Man Washes up in Marshall Islands 'After 16 Months Adrift'

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2553589/Jose-Salvador-Alvarenga-Mother-miracle-castaway-dismisses-claims-doesnt-want-return-family-El-Salvador.html

Dr. Roner Mendoza told MailOnline that the castaway was being treated for dehydration.

'The problem has to do with acid reflux, but we've got him on medicine to treat this,' he said.

...

'He also has a fever, which is probably viral,' Mendoza said. 'It's likely he's picked up a small cold from someone and his immune system was too weak to deal with it.'

[The Garbone]

I am of the opinion that if his partner had not passed away early on neither of the fellows would have survive. One would think that the mouths you have to feed the harder it would be. Why did this guy make it an a lot of folk from the essex not, luck and number I would think.

[Phoenician]

Irrespective of the more sinister scenarios of his partner's demise, I could not help remember the story of the Smalls lighthouse in the UK: (the following from Wikipedia) " the old lighthouse brought about a change in lighthouse policy in 1801 after a gruesome episode. The two man team, Thomas Howell and Thomas Griffith, were known to quarrel, and so when Griffith died in a freak accident, Howell feared that he might be suspected of murder if he discarded the body into the sea.[6] As the body began to decompose, Howell built a makeshift coffin for the corpse and lashed it to an outside shelf" .

After the Smalls incident, the authorities changed the lighthouse policy to mandate a minimum of 3 men crews manning the lighthouse, until they became automatic in the 1980s.

I guess poor Alvarenga was in a no-win situation: 1) conserve the body on board for evidence - and all that it entails or 2) toss it overboard, and become the subject of suspicion.

I wonder what I would have recommended him to do?

[sparau]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

Yeah for simple!
As to the murder charge if it happened there are two possibilities. First is after a month or so at sea he snapped and killed his shipmate. A defense of temporary insanity would be a no brainer here. Second possibility is that he could have killed him that first day and decided to make a run for it causing him to wind up adrift. If that were the case I am sure he has recovered enough to not tell that version of events. Either way there is probably no real use in questioning the guy. Let him write a book about it then read between the lines if you like..

You are thinking like someone who hasn't been through that kind of trauma.

There is also a good idea of innocent until proven guilty, or better yet don't cast aspersions on someone in such a situation.

[hpeer]

Good reads are Deep Survival and Every Day Survival by Lauwerence Gonzales

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Might come as a shock to many, but in Latin America, as well as many other places in the world, shark is a very popular dish. It is one of my favorite fish to eat as well.

Some places even have famous shark dishes, like the "Shark'nBake" in Trinidad

I have tried to eat shark before,we helped a guy(Ray Aires) pull in a 910 lb Sand Bar Tiger Shark on Nags Head Pier once..For our efforts he "rewarded" us with a section..I put that stuff in the oven and walked outside,when I went back in I could not breath.. The house was full of gases ammonia and it made us all heave...I know all about Urea and bleeding but that was the worse thing I have ever tried to cook..I understand that the folks that do eat it soak it in bleach and salt brine for a day or so..Thats why it is so white and firm I was told,also told me to try Mako if I wanted to eat a shark..

[cortezsailor]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

There are no reports because the whole story os a load of horse poop

W often get threads where people sate they are law enforcement people. Well, where are a few of them to give their professional opinion as to the likelihood of this story being true? And holding up in court!

Skepticism is good but this post didn't sound like skepticism , you sounded pretty sure of yourself

[tropicalescape]

I think this guy is like a lot of Cubans,they would rather wash up on shore! I dont care who you are thats funny stuff..

[sparau]

As to scurvy, both plankton and seaweed have a pretty good vitamin hit if you can get some.

You could possibly get some of either from trawling a shirt.

[robert sailor]

Well this has turned the corner into a murder mystery...what imaginations we have in this group! Waiting for the next idea to pop up.

[goat]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Well this has turned the corner into a murder mystery...what imaginations we have in this group! Waiting for the next idea to pop up.

Next up; Alien abduction

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Well this has turned the corner into a murder mystery...what imaginations we have in this group! Waiting for the next idea to pop up.

Aliens...................and get set................. go

[ontherocks83]

I was a little slow on the draw. Alright I'll give it another go..............He's actually a mermaid like in the tv special they did last year. Look they are real!!!!!

[boatman61]

What folk forget.. or in some cases do not realise is that Geographical location can make an enormous difference to survival.. and as for MarkJ's theories/suspicions... well... every single cruising couple that's lost their partner/crew overboard is a murder suspect.. the perfect way to avoid divorce..
And they have a damn sight more to gain than this guy..

[robert sailor]

Boatman....I had a chance with the ex about 12 years ago and blew it.