A stranded sailor and his dog have been rescued in the South Pacific Ocean after months at sea, rescuers told Australian media over the weekend.
Sailor and His First Dog Miraculously Survived Months At Sea
The sailor, Tim Shaddock, 51, and Bella, the dog, departed for a 3,728-mile voyage from Mexico’s city of La Paz, three months ago.
Shaddock described himself as quiet and loves being alone on the ocean. Asked why he had set out in April from Mexico’s Baja Peninsula to cross the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, Shaddock was initially at a loss.
A month into his journey, a storm struck his white catamaran, wiping out all electronics, according to 9News. Shaddock said he and Bella survived three months at sea eating raw fish and drinking rainwater.
They were rescued by a Mexican tuna trawler over the weekend, 9News reported.
Sailor Survived a Difficult Ordeal
“I’ve been through a very difficult ordeal at sea, and I’m just needing rest and good food because I’ve been alone at sea a long time,” Shaddock, who appeared thin and bearded, said in a video broadcast by Australia’s Nine News television.
“Otherwise, I’m in very good health,” Shaddock added.
“To the captain and fishing company that saved my life, I’m just so grateful. I’m alive, and I didn’t really think I’d make it,” he said, adding that he and his “amazing” dog are both doing well now and that he still loves the ocean.
Shaddock, from Sydney, New South Wales, told how he endured “many, many bad days” becoming emotional as he spoke.
He then added: “There were many good good days too. I try and find the happiness inside myself.”
Shaddock Met His Dog In Mexico
The sailor said he spent time in the water swimming before his rescue. Shaddock then told how he befriended his dog in Mexico before taking her on his voyage.
“Bella sort of found me in the middle of Mexico. She’s Mexican,” he said.
“She’s the spirit of the middle of the country and she wouldn’t let me go. I tried to find a home for her three times and she just kept following me onto the water. She’s a lot braver than I am, that’s for sure.”
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