Two Women, and Their Dogs, Rescued After Nearly 5 Months Lost at Sea

[Gerald]

They were supposed to trade one island paradise for another: a monthlong sailing trip in spring, from Honolulu to Tahiti.

But on Wednesday morning, they were discovered in the wrong hemisphere, 5,000 miles off course and nearly six months into a dream that had curdled into a nightmare.

Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiaba were rescued by the Navy vessel the Ashland 900 miles south of Japan, according to a statement released by the Navy on Thursday. After setting out in early May, a storm claimed their 50-foot boat’s engine on May 30. They spent the next five months adrift at sea and unable to make contact with others.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/us/navy-rescue-women.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=1&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https

https://youtu.be/AycIfKBHPvs

That's strong to survive.:yep:

[Platapus]

I am probably a bad person but to me the best part is that the dogs are OK.

[HW3]

They had packed a years supply of food onboard, and wanted to continue their journey after repairs I read.

[Sean C]

By all accounts, a storm knocked out their engine, probably leading to a loss of power to their chart plotter. It appears from the available photos and video (and contrary to what some news outlets are reporting) that the mast and at least one sail were still intact. Pending further evidence, it seems to me that they were simply lost.

They had enough sense to pack a year's worth of food...but not enough to have a backup navigation system. Celestial navigation is a passion of mine, and that certainly could have helped them. But, in today's day and age, it would have been a trivial matter to pack a handheld GPS (or two) into ziplock bags along with some spare batteries. Not to mention a couple of spare sails.

They were found thousands of miles from their intended destination headed on a completely wrong course. SMH.

[Platapus]

I am surprised that they did not have a separately powered ELT. I think that would be a prudent precaution to take.

We have... ahem... orbital systems with (cough) sensitive receivers and with a background as banal as the open ocean, even lower powered transmitters can be...uh..."collected". :03:

Actually there is a requirement for some of our orbital systems to have special receivers tuned to these emergency frequencies just for this purpose.

[em2nought]

They had packed a years supply of food onboard

To the dogs' great relief. :D

[Buddahaid]

To the dogs' great relief. :D

Yeah, the dogs probably would have felt bad having to eat their masters.

[Jimbuna]

I am probably a bad person but to me the best part is that the dogs are OK.

You and me both if I'm to be honest.

[Gerald]

I am probably a bad person but to me the best part is that the dogs are OK. I'm on your side.:yep:

[Sean C]

Strange new facts emerge: NPR Article (http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/31/561139808/after-navy-rescue-of-sailors-adrift-at-sea-the-story-gets-stranger)