A Storm Too Soon: A True Story of Disaster, Survival and an Incredible Rescue

This is the miraculous rescue story of the crew of the Sean Seamour II, a 44-foot sailboat that capsized and sank during a sub-tropical storm 225 miles off the coast of North Carolina. The severity of the storm was unpredictable, causing waves upwards of 80 feet and putting the four boats in the area under extreme duress. Captain JP de Lutz, Ben Tye, and Rudy Snel were sailing to Saint-Tropez, France when the brutal storm demolished the boat, leaving them stranded on a life raft with no supplies, certain of their imminent death. JP suffered several broken ribs after being tossed about the boat%E2%80%99s cabin and the escape raft was filled with cold water, inspiring fears of hypothermia. It was up to a Coast Guard crew aboard an HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter to not only find the small raft in the vicious storm, but hoist the three survivors to safety. Recreating this dangerous mission, Tougias deftly switches from heart-pounding details of the rescue to the personal stories of the boat%E2%80%99s crew and those of the rescue team. The result is a well-researched and suspenseful read; some knowledge of sailing is helpful, but Tougias makes the material accessible for landlubbers. (Jan)