Don’t Give Up
William and Simonne ate small portions of food. The food supply
they had brought lasted for four weeks. Then they had to catch fish from
the ocean.
It is difficult for ships to see tiny life rafts in the ocean. This did not stop
William and Simonne. They tried to signal for help. Every day they looked
for ships and planes. They did not know how long they would be alone. At
one point, they lost their fishing hook. It was getting harder to survive.
On the 65th day, they used their last signal flare when they spotted a
merchant ship
. The ship seemed to signal back. But then it disappeared.
William and Simonne felt hopeless. The next day, they heard a loud engine
approach. It was the Coast Guard. They were saved! The Coast Guard
brought them aboard. The nearest port was in Golfito, Costa Rica. William
and Simonne were taken there to recover. Each had lost nearly 50 pounds
(23 kg). They were sunburned. William had cuts and sores on his arms
and hands. But they had survived at sea for 66 days. William and
Simonne were grateful to be alive.
merchant ship:
a ship used for trading and transporting cargo
Desalination Devices
Salt water is not safe to drink. Drinking salt water can lead
to kidney problems. A portable desalination device can
save a life when someone is lost at sea. This device uses
a special filter to remove salt from sea water. This turns
sea water into fresh water. This device can be even more
valuable than bottles of fresh water for surviving at sea.
10
IRON WILL
