Saved – after 28 hours afloat

SURVIVING for 28 hours after falling overboard was not the only miraculous aspect of the riveting story guest speaker Brett Archibald had to tell at the November Tuesday Rostrum lunch.

Just as amazing was the global interest in his plight and the way people across the world united in prayer, in positive thought, through social media and by physically assisting with the search. After he was rescued, the news story was splashed across front pages in 27 countries.

“Perhaps it was a time when people needed a good news story,” he said.

For Brett, the experience was life-changing. It strengthened his belief in God and in the innate goodness of mankind. It also made him revise his value system and outlook on life.

A successful businessman who enjoys social surfing, Brett was part of a group of Wesville High ‘old boys’ who went on a surfing safari to Indonesia as a reunion. He described how they had left Padang in Sumatra on the charter boat after a quick supper of takeaway pizzas. This proved Brett’s undoing. Soon many on board were suffering from severe food poisoning – and the stormy sea wasn’t improving matters. They were in the remote area known as the Mentawai Straits, in the early hours when, weakened and dehydrated, Brett blacked out and fell overboard. He regained consciousness in time to watch the lights of his boat moving away from him.

His first instinct was to panic but he calmed down, assessed his situation and focused on staying alive. Working out the longest time it would take for the boat to return, he figured he would have to keep afloat for a maximum of 14 hours.

“I could do that. However, I really felt sorry for my hardworking guardian angel,” he said.

It was fascinating to hear about Brett’s state of mind while he was lost at sea. Strange thoughts filled his mind at times and he even imagined hearing his wife telling him to stay alive for her and their two small children. He used the opportunity to assess relationships and to ‘talk’ to those he loved.

He also sang. “But only happy songs,” he said. Before he knew it, the sun rose, then, 12 hours after he had fallen overboard he saw the boat returning to find him. He was saved! However, no one aboard spotted him and he experienced an emotional meltdown as he watched it move away again. Incredibly, he managed to pull himself together and to focus, once again, on surviving.

The disappearing boat was not the only trial he would face in the long, awful hours that he fought to stay alive. He was attacked by a seagull, nibbled by fish, stung by blue bottles and jellyfish. He also described a frightening encounter with a shark. And then another boat passed within hailing distance without spotting the desperate swimmer.

As he weakened his mental state deteriorated and he began to hallucinate. However, the shark served as a messenger. When he realised it was a species found close to land, he used scraps from a piece of paper he found in a pocket to gauge the direction of the current, hoping it would take him ashore.

Inadvertently, this would assist his rescuers as they, too, were following the current. That he was eventually found by the group of Australians on a boat out searching for him was a complete miracle. His rescuers filmed the rescue and guests at Brett’s talk could appreciate just how amazing it was that he’d been spotted at all.

More miracles followed. Among his rescuers were medical professionals and the boat was equipped with the medical supplies needed to treat him. Although his extremely low blood pressure showed that he was about ten minutes away from death, the expertise and equipment were available to save him.

His amazing rescue was not only celebrated by his wife, children and loved ones. It was celebrated around the world as an uplifting, good news story. To Brett and his family – and to many people who had held him in their hearts for 28 desperate hours – it was proof of the power of prayer.