Real Survival Stories Shipwrecked on a Reef: A Mother’s Courage
May 15, 2024
Guest Jean Silverwood shares her harrowing experience of being shipwrecked on a coral reef in French Polynesia with her family. The podcast explores their round-the-world journey, the challenges they faced, and the mother's courageous decision to save her family amidst chaos and uncertainty.
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Family Shipwreck In French Polynesia
- Jean Silverwood and her family were wrecked on a reef at night as their 55-foot catamaran broke apart under waves.
- She found herself forced to choose between staying with her trapped husband and getting the children to safety.
Round‑The‑World Departure And Early Strain
- The Silverwoods left California in 2003 to sail around the world with four children, hoping to reconnect.
- Early tensions, alcohol relapse, and cramped living tested them before they reconciled and resumed the voyage.
Cyclone Avoidance And Return To Sea
- By Christmas 2004 the family reached French Polynesia but briefly returned home to avoid cyclone season.
- They later resumed sailing toward Fiji, setting up the route where the collision occurred.