Sailors Stranded At Sea For Ten Days Begin To Lose Hope, But Then They Spot An 'Object' On The Horizon

A dilapidated boat drifts aimlessly on the open sea, all systems dead and its two sailors completely cut off from the world: all seems lost. The boat’s name, Atrevida II — Spanish for “daring” — was beginning to sound like fate’s idea of a cruel joke. But then the men spot an object on the horizon — something huge and imposing, but potentially their salvation. Have their prayers been answered?

Joe, Kevin, and Minnie

By this point, Joe DiTomasso and Kevin Hyde had been stranded in the water for ten long, gruelling days. Their vessel had no power and no fuel. They had very little food and water for themselves, let alone for their furry sailing companion Minnie. While surviving on small rations of honey and beans, they had to muster the strength to stop their faithful pooch desperately drinking the salty sea water!

Prison and salvation

The 30-foot sailboat had become both their prison and the only thing keeping them alive. But as waves the size of mountains whipped and slammed around them, they knew they had to live long enough to somehow find rescue. So, when the horizon revealed a 600-foot tanker, the men saw a golden opportunity. Could they get its attention, or would it miss their tiny vessel floating in the vast expanse of the ocean?

A Hollywood plot

If you think this sounds like the plot of a Hollywood drama that would sweep the Oscars — yu’re not the only one! After all, DiTomasso himself has said the story would make a great film. Heck, he has even toyed with the idea of writing a book about his experiences. You see, this ordeal was very real, and at many points he and Hyde — and their families at home — believed it wouldn’t have a happy ending.

Bonding over boats

It all started on Thanksgiving when DiTomasso, 76, and Hyde, 65, set sail from New Jersey on a journey to Marathon, Florida. The men had initially met when DiTomasso was living on a houseboat in Cap May marina and Hyde’s Atravida II sailboat was docked there. They bonded over their shared love of boating and became firm friends — which is when they hatched the plan to sail to a sunnier climate.