Lost at sea: a man who vanished for 14 months (2015)

Gendry?

I’m attending a memorial a memorial service for my uncle this weekend. He set sail a year ago to fulfill his life long dream of sailing around the world alone. He did not have the required experience or reliable enough equipment. Some months ago his wife received distressing text messages, sent via a cumbersome satellite communications system, indicating he was boarded by pirates. In fact we believe now he was suffering delusions from dehydration after his water purifier failed. We received no further communications. The Coast Guard coordinated a search based on his last known location in the Pacific. Nothing was found of him or his ship. A judge later reviewed the communications and letters from experienced sailors, and signed a death certificate.

And now this is the second story about someone lost at sea being rescued that I’ve stumbled upon today. It’s a good read, thanks for sharing. I suppose it’s good to be able to have some hope that perhaps my uncle could show up on a remote island one day, though it’s also hard. At a certain point though you have to accept the odds, find a way to grieve. Sadly, I already have experience with this as a cousin of mine went spear fishing alone one day in the ocean and never returned to shore. That was years ago and no sign of him has ever been found/identified since.

This story does add up. Likely fake / staged, with just enough facts to make it feel and sound credible.

> Why is he so plump?

> Where's the sun tan?

> Could he really drift 8,000 miles across the ocean in 13 months?

> Do urine and turtle blood add up to a credible alternative to fresh water?

> How did he survive and his crewmate did not?

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/458050/Is-the-castaway-s...

> Why is he so plump?

Look at his left hand, at how his knuckles protrude from his skinny fingers. He’s emaciated. His face is probably not plump but swollen from edema arising from the sudden influx of fluids. The article discusses this.

I imagine if he were “plump” all the people who encountered him after he washed ashore would have noticed.

> Where's the sun tan?

Looks fairly tan to me. I imagine if he were healthy he’d look even darker, since being starved isn’t conducive to a healthy complexion. People tend to look pale when they are sick.

> Could he really drift 8,000 miles across the ocean in 13 months?

6700, not 8000. That’s only 15 miles a day. (And only 18 for 8000 total)

> Do urine and turtle blood add up to a credible alternative to fresh water?

Not for 14 months but he didn’t claim to be drinking urine and turtle blood exclusively for that time.

> How did he survive and his crewmate did not?

This question is just dumb. How does anyone survive when someone else doesn’t?

If both survived it would be significantly less believable.

If this is a hoax, it’s pretty impressive. Apparently he killed a man to make it stick.