// the sea does not give them back

The ship went down. The open boat was all that was left.

Documented case files of sea voyages that ended in catastrophe and survival — ships wrecked, whales that struck back, rafts and lifeboats adrift for weeks — each traced from the voyage to the wreck to the open boat, with the peril, the toll, and the lessons.

15 documented voyages Updated Jun 8, 2026

OW-001 · 1820

Whaleship · Pacific Ocean

The Whaleship Essex — Rammed by a whale, doomed by fear of the wrong shore

starvation thirst whale-attack cannibalism partial-loss 1800s

Rescue off Chile, Feb 1821 · Partial loss

OW-002 · 1816

Naval shipwreck · West African coast

The Raft of the Medusa — A patronage captain wrecked a frigate, then the boats cut the raft loose

shipwreck starvation thirst most-died 1800s

Rescue by the Argus, 17 Jul 1816 · Most died

OW-003 · 1884

Yacht delivery voyage · South Atlantic

The Mignonette — Starving survivors killed the cabin boy, and the law called it murder

shipwreck starvation cannibalism convicted 1800s

Rescue by the Montezuma, 29 Jul 1884 · Convicted

OW-004 · 1629

East Indiaman shipwreck · Western Australia

The Batavia — A shipwreck became a massacre of about 125 stranded survivors

mutiny shipwreck massacre pre-1800

Rescue by the Sardam, late Sep 1629 · Massacre

OW-005 · 1945

Warship · Philippine Sea

The USS Indianapolis — Torpedoed in secret, abandoned to the sharks

exposure sharks torpedo most-died 1900-1949

Rescue after 4 days, Aug 1945 · Most died

OW-006 · 1866

Sailing ship · Auckland Islands

The General Grant — Wrecked in a sea cave, marooned for eighteen months

exposure shipwreck partial-loss 1800s

Rescue by Amherst, Nov 1867 · Partial loss

OW-007 · 1972

Schooner · Eastern Pacific

The Robertson Family — Sunk by killer whales, survived 38 days adrift

exposure whale-attack survived 1950-1999

Rescue by trawler, Jul 1972 · Survived

OW-008 · 1991

Fishing vessel · North Atlantic

The Andrea Gail — Swallowed by a once-in-a-century storm, never found

storm lost-with-all-hands 1950-1999

Vanished off Sable Island, 28 Oct 1991 · Lost with all hands

OW-009 · 1979

Yacht race · Celtic Sea

The 1979 Fastnet Race — A summer yacht race that became a mass rescue

storm partial-loss 1950-1999

Storm off SW Ireland, 13–14 Aug 1979 · Partial loss

OW-010 · 1998

Yacht race · Bass Strait

The 1998 Sydney–Hobart Race — A Boxing Day classic torn apart in Bass Strait

storm partial-loss 1950-1999

Storm in Bass Strait, 27–28 Dec 1998 · Partial loss

OW-011 · 1872

Merchant brigantine · North Atlantic

The Mary Celeste — Found seaworthy and empty; the crew never explained

unexplained mystery 1800s

Found adrift near the Azores · Mystery

OW-012 · 1789

Open-boat ordeal · South Pacific

The Mutiny on the Bounty — Cast adrift, Bligh navigated 3,600 miles to safety

mutiny open-boat survived pre-1800

Reached Kupang, 14 Jun 1789 · Survived

OW-013 · 1942

Torpedoed merchantman · South Atlantic

Poon Lim — 133 days alone on a raft, and lived

exposure thirst torpedo survived 1900-1949

Rescued off Brazil, 5 Apr 1943 · Survived

OW-014 · 1709

Castaway · Juan Fernández, Chile

Alexander Selkirk — He chose the island and outlived the ship he refused

isolation marooned survived pre-1800

Rescued off Chile, Feb 1709 · Survived

OW-015 · 1609

Shipwreck · Bermuda, North Atlantic

The Sea Venture — Wrecked on purpose, and everyone aboard lived

shipwreck storm survived pre-1800

Reached Jamestown, May 1610 · Survived