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5 min readDark Shadows
In the early 1970s, hundreds of miles from land in the Pacific Ocean, the Robertson family was living a dream—sailing around the world aboard their boat, the Lucette. On what seemed like a normal morning, with coffee brewing and the family looking forward to their cups, 11-year-old Sandy pulled in a squid from a fishing line. Then he saw something else: a distinct black shape in the distance. It came and went. Solid, not soft like a sea bird. Then came the impact. Below deck, Douglas looked down through the hatch at his father Dougal, who was standing in ankle-deep water with terror in his eyes. Within seconds, the water was at his knees. Then his waist. Three killer whales appeared alongside the boat, one of them 30 feet long with its head split open, blood streaming behind it. The Lucette was sinking fast. Lynne put her hand on her husband's shoulder: "It's no good, Dougal. We can't save Lucette. We have to go now." Dougal gave the order he never imagined he would utter: "Abandon ship!"
The Life That Led to the Sea
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:00) **The Attack Begins** - A family sailing the Pacific spots a mysterious black shape in the water, and the tension escalates as they realize something is wrong.
- 2 (03:26) **The Family's Struggles in England** - Flashback to four years earlier, detailing the Robertson family's hard life as dairy farmers in rural Staffordshire.
- 3 (08:22) **The Sinking of the Lucette** - Back to the present, the boat is flooding, and the family must abandon ship as killer whales circle.
- 4 (10:28) **Dougal's Past and Marriage** - Flashback to the family's struggles before the voyage, revealing Dougal's drinking and Lynne's strength.
- 5 (14:24) **The Chaos of Abandoning Ship** - The family frantically evacuates as the boat sinks, with the life raft failing to inflate at first.
- 6 (17:23) **Douglas Swept Overboard** - In the chaos, Douglas is washed into the sea, and the family fears he will be eaten by the killer whales.
- 7 (19:17) **The Dream is Born** - Flashback to a Sunday morning four years earlier, when the family first discusses sailing around the world.
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Show Notes
In late 1960s England, the young Robertson family is struggling to make ends meet on their farm. They decide to give it all up, sell the farm, and sail round the world. Against all odds, they are making their wild dream a reality. But in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, catastrophe strikes.
Adrift is an Apple Original podcast, produced by Blanchard House. Follow and listen on Apple Podcasts.
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