In the news this week I saw a story about Tim Shaddock (an Australian man) and his dog, Bella. They were rescued after being adrift in the Pacific Ocean for three months! In April he left Mexico by sea (headed for French Polynesia), but his catamaran was damaged in a storm, leaving him with no way to navigate or communicate.
Being out on the ocean with no help, or possibility of getting additional supplies, Tim had to figure out a way to keep himself and his faithful dog alive, with no idea when – or even if – they might be rescued.
Tim was a seasoned sailor, and knew he and Bella had to have food and (more importantly) fresh water. So he put his skills to work and caught fish. He had no way to cook the fish, so he and Bella survived by eating raw fish. They couldn’t drink seawater, so Tim collected rainwater to drink. Three months, just Tim and Bella, eating raw fish and drinking rainwater, with no idea of when (or if) help would arrive
In mid-July, a helicopter working with a Mexican tuna boat spotted them, and soon rescue was underway. After a medical checkup, both Tim and Bella are doing pretty well.
Tim admitted that he wasn’t sure he would survive. Bella was a big hit with the tuna boat crew. In fact, she now belongs to one of the crew members, a gift from Tim after the crewman agreed he would take good care of her. Tim said Bella was a lot braver than he was; in fact she would not leave the boat until Tim did.
Experts say that probably one big reason Tim survived so long at sea was because of his dog. He had the responsibility for keeping both of them safe, fed and hydrated. Plus, Bella provided companionship to her seafaring human. And that companionship is one of the main reasons we all love our furry friends, when we’re speaking of pets.
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