Video Source: Joost
Video Added: Apr. 13, 2009 9:23PM
Video Description: On a beautiful October day, a crew of five set off on a routine trip to deliver a sailboat, the Trashman, from Maine to Florida. They don't know each other well but the trip starts out promising-warm weather and smooth seas. But their trip soon becomes anything but ordinary. Nearly halfway into their journey they enter a treacherous area of the North Carolina Coast known for its unpredictable and dangerous weather: the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The clear skies and calm seas quickly turn tumultuous. Winds gust up to 70 miles per hour and the crew battles 40 foot waves. They struggle to keep the boat afloat. But the fair weather isn't the only thing deteriorating-as the gale intensifies, crew relations begin to crumble and one bad thing after another occurs. One of the crewmembers, Mark, has been drinking steadily since the start of the trip. The alcohol finally catches up with him and he passes out, becoming more of a hindrance than the necessary help they need. The captain, John, is forced to fix a failing engine when it breaks down in the height of the storm. And Meg, John's girlfriend who is only a fair-weather sailor, takes a hard spill below deck when a huge wave knocks the boat. She's injured badly enough that John contacts the Coast Guard and requests assistance. Meanwhile, Deb and Brad, both experienced sailors, battle exhaustion as they man the helm for hours at a stretch in the extreme conditions. The crew struggles to save the boat but to no avail; the Trashman has been pounded by wave after wave for too long, and she quickly fills with water. The crew is forced to abandon ship. But as Meg swims for the boat's small rubber dinghy-their only hope of survival-she gets caught in the ship's rigging and suffers severe leg wounds. Now the crew is stranded at sea, lost more than 100-miles from dry land. They haven't got any supplies: no water, no food and no treatment for Meg's injuries. The effects of hypothermia and dehydration begin to take its toll on the group. Two of the crew resort to drinking seawater which becomes the kiss of death. And just when they thought things couldn't get any worse, dark shadows encircle the dinghy...sharks. Only two of the crew will survive this tragic story at sea. Our host, survival expert Brian Horner, breaks down the split second decisions they make that determine life or death in the open ocean.

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