Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the first indication of impending disaster according to the narrator?
What was the first indication of impending disaster according to the narrator?
an ominous silence
What did the narrator see that made him realize the enormity of the situation?
What did the narrator see that made him realize the enormity of the situation?
an enormous wave, perfectly vertical and almost twice the height of the other waves
How did the narrator feel as he was sinking below the waves?
How did the narrator feel as he was sinking below the waves?
peaceful
What saved the narrator's life after he was thrown overboard?
What saved the narrator's life after he was thrown overboard?
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What injuries did the narrator suffer during the ordeal?
What injuries did the narrator suffer during the ordeal?
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What was the narrator's priority despite the chaos and destruction around him?
What was the narrator's priority despite the chaos and destruction around him?
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Who appeared at the front hatch and alerted the narrator to the ship's sinking?
Who appeared at the front hatch and alerted the narrator to the ship's sinking?
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What does the narrator's experience demonstrate about his character?
What does the narrator's experience demonstrate about his character?
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What was the dream of the author and his wife, Mary?
What was the dream of the author and his wife, Mary?
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What did the author and his wife do to prepare for their voyage?
What did the author and his wife do to prepare for their voyage?
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What was the author's initial reaction to the strong gales they encountered?
What was the author's initial reaction to the strong gales they encountered?
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What was Jon's question to his father in the midst of the storm?
What was Jon's question to his father in the midst of the storm?
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What was the height of the waves on December 25?
What was the height of the waves on December 25?
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What did the author decide to do to protect the weakened starboard side of the ship?
What did the author decide to do to protect the weakened starboard side of the ship?
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What was the author's attitude towards the worsening weather on New Year's Day?
What was the author's attitude towards the worsening weather on New Year's Day?
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What was Mary and the author's mood like as the storm raged on?
What was Mary and the author's mood like as the storm raged on?
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What was the author's effort to calculate their position after the storm?
What was the author's effort to calculate their position after the storm?
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What was the situation like on January 2?
What was the situation like on January 2?
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What was Sue's physical condition like when she joined her father in the chartroom?
What was Sue's physical condition like when she joined her father in the chartroom?
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How many crewmen did the author take on in Cape Town?
How many crewmen did the author take on in Cape Town?
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What was the message in the card Sue gave to her father?
What was the message in the card Sue gave to her father?
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What was the total distance of their planned three-year journey?
What was the total distance of their planned three-year journey?
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What was the author's challenge in calculating their position?
What was the author's challenge in calculating their position?
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What was the author's mindset in the face of adversity?
What was the author's mindset in the face of adversity?
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Study Notes
The Storm
- The ship, Wavewalker, was sailing in the southern Indian Ocean when it encountered a massive storm.
- The storm was so intense that the crew had to drop the storm jib and lash a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern to slow the boat down.
- The wind was screaming, and the spray was painful to the ears.
- The crew went through their life-raft drill, attached lifelines, and donned oilskins and life jackets in preparation for the worst.
The Giant Wave
- At around 6 pm, the wind dropped, and an ominous silence fell.
- A massive wave, unlike any other, appeared on the horizon.
- The wave was perfectly vertical and almost twice the height of the other waves, with a frightful breaking crest.
- The wave crashed over the ship, causing a tremendous explosion and breaking the ship's deck.
- The narrator was thrown overboard and sank below the waves, but managed to resurface and grab onto the ship's guard rails.
After the Wave
- The ship was taking on water, but the narrator didn't dare abandon the wheel to investigate.
- The front hatch was thrown open, and Mary appeared, screaming "We're sinking!"
- The narrator found the wheel and lined up the stern for the next wave, hanging on for dear life.
The Voyage
- In July 1976, the narrator, his wife Mary, and their children, Jonathan and Suzanne, set sail from Plymouth, England to duplicate Captain James Cook's round-the-world voyage.
- The family had spent 16 years honing their seafaring skills in British waters.
- They sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town, where they took on two crewmen, Larry Vigil and Herb Seigler, to help them tackle the southern Indian Ocean.
- On their second day out of Cape Town, they began to encounter strong gales, which continued for weeks.
Christmas and New Year's
- Despite the atrocious weather, the family had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's celebration on board.
- On New Year's Day, they reasoned that the weather had to change soon, but it only got worse.
The Children's Worries
- On January 2, the waves were gigantic, and Jonathan asked his father if they were going to die.
- The narrator tried to reassure him, but Jonathan said, "But, Daddy, we aren't afraid of dying if we can all be together – you and Mummy, Sue and I."
- This response left the narrator determined to fight the sea with everything he had.
The Aftermath
- The ship rode out the storm, and by the morning of January 6, the wind was easing.
- The narrator tried to get a reading on the sextant to calculate their position.
- Suzanne gave her father a card she had made, with a message saying "Oh, how I love you both. So this card is to say thank you and let's hope for the best."
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Description
This quiz is based on a personal account of surviving a storm at sea. Test your knowledge of the events and the safety measures taken by the crew.