How did he survive?
The fascinating disappearance at sea of Jose Salvador Alvarenga shocked the world when he resurfaced after years in the water!
A fishing trip turned bad was a nightmare for his family, never knowing if they would see him alive again. Against all odds - Jose survived!
An ordeal like that must have tested the limits of the human condition in every way — mentally, physically, spiritually. Naturally, everyone needed to know the secret of his survival!
Let's take a look at the stormy tale, shall we?
Schemin' and Dreamin'
At the beginning, we find our protagonist in a tough spot! Jose Alvarenga had a strained relationship with his family.
So like many of us would, he spent a lot of solitary time sharpening his professional skills. Jose actually became very confident and started making positive plans to impress everyone.
Four years of experience in the field would lead to a big decision. In order to make tons of money, he would need to pursue the harder-to-catch big fish far out at sea. A plan was hatched! What did he need to succeed?
Finding That First Mate
Most people figure out quickly that two is better than one, and at sea, this is doubly important! Auditioning a partner for this plan was step one for Jose because his regular fishing companion was unavailable. Who did he find locally?
Ezequiel Cordoba to the rescue! This 24-year-old had limited experience, but he was adventurous. At this point, anyone who was at least willing to join the mission was enough for Jose. What kind of scheme did they work out as a team?
Devil's in the Details
After a long planning period, Jose and Ezequiel believed their sea journey would take around 30 hours. Why so long, you ask?
Jose explained that he wanted enough time to really reel in the big fish. It was the dry season, and all indications pointed to sunny days and pleasant waves. Nothing too choppy, so no need to do any serious equipment checks! How did that plan go, at first?
Smooth Sailing
The big day arrived on November 17th, 2012. Jose and Ezequiel left the Mexican shore on a clear, bright day. The sea was teeming with fishy life!
To their great delight, the duo actually snagged themselves 1000 pounds of fresh catch on the first day! Money in marine form was now stacked sky high, and life seemed beautiful. How could disaster possibly ruin this party?
Threatening Thunder
Unexpectedly, clouds began to appear above their boat. Then very suddenly, a full-blown storm broke out at sea! What was the original contingency plan?
Ay, caramba — There wasn't one! A small, uncovered boat was really not the vessel of choice for a real flood or a tidal wave.
Lucky enough not to capsize completely, the pair still found themselves in trouble. The fishing route was completely messed up and 0ff track! Where were they now, exactly?
Panic at the Helm
As disoriented as a party-goer spun around blindfolded for a piñata, Jose's fishing wisdom was now totally insufficient. The situation at sea was uncertain, and the first-time First Mate was not prepared to deal with any of it. How could he be, really?
Ezequiel's first reaction was to panic, and there was really nowhere to hide or relax in this small boat. It's hard to imagine what was running through his mind at this point, but Jose was calm enough to start an emergency measure.
What action did he take to try and avoid a certain, watery grave?
All Tricked Out
Jose went over every tip he learned in the fisherman’s manual, quickly deciding on a radio rescue as the logical step. Obviously, this was a good time for a little extra help!
Jose turned on the radio to locate his boss, Willy. Good news: A rescue party was coming! Soon, panicking Ezequiel would be home sweet home. Easy fix, right?
Low Tech Trouble
Now, this was no time for technical difficulties, but as they say — Man plans and God laughs. The search party really went out looking, but Jose and Ezequiel certainly couldn't feel it. Like ships passing in the night, they were not reunited at this stage.
After two full days, there was just no luck. The searchers gave up, sadly. With a rain-soaked GPS device and a radio that couldn't give any precise location in the middle of the sea, Ezequiel had not been wrong to panic. Was there really any possible plan B?
Something's Fishy
By this time, the news has spread back to Jose’s town about the emergency. Locals waited for positive updates, but nothing surfaced. Weeks became months, and people started to view this as a sad, lost cause.
After a year went by with no success at all, the unfortunate conclusion had set in: Ezequiel and Jose would never be seen alive again. Short of a miracle, how could they possibly survive past a certain point?
Super Survival Mode
On the other side of the equation, the doomed duo started to realize that options were running out. In an effort to at least avoid sinking at sea, Jose started hurling his precious fish stock and the extra gasoline into the water. Heavy times, why not lighten the load?
Jose was a practical man, and he knew that all of these things were attainable again in the future, if only he could it make it back to civilization! But wait, what were they supposed to eat on board now?
Drops of Hope
Actually, food was now the least of their concerns. Seawater was simply not an option to solve the problem of thirst. Humans die much faster from a few days of dehydration, long before starvation. Facts are facts!
After two anxious weeks at sea, it looked like the rain clouds were about to save them. When the drops came down, Jose was ready with buckets set up to collect the precious liquid. So refreshing, and just in time!
The End of Ezequiel
Raw fish might be fun at a sushi restaurant, but that's when it is expertly prepared. Jose and Ezequiel were just taking what they could get at this point.
Unfortunately, not everyone can handle this level of mental and physical stress. At this stage in the journey, one member would succumb to the harshness of the sea.
Ezequiel never made it home, and Jose was left as the sole captain manning the ship and mourning the untimely death of his young partner. Now, he had to focus even more if he ever hoped to see human beings again. Did he still have the psychological fortitude after witnessing such trauma?
Suffering in Solitude
As the Bible says, "It is not good for man to be alone". At sea, Jose started to lose his mind with no one to talk to about his ongoing ordeal. Staring at the waves, he started to experience hallucinations!
The old tale of men wandering in the desert and seeing mirages of water sources was now a mirrored event. Jose was stuck in a water world seeing images of land in the distance!
One day, 438 days in, the dream became a reality. Jose finally hit land! Could he believe his eyes when it really happened?
Land, Ho!
On the beach of the Marshall Islands, Jose arrived in a visible state of hysteria. Locals found him stumbling around, and they were very welcoming! It was obvious the man had been through a lot, and these Good Samaritans invited him inside their homes right away.
Jose's nightmare at sea was over, and he was soon able to return to his village and try out safer jobs! But would he really be able to go back to a quiet life after the media got wind of this harrowing story?
Rumor Has It, Ooh
News had spread like wildfire that a local man had somehow survived 438 days at sea! International media covered the story and demanded interviews. Everybody had to know just how he did it!
Nobody ever accused the media of delicately handling a tragedy. Jose had witnessed his friend die in the boat, and perhaps he wasn't ready to really share all the details on camera.
Instead, he started writing it all down for a bit of therapeutic recollection. Would he be able to capture the memories on paper even better?
Journaling the Journey
Jose may not have been a famous writer before his watery mishap, but now he had plenty of good material to work with! He released a book called 438 Days at Sea to answer the public's questions about his almost unbelievable survival. How did it do?
Outside Magazine called it “The best survival book in a decade” and he made enough money from the sales to make up for all the fish he was forced to throw overboard!
Perhaps the original plan would have caused less pain, but when life gives you lemons — you gotta make lemonade!
Family Reunion
Now that the world had gotten to know Jose better through his personal novel, it's time to turn to his family. At the beginning of Jose's story, he had experienced trouble with his relations. But genuinely scary times can really change people's priorities!
Jose’s parents really wanted to reunite with their son when they heard he was found alive and well? Reporters captured the heartwarming moment when the family embraced, and the emotion was hard to contain!
The Real Deal
Jose knew that he could not move on with his life until he closed one last part of the chapter.
Ezequiel never made it home alive, and Jose mourned. At sea, they had promised each other that whoever survived would share the full story with their parents. Now, it was time to keep his end of the deal!
Jose took a trip to Mexico to visit his first mate's mother, Ana Rosa. This meeting lasted for hours, and Jose did his best to answer every question this grieving parent needed to move on in peace. It was the least he could do!
Dad Part Dos
Some people might be too emotionally broken to move on after such a traumatic experience, but Jose is no ordinary survivor! He decided that it was time to heal more than just his own heart.
Jose lived in El Salvador before his days in Mexico, and he decided to make a special trip back home to see his daughter. After eight years, he established a bond with the girl. A lot of good was coming out of this story that no one ever expected!
Sanity Strategies
Many have continued to struggle with his story, even after reading the novel that tried to explain it all. Just how did Jose manage to mentally survive the extreme solitude? Most of us would go absolutely crazy!
Jose said it was really all about using his imagination. During his ordeal at sea, he tried to distract himself with fantasies in a make-believe world.
Imagining meals of his favorite foods and visits to gorgeous vacation destinations went a long way to help him pass the time. Very creative, Jose!
Inspiring the World
Jose really did an admirable job of getting his life back together after this soul-changing experience. Trauma used to repair his relationships inspired so many other people with family challenges, too!
Today, Jose uses his public image to spread a message of perseverance. No matter how difficult your circumstances may be at the moment, Jose thinks you must keep fighting!
With one life to live, we only get one chance. Jose got a second chance, and he reminds everyone that life is precious. What else can we learn from him, on the practical side?
Prepare to Prepare
Many people have noticed a small thing about the beginning of this wild story. The truth is, very little planning had been done before Jose set sail on the open sea.
If the poor weather conditions had really been studied, he might have picked a better time to try this mission. And if the equipment had been checked, would the same tragic results have happened at all?
Never underestimate the elements out there, because a small miscalculation can cost you your life! At this point, Jose is pretty likely to agree. In fact, he lectured on the topic recently! Where, you ask?
Total Guru Status
In 2017, Jose attended PrepperCon, a convention that teaches people about national disaster survival and preparation. Was Jose the perfect guest, or what?
Jose shared his journey again for those who had missed the viral story, and people were wowed at his luck! With almost no adequate prep at all, he survived. As a warning, Jose did not advise anyone to follow his example!
Sea in His Soul
Jose has enough strength and courage to continue his passion today. Fishing was in his heart, and he started to plan new expeditions for bigger catches.
Jose's optimism is definitely inspiring, as many people would never return to a boat again!
Choose another profession? Not Jose. Nothing will intimidate this man, not setting a known history record — becoming the first person in history to survive in a small boat for more than a year! Hopefully, no one will beat him in that category.
Nautical safety first, people!