66 Days Adrift: A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Open Sea - Paperback

by William Butler (Author)

A Powerful Account of Struggle and Survival at Sea

The lure of paradise was unmistakable, and Bill Butler was on a quest to find it with his wife Simonne--riding the Pacific currents on their sloop Siboney, with a world of possibilities ahead. But, twelve hundred miles from land, the alluring ocean showed its deadly side when, without warning, a pod of pilot whales attacked their sailboat, battering it until it sank beneath the waves. The dazed couple was left drifting in midocean in a leaky six-foot raft meant for coastal waters, with only a few hastily grabbed provisions to sustain them. Simonne, who had never truly shared Bill's dream of circumnavigating the globe, blamed him bitterly for their desperate plight.

In this powerful account of their 66-day odyssey, Butler tells a gritty, harrowing tale of their battles against nature, despair, and their own demons. He reveals how he and Simonne found the strength to survive despite the ravages of hunger, storms, and sharks. Based on Butler's faithful log entries, 66 Days Adrift is both a chilling cautionary tale for sailors with big ideas and an inspiring story of love, faith, and survival against long odds.

"How a lifetime dream to sail around the world becomes a fight to survive."--Yachting

"A vivid account of the complete will to live."--The San Juan Star

Back Jacket

A Powerful Account of Struggle and Survival at Sea

The lure of paradise was unmistakable, and Bill Butler was on a quest to find it with his wife Simonne--riding the Pacific currents on their sloop Siboney, with a world of possibilities ahead. But, twelve hundred miles from land, the alluring ocean showed its deadly side when, without warning, a pod of pilot whales attacked their sailboat, battering it until it sank beneath the waves. The dazed couple was left drifting in midocean in a leaky six-foot raft meant for coastal waters, with only a few hastily grabbed provisions to sustain them. Simonne, who had never truly shared Bill's dream of circumnavigating the globe, blamed him bitterly for their desperate plight.

In this powerful account of their 66-day odyssey, Butler tells a gritty, harrowing tale of their battles against nature, despair, and their own demons. He reveals how he and Simonne found the strength to survive despite the ravages of hunger, storms, and sharks. Based on Butler's faithful log entries, 66 Days Adrift is both a chilling cautionary tale for sailors with big ideas and an inspiring story of love, faith, and survival against long odds.

"How a lifetime dream to sail around the world becomes a fight to survive."--Yachting

"A vivid account of the complete will to live."--The San Juan Star

William Butler learned to sail by the age of nine. When he retired in 1989, he had logged more than 34,000 blue-water miles; his total now exceeds 74,000 miles. Bill and Simonne are #15 in the 2004 Outdoor Life Network program "Countdown: Survival 25"--the most inspiring and unbelievable survival stories of the 20th century.

Author Biography

William Butler learned to sail by the age of nine. In 1989 he retired from business and went sailing. Since then, he has logged more than 74,000 miles at sea.