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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41772323

Two US yachters and their dogs rescued from the Pacific Ocean after five months adrift!

Wow. I'm not even sure I know what a year's worth of dry food would look like.

More delicious than two dogs, apparently.

Maybe its the fat guy in me....but after 2 weeks Id have dog meat spaghetti for dinner

Why is this a feel good story and not a bloody idiots acting like fools get rescued, story?
Seriously they set out to sail from Hawaii to Tahiti which is to the south, they end up massively to the west so they couldn't navigate. They didn't have an EPIRB which is standard equipment for anyone going long distance, their engine broke down so they were stranded (you know not using those things called sails). There is either something very fishy going on here or they are a pair of bloody idiots, or both.

I'm just glad the dogs were okay, there are plenty of silly humans to go around.

ingtaer wrote:
Why is this a feel good story and not a bloody idiots acting like fools get rescued, story?
Seriously they set out to sail from Hawaii to Tahiti which is to the south, they end up massively to the west so they couldn't navigate. They didn't have an EPIRB which is standard equipment for anyone going long distance, their engine broke down so they were stranded (you know not using those things called sails). There is either something very fishy going on here or they are a pair of bloody idiots, or both.

It appears they did try to issue distress signals and use their sails to reach land. However in the south pacific, an area that does not have a lot of traffic or wind, these things kinda become a little iffy. (Thank you documentaries!)

What is more confusing to me is their statement that the ship was attacked by a group of seven 30ft long sharks. What the crap is that? They get swarmed by basking sharks or something? I didn't know sharks of that size, which would be some of the largest sharks in the world, traveled in groups like that. I am no shark expert, but I am calling horsegak there. They have to be mistaken or all of my time watching Shark Week has been wasted!

They apparently tried to issue distress calls over VHF, range 50kms at most. EPIRB uses satellite, range; the globe. The south pacific has a ton of constant wind, mostly westerly. For a Yacht that size under sale you would make an average of 200 miles a day. Pick any direction and in five months you would hit land. What direction does the sun rise or set? 90 degrees off that is your rough path of travel to Tahiti, providing you don't have a working compass which is standard on any boat.
The sharks is pure rubbish especially as you don't find them in deep ocean often, if you have a school then you are close to land and would be able to see it.

ingtaer wrote:
They apparently tried to issue distress calls over VHF, range 50kms at most. EPIRB uses satellite, range; the globe. The south pacific has a ton of constant wind, mostly westerly. For a Yacht that size under sale you would make an average of 200 miles a day. Pick any direction and in five months you would hit land. What direction does the sun rise or set? 90 degrees off that is your rough path of travel to Tahiti, providing you don't have a working compass which is standard on any boat.
The sharks is pure rubbish especially as you don't find them in deep ocean often, if you have a school then you are close to land and would be able to see it.

I am curious what path they took while they were drifting. If they didn't take a GPS device with them, that seems to be very foolhardy for such a journey. The Pacific is a large and dangerous place. You don't really want to get stuck out there. Maybe they got stuck in the doldrums for a period. It happens.

The shark thing is what really confuses me. The article implies they are experienced and know what they are doing. They should know that the only sharks that grow to the size they are describing are solitary and not a threat to humans. The more I think about this, the less I believe their story.

My guess is the shark story is delusional from lack of sleep and stress. The Mind playing tricks on you....