How to Survive 75 Hours Alone in the Ocean

[GordMay]

A case study digs into the medical records of a lost diver’s incredible survival story.
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[gamayun]

As he says, "I shouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place." Ever since this story (https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4407244), I've wondered about the "big guy, big body" theory of survival in cold water. I don't think it's that simple. My non-data-driven guess is that it's part psychological/mental, part timing (right place, right time) and part luck (a rescuer). In equal measures, too. Luck of getting all three is just rare, I suppose.

[JPA Cate]

It's a very, very long time to be in the water, alone. Good constitution, youth, experience, and LUCK!

Nice analysis, gamayun.

Ann

[BugzyCan]

An experienced Navy Diving Instructor? I think he needs to lose that title for this stunt.

He broke a ton of safety rules, the most obvious being that you never dive alone, and always use a dive flag to show position.

And the other divers, what were they thinking leaving the guy out there by himself, to fend for himself, unless they really disliked him and secretly hoped something bad would happen to him.

It is inconceivable to me that they would agree to let him swim to shore and then motor off in the boat, so I would hold those guys just as much responsible for what happened as the diver himself. Luckily he survived.