An Australian man and his dog were rescued after being adrift at sea for more than two months. Now, the sailor is detailing just how he survived. Tim Shaddock and his dog, Bella, are grateful to be alive.
The 54-year-old recalls setting off from La Paz, Mexico, for French Polynesia. But he says a storm knocked out all of the electronics on his catamaran a few weeks into their voyage. He was left unable to communicate for help.
Thankfully, the man and his dog were rescued in July by a tuna boat. They were about 1,300 miles off of the western coast of Mexico and were spotted by a helicopter working with the ship.
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Tim shares that he is grateful to have been rescued. “I’m alive and I really didn’t think I’d make it,” he expressed. “When you get saved, you feel like you want to live."
He detailed that they survived by eating raw fish and drinking rainwater. “It was a lot of tuna sushi and I’m still very skinny. By the time I came here to the fishing boat, I was just eating so much food.”
Tim also commended Bella for being able to endure the hardships just as much as he was. He shared that he met the dog on the streets of Mexico before taking off on the voyage. Bella kept following him, so he took her along.
Tim shared that being lost at sea for so long put him to the ultimate test. “I would try and find the happiness inside myself, you know? When things get tough out there you have to survive."
He spoke highly of Bella's strength in the middle of the test, too. "She’s a beautiful animal. I’m just grateful she’s alive. She’s a lot braver than I am, that’s for sure."
Reports say that Tim did not have any injuries and was not ill. “I’ve been through a very difficult ordeal at sea," he shared, "and I’m just needing rest and good food because I’ve been alone at sea a long time."
