# Just sit back down and you'll read a tale - A tale of a fateful trip... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 3, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-sit-back-down-and-youll-read-a-tale-a-tale-of-a-fateful-trip/302253 "2005-05-03T18:00:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-sit-back-down-and-youll-read-a-tale-a-tale-of-a-fateful-trip/302253/1 "2005-05-03T18:00:27Z")
Subtitled: Open Water 2 - The Teen Files. [A story of human survival instincts](http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/305655p-261554c.html): Two teens survive for 6 days in the Atlantic on a 14’ Sailboat > [@](#): > > Josh Long…and Tony Driscoll…drifted helplessly without food, water or shade, as their loved ones slowly gave up hope and the Coast Guard called off its search…Scorched and dehydrated by the sun, the teens resorted to drinking seawater and eating jellyfish until a passing fishing boat spotted them 7 miles off Cape Fear, N.C., Saturday afternoon…When they sought relief from the broiling sun in the Atlantic Ocean’s cool waters, circling sharks chased them back onto the boat. The nights were so cold that they shared a single wet suit to cover themselves…As the days wore on, Troy and Long talked of strawberry milkshakes and truckloads of Mountain Dew…They knew that drinking seawater would only speed their dehydration, yet after several parched days they felt powerless to resist. Strength drained from their bodies as their sunburned faces swelled…Finally, a fishing boat called Renegade spotted them 111 nautical miles from where they were last seen, far outside the area where the Coast Guard had searched… Jellyfish, it’s just not for sushi bars anymore. After seeing the pictures of Driscoll’s sunburned face, I have a hunch he may appreciate FaerieBeth’s, [Dear Prunefaces: No, I do not NEED a tan!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=312923) thread in the pit. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-sit-back-down-and-youll-read-a-tale-a-tale-of-a-fateful-trip/302253/2 "2005-05-03T19:02:42Z")
No shade? What happened to their sail? ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-sit-back-down-and-youll-read-a-tale-a-tale-of-a-fateful-trip/302253/3 "2005-05-03T19:36:14Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > No shade? What happened to their sail? From CT’s The Day Newspaper: [Stupid’ Move Led To Ordeal At Sea. After Miraculous Rescue, Teens And Coast Guard Both Faulted](http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=7E5056C1-A99C-42B4-982D-9B1ED2CBA17D) > [@](#): > > Coast Guard of ending its search too quickly and failing to listen to local boaters who were urging the agency to look north, rather than south. Others say there would never have been a search to begin with **if the teens had not launched on a gusty day with only a single oar — and no sail or motor** — to propel them. Finger-pointing & Darwin awards aside, I still like the way this one ended. [Brody] [ShibbOleth, I think we’re gonna need a bigger boat](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=314772) [/Brody] ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-sit-back-down-and-youll-read-a-tale-a-tale-of-a-fateful-trip/302253/4 "2005-05-03T20:16:13Z")
Gosh Darn!! The Darwin Awards just missed out on a winner!! :smack: But then again, they are still only teenagers, there is still time. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-sit-back-down-and-youll-read-a-tale-a-tale-of-a-fateful-trip/302253/5 "2005-05-03T23:08:14Z")
Those guys are both amazingly stupid and amazingly lucky. Therefore, good story.