The Crowded Raft - Our Deliverance

The raft was packed. You couldn't move. Everyone was sitting on someone else's legs, squeezed together more tightly than you could imagine. But here there was some hope in the crush of bodies. There was some warmth, not much, but some. Outside there was no hope at all. It was cold and dark. The waves were so high that you couldn't see more than 10 feet away.  By now you were either dead or getting close. We all prayed for God to help us who were dying. 

The raft was filled with water. Gigantic icy waves were splashing in, breaking over us, and spraying us with phosphorescent sea life and cold. The light was so eerie. The water was so frigid, it took my breath away every time it splashed over the edge. We were all submerged from the chest down. Some had to struggle to keep their chins above water to keep from drowning in the raft. 

Outside our rubber craft the sea was furious.  It was tossing us about mercilessly.  Up to the top of a wave we would go, drop back down to the bottom, spin around, up and down, never slowing, always moving, round and round, up and down. Everyone was sick, dizzy, and freezing cold. 

Thank God someone had the presence of mind to grab the emergency flashlight hanging near the back door of the aircraft. It was a light, our only light. 

Upside Down

The life rafts carried emergency kits, which included a flashlight and flares. Unfortunately there was only one access to the emergency kit and that was through the floor of the rubber raft. That assumed the raft had a very clearly marked top and a bottom. The first frantic passengers climbed into the raft and helped others in as fast as they could, not knowing the raft had inflated upside down. The emergency lights that ring the top of the craft were under water along with the zipper to the emergency kit. Absolutely no one was about to get out of the raft to turn it right side up. That was that! 

We had one light and a lot of hope. Save the batteries, we might need them. EverReady flashlight batteries to the rescue. Hope! 

And then the planes came.  First one, then two, then three, beautiful, beautiful planes. They knew where we were! They saw our light and dropped flares. So pretty they were, so beautiful!  They knew we were there. 

The captain and the navigator of our sunken aircraft were both on the raft. Captain Murray was sitting on my lap. I was sitting on someone else. The Captain's head was cut and his face was covered with blood. His life vest was slimy with blood. It kept rubbing against my face.  The Captain had saved us. Thank God he was safe! 

The navigator said that a ship was coming. He had contacted it by radio before we ditched. I prayed to God to make it hurry. 

But a ship didn't come.  Was he just trying to make us feel good?  Our raft just drifted on and on. The stars spun around and around above us.  We were at least consoled by the planes when they dropped their flares.  Occasionally, someone would start a song. When a wave swept over the top of us, it seemed like everyone let out a moan or a scream from the cold all at the same time. We knew there were others around us. 

Someone suggested we all call out our names to see who made it.  We were packed so tight in the raft that you couldn't see anyone. Some never answered. Some were too scared or in a state of shock. Some just listened. Some were dead. 

After nearly three hours in the water, we were able to catch an occasional glimpse of a light on the horizon.  Sometimes we would lose sight of it for ten minutes or more.  It took almost an hour to make certain it was a ship and not just drifting flares or the rising moon.  Then we were certain.  Frantically, we signaled the planes with our single little flashlight.  The planes kept dropping flares to mark our position. 

Agonizingly long hours later, it was in full view.  It was a freighter.  The spotlight was on us.  The planes had guided it in. The ship stopped about two hundred yards away. It was not the ship the navigator had contacted. This one was only six hours away. It could receive the calls for help, but couldn't radio back to us. The other ship we knew was coming was 12 hours away. The navigator didn't want to tell us how long it would be. 

I couldn't see much as the ship maneuvered its way closer to the raft.  Captain Murray was still sitting on my legs and my head was low. We sat there and wondered what they were doing. It took so long, so incredibly long. It was so freezing cold. They were waiting for us to drift in to them. They might have capsized us if they used their own force to meet us. 

Contact at Last

Finally, the ropes, the beautiful ropes! They were thrown over the side to secure us to the ship. Then the rope ladders came over the deck railing. I prayed for God to help us out of the raft. It seemed like an awfully long way to go to get into the ship. 

The sea was furious. The ship was pitching and rolling in violent torment. One second the deck railing was only five feet above us. The next second it was 20 to 30 feet up. One by one, we went up the ladders. Few were strong enough to actually climb. They held on to the rope ladders and the ships crew hoisted them over the rail. 

In the ship's light, you could see how full of water the raft was. The water was dark with blood. People were thrashing around, waiting their turn to reach the ladder.  When my turn came, I found my legs completely tangled in the life raft ropes. I could hardly get free. The raft was pitching and tossing. I was afraid of falling out of the raft and back into the fury of the sea. 

Captain Murray got on the ladder. The boat pitched upward and jerked him out of the raft. He fell backwards into the water. 

What horror! Don't drown now! Please don't! 

I grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him back into the raft. He made it up on his second attempt. He was over the railing into the ship. 

Finally I got free and could grab a ladder. The ship's crew pulled me over the side and onto the ship. I couldn't walk those first few minutes but I was safe. Relieved. Thank God, thank God! I was safe!   

Go to -> [The Rescue Ship] - [Ireland at Last]

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