.png){kind=small}
A Family's Battle for Survival: The Robertson Family's 38 Days Lost at Sea
On January 27, 1971, the Robertson family set sail from Falmouth, Cornwall, on a grand adventure that would change their lives forever. Dougal Robertson, a retired mariner, and his wife Lyn decided to sell their dairy farm in Staffordshire to buy a 43-foot wooden schooner named Lucette. They were joined by their four children: Anne, Douglas, Neil and Sandy. The idea for this voyage came from young Neil, who was inspired by a bedtime story about a sailor who circumnavigated the globe.
The family had no sailing experience except for Dougal, who was well-versed in maritime navigation. Their plan was to sail across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal, and into the Pacific Ocean, stopping at various ports along the way. For 18 months, they successfully navigated the Caribbean and the Atlantic, but their journey took a perilous turn in June 1972.
After Anne left the voyage in the Bahamas, they picked up a young hitchhiker named Robin Williams to join them on the next leg of their journey towards the Galapagos Islands. On June 15, 1972, tragedy struck just 200 miles west of the Galapagos. A pod of killer whales attacked the Lucette, causing it to sink rapidly. The family and Robin scrambled to escape, making their way to an inflatable life raft and a small dinghy named Ednamair.
With the Lucette gone, the family faced an unimaginable ordeal. They had only enough water for ten days and emergency food rations for three days. What followed was a harrowing 38-day survival story in the vast Pacific Ocean. Initially, they attempted to stay afloat in the inflatable life raft, but after 16 days, it became unusable. They were forced to crowd into the dinghy, which was only about ten feet long. The conditions were cramped and uncomfortable, and they had to work together to keep their spirits up.
To survive, they had to get creative. The family caught fish and turtles, using whatever means necessary. Douglas, one of the sons, described how they managed to catch their first turtle: "I hit the first one that came close to us on the head with an oar, but it swam away." Eventually, they succeeded in capturing turtles, and they learned to drink the blood and eat the flesh to stay alive.
As the days turned into weeks, the family faced numerous challenges. They had to ration their food and water carefully. They collected rainwater, when possible, but rain was scarce. When they started running low on their supplies, they resorted to more desperate measures. They drank turtle blood and ate whatever fish they could catch, including dorado and flying fish that sometimes jumped into their dinghy.
On Lyn's birthday, Day 20 of their ordeal, they celebrated with a meagre meal of turtle meat and water. The family also faced physical challenges; with Neil and Sandy becoming increasingly weak, while Sandy developed a cough that worried them all.
Throughout this time, Dougal kept a journal, documenting their experiences and thoughts. He wrote about the fear of being lost at sea and an uncertain hope of rescue. The family discussed their situation openly, even talking about the worst situation of all: they pledged not to eat each other if it came to that.
By Day 37, they were nearing a shipping route between Panama and Hawaii, which raised their hopes of being spotted. The family had been drifting for nearly five weeks, and they were exhausted. They had to keep their spirits high, often singing songs and telling stories to distract themselves from their dire situation. On July 23, 1972, Dougal spotted a ship on the horizon. It was the Japanese fishing trawler Toka Maru II. With their last flares, they signalled for help. Dougal lit a flare and held it until it burned his hand, then tossed it into the sea. The crew of the Toka Maru II initially thought they were pirates, but a lookout insisted they were castaways. Within minutes, the ship was alongside them, and the family was finally rescued after 38 days adrift.
The Robertsons were taken aboard the Toka Maru II, where they were treated well by the crew. They had travelled over 750 miles during their ordeal and had about 290 miles left to reach land. They arrived in Panama on July 28, 1972, where they were met by the press.
Dougal later recounted their harrowing experience in his book Survive the Savage Sea, which became a bestseller. His son Douglas also wrote about their ordeal in The Last Voyage of the Lucette, providing a different perspective on the family's survival story.
The experience took a toll on the family. Dougal and Lyn's marriage strained under the pressure of the ordeal, leading to their divorce within a year.
The survival story of the Robertson family is not just about their physical endurance but also about their emotional strength. They faced unimaginable challenges, yet they managed to keep hope alive through teamwork, creativity, and love for one another. Their journey teaches us about the importance of family bonds and the lengths one will go to survive.
As Douglas Robertson reflected years later, "I never regretted the trip, even in the darkest hours." This sentiment shows the spirit of adventure that led them to sail around the world in the first place, despite the harrowing experience that they had to go through. The lessons learned during those 38 days at sea would stay with them for a lifetime, shaping their perspectives and their futures.
The story of the Robertson family is a remarkable tale of survival, showcasing the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. It serves as a reminder that even in the darkest times, hope and determination can lead to survival and eventual rescue.
Your engagement helps keep stories like this alive and reminds us all that even in our darkest hours, hope and determination can lead to survival. So, if this tale of adventure, tragedy, and triumph has touched you, be sure to like, comment, and share it with your friends and loved ones. Together, we can honour the memory of the Lucette and the strength of the Robertson family.
