Man Washes up in Marshall Islands 'After 16 Months Adrift'

[Yowieboy]

Originally Posted by avb3

I know many are skeptical of his traumatic time at sea.

I have just one word you should consider.

Shackleton.

While I also believe that Alvarenga is a survivor and not an impostor, and while I greatly admire Shackleton, I think there are probably not all that many parallels. The Shackleton expedition was extremely well equipped (given the state of equipment at the time) and set out to achieve the first crossing of the Antarctic continent, so they knew that they were going to be in extreme conditions. When things didn't go as planned, Shackleton proved to be an extremely gifted, resourceful and determined leader who inspired similar qualities in the men under his command (although they were by no means a homogeneous bunch). Shackleton by himself could never have achieved what he did, were it not for men like Wild, Worseley, Crean, even McNish, and of course Frank Hurley without whom, as Shackleton himself was aware, the expedition would not have lived on in common memory as it did.

In the current case, I think it is more a matter of circumstances placing an ordinary man completely unexpectedly into an extraordinary situation which then brought out qualities such as a survival state of mind, combined with physical hardiness and crucial skills that enabled him to utilize the scarce resources within his reach. A good deal of luck was probably involved as well (such as presumably no further major storms after the initial one).
And let us not forget that one other person died. The parents of the youth will probably be much less happy than Alvarenga's parents when hearing the news.

Originally Posted by rgscpat

We don't know much about the boat. It's possible that the boat had inherent buoyancy (wood under glass fibre, air tanks, or foam), that the blue box was bolted or secured to the hull, and that any remaining gear on the boat has now become part of the working capital of the residents of Ebon. And, there could be confusion between swelling/edema versus the appearance of normal weight.

Exactly the points I wanted to make in reply to the same message, but stated much more eloquently. Thanks.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Yowieboy

In the current case, I think it is more a matter of circumstances placing an ordinary man completely unexpectedly into an extraordinary situation which then brought out qualities such as a survival state of mind, combined with physical hardiness and crucial skills that enabled him to utilize the scarce resources within his reach. .

Agreed, I cannot think of any other less travelled yet more benign stretch of Ocean that would allow a man in an open boat to survive undetected for such a long time.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by Richard Z

One thing I don't get though... he was supposed to be on a day fishing trip( for sharks) so how come he didn't have any fishing gear and had to catch fish and birds by bare hands? Just wondering...

Would you use shark catching gear to catch small fish and birds??

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Would you use shark catching gear to catch small fish and birds??

Good point but I would have thought that they would have an assortment of smaller hand line to catch the bait and some food fish

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[DumnMad]

It was a day trip. Might of had a bucket of blood and goat entrails and a picnic basket.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

It was a day trip. Might of had a bucket of blood and goat entrails and a picnic basket.

Yes..that might explain the boat's lack of basic emergency gear...also the fact that he was an employee and not the owner

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[sailorboy1]

From news and photos I just saw it doesn't sound like this guys health is in good condition. And I think he looks pretty thin and in some photos only looks otherwise because he has a big head.

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

From news and photos I just saw it doesn't sound like this guys health is in good condition. And I think he looks pretty thin and in some photos only looks otherwise because he has a big head.

Or may be the doctors simply got his kidneys working more properly and he is not so swollen anymore? It can take some days only sometime.

[GordMay]

.. The health of Jose Salvador Alvarenga has deteriorated, delaying his repatriation ...
... Doctors at Majuro Hospital in the Marshall Islands' capital said Mr Alvarenga was too dehydrated to travel ...
More ➥ BBC News - Pacific castaway Jose Salvador Alvarenga's health worsens

[boatman61]

The adrenalin 'Joy Buzz' has worn off.. not surprising considering.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The adrenalin 'Joy Buzz' has worn off.. not surprising considering.

yeah, expected a remission. hope he makes it.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/06/wo...html?hpt=hp_t3

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by rgscpat

Crude look, with simple line drawn over August pilot chart...

I would like to see weather imposed over your chart..Lots of typhoons form in this area,The Marshalls are a breading ground for typhoons and it can happen at any time of the year,and they begin to really pile on about Nov-Dec...

[robert sailor]

The Marshalls may be a breeding ground for Typhoons but they very rarely have typhoons in the Marshalls.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

The Marshalls may be a breeding ground for Typhoons but they very rarely have typhoons in the Marshalls.

True, but it would be interesting to see what weather he encountered ..

[Yowieboy]

Two days ago:

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

yup fishy fishy.

Now:

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

yeah, expected a remission. hope he makes it.

Ah well. I know we all just react to information as it becomes available, but that monkey sure jumps around a lot.