Tami Oldham Ashcraft

Tami Lee Oldham Ashcraft (née Oldham) is an American sailor and author who, in 1983, survived 41 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean.[1] Her story inspired the 2018 film Adrift.

1983 shipwreck

In 1983, Ashcraft's then-fiancé, 34-year-old British sailor Richard Sharp, was hired to ferry the 13-metre yacht Hazaña from Tahiti to San Diego. The then 23-year-old Ashcraft accompanied him on the crossing.[2][3][4] The couple set sail from Papeete Harbor on September 22.[5]

On October 12, the vessel was caught in the path of Hurricane Raymond. As the ship was being hit by 40-foot waves and 140-knot winds, Sharp sent Ashcraft below deck. Moments later, she heard him scream "Oh my God!" The yacht capsized and Ashcraft was thrown against the cabin wall and knocked unconscious. When she regained consciousness about 27 hours later, Sharp was gone and the Hazaña was severely damaged: the cabin was half-flooded, the masts had broken off the yacht, and the radio and navigation system were inoperable.[3][6]

Ashcraft rigged a makeshift sail from a broken spinnaker pole and a storm jib (a triangular sail) and fashioned a pump to drain the cabin.[6] Due to the boat damage and the local wind conditions, she determined that her original route to San Diego was no longer viable and decided instead to make the 1,500-mile (2,400-kilometre) journey to Hawaii.

Without a navigation system, Ashcraft was forced to navigate the yacht manually with the help of a sextant and a watch. She survived mainly on canned food during this time. On November 22, 41 days after the shipwreck, Ashcraft reached Hilo, Hawaii.[6]

Bibliography
  • 2002 : Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea by Tami Oldham Ashcraft.

References
  1. Tao, Gene (November 24, 1983). "Tami Oldham heads home full of thanks". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. Hilo, Hawaii. p. 1. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "A woman who spent 41 days alone in a..." United Press International. November 22, 1983. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  3. Rowney, Jo-Anne (June 29, 2018). "Heartbreaking true story behind Adrift the movie - the real-life tale is far more harrowing than the film". Daily Mirror. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  4. Corwin, Miles (November 22, 1983). "Fiance Died at Sea to Save Her, Woman Says". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. p. 52. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Oldham Ashcraft, Tami (June 12, 2002). Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea. New York, New York: Hachette Books. p. 1. ISBN 0786867914.
  6. Jacob, Julie (March 19, 2003). "Coping on land after surviving at sea". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
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