This story is all over the news, but I have not seen it here. 37 year-old Louis Jordan sailed from his Intercoastal Waterway home in Conway, South Carolina January 23, and was reported missing January 29th. He was rescued today by a German cargo ship 200 miles from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on top of his capsized vessel, a Pearson 35. The Coast Guard picked him up in a helicopter and flew him to Norfolk, Virginia. There, he walked(!) into the hospital for treatment for a shoulder injury requiring immediate attention and dehydration. Obviously, there's a lot more to this story, and I can't wait to hear about it. The photos I see do not appear to be a man who was lost at sea for two months.
The US Coast Guard reported Jordan survived 63 days by eating raw fish and drinking rain water.
This site has the most complete coverage I've seen so far. The boat was named Angel, and his father is obviously deeply religious. Divine intervention isn't my thing, but I sure love a story with a happy ending!
According to the news stories, Mr. Jordan was not a very experienced sailor. Whatever the case may be, to survive lost at sea for so long (in the winter, no less) is an amazing feat. If his boat capsized 63 days ago, he must have retrieved some essential items to keep himself alive, let alone able to walk. Photos show him carrying a small backpack, so he had some personal items after the capsize. I wonder if he made swims into the overturned boat to get things. The hull of a Pearson 35 is pretty round. Not much flat surface, and it would have a older style full-length keel instead of fin keel. It would be very hard to stay on any dry surface. I imagine a drifting hulk with mast and rigging below the surface would attract sea life, and he was able to catch it somehow. I wonder, did he retrieve a fishing pole from his capsized vessel? He obviously had plenty of time on his hands, and the will to survive would definitely motivate.
Whatever he did to stay alive, hooray for Louis Jordan bringing some thrilling good news to his family and friends!