad lingo, heck when was the last time we had a US President that could properly pronounce the word NUCLEAR. It is NOT _Nuc-U-Lur_ it is Nuc-lee-r.. So is every president who can't pronounce the word nuclear a moron too?

The guy was just not prepared and completely ignored very sage advise. He is just a bad decision maker and a very unskilled sailor who had no business being out at sea on that boat especially with his skill level.

I'm not going to call him a moron due to lingo, but I agree he really does a good job a fracturing the lingo..........


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## stpabr

He'll probably end up on the Survivor Show, or the new National Geo show RAFT.

Stephen
83 CR 38
S/V New Wind


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## jephotog

Maine Sail said:


> I don't fault the guy for bad lingo, heck when was the last time we had a US President that could properly pronounce the word NUCLEAR. It is NOT _Nuc-U-Lur_ it is Nuc-lee-r.. So is every president who can't pronounce the word nuclear a moron too?
> 
> The guy was just not prepared and completely ignored very sage advise. He is just a bad decision maker and a very unskilled sailor who had no business being out at sea on that boat especially with his skill level.
> 
> I'm not going to call him a moron due to lingo, but I agree he really does a good job a fracturing the lingo..........


If he used the wrong lingo but knew how to sail I would give him credit for his skills, but he was not qualified to be out on that boat.

Maybe he is qualified to be our next President, does the Tea Party have their candidate yet?


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## jerryrlitton

jephotog said:


> If he used the wrong lingo but knew how to sail I would give him credit for his skills, but he was not qualified to be out on that boat.
> 
> Maybe he is qualified to be our next President, does the Tea Party have their candidate yet?


Still would be better than the other Clinton.

I think he would be a great candodate for the next reality D) show.


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## Minnewaska

jerryrlitton said:


> Still would be better than the other Clinton......


Don't be so judgmental. I say we put her out to sea, alone, for 66 days in a broken boat with no food or water and see what she's got.


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## aa3jy

He'd be an excellent candidate for the Nat Geo series: 'The Raft'!

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/the-raft/episodes/the-raft/


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## jerryrlitton

Minnewaska said:


> Don't be so judgmental. I say we put her out to sea, alone, for 66 days in a broken boat with no food or water and see what she's got.


Lol true. What a thought though.....


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