Miracle in the North Atlantic | The Dark Ocean | 1

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0:27Gudlaugur Fridthorsson wakes up suddenly. Lloyé, as his friends call him, is in his cabin on a fishing trawler at sea off the coast of Iceland. He's trying to get some sleep, but he keeps hearing strange noises coming from the boat's engine room. The sun set hours ago, and Lloyé can hardly see a thing through the cabin's porthole, just the shadows of his fellow fishermen casting their nets. Lloyé knows he should be used to the trawler's noisy engine by now, but he can't help but worry. It's almost a reflex for him. One of his crewmates, Engelbert, enters the cabin and gives himself a shake, trying to warm up.

1:07Take over for me, Loyer. I need a cigarette break. What's the point? We've barely seen a fish all day. Yeah, I know. But we have to catch something eventually, right? Loyer sighs and looks at his watch. It's 10.40 p.m. on March 11th, 1984. It's no surprise the crew is getting impatient. They've been out here for hours and have barely any catch to show for it. He pulls a thin sweater and an oilskin jacket over his red flannel shirt, then climbs the steep stairs up to the deck. It's 26 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and he wonders briefly whether something warmer might be better. But once he gets working, he won't feel the cold.

1:54As he steps onto the deck, he hears another crewmate, Pater, rumbling about his hangover. And Captain Hiurter is fuming too, because the trawler's dragnet keeps getting caught on the seabed. Every time that happens, the boat has to stop. Then they use motorized winches to pull the net until it comes loose. It's costing them valuable time. Loyer turns to look at the captain standing in his wheelhouse. Hyurter is looking out into the darkness with narrowed eyes. Then he notices Loyer and motions, as if he's shoveling invisible food into his mouth. Loyer smiles and nods. Yes, it is time for dinner.

2:34He goes to the staircase that leads below deck and shouts down to the ship's cook. Hey, Varlor! How's food looking? Suddenly, the boat lurches violently to one side. Loye loses his balance and is thrown against a wall. Instinctively, he grabs a cable to steady himself. The trawler is thrashing like an animal caught in a trap. Loye knows what's happened. The dragnet has gotten stuck again, and the boat is being held in place. He hears the captain shouting something, but Loye can't understand it. He must be telling the crew to release the net again. Loyer inches toward the rope winch to help. Varlur, the cook, comes on deck.

3:19He's holding onto the stair rail for dear life, and Loyer realizes in horror that the ship is leaning more and more. The waves are already lapping over the deck. Varlur is now hanging onto the stair rail, but his hand slips and he flies past Loyer into the darkness. Loyer is briefly numb with shock, But then he realizes they are sinking. Fast. Heortar!

3:45Gudlaugur Fridthorsson:Engelbert! Petar! Where are you? The boat is tilting so badly that the deck is now pointing skyward. Loye is gripping the rope so tightly that his hands are starting to bleed. Normally, the deck is covered with buckets and boxes, but these are flying all around him into the ocean. And in the chaos, he's lost sight of the captain and his crewmates. He can't tell if any of them had time to deploy the emergency raft. The boat is now lying almost sideways, and Loya realizes that holding on is futile. He counts down. One, two, three, and then let's go.

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5:34From Wondery, I'm Mike Corey, and this is Against the Odds.

5:48Gudliger Fridthorsen, better known as Loyer, wanted nothing more than a simple, uneventful life. In his early 20s, he began working as a fisherman on ships from his home island of Hemae, Iceland. He earned the little money that he needed on fishing trawlers in the Atlantic Ocean. Loyer was a gentle giant, 6 '3", 275 pounds, with a calm, easygoing temperament. Then, on March 11, 1984, when the boat he was working on sank, he began a struggle for survival that made him a national hero in Iceland. This is Episode 1, The Dark Ocean.

6:36Lloyé steps out of his favourite bakery and leaps to one side as a big shaggy dog races past him. A girl appears from between the whitewashed houses, chasing after the dog. Hey, sorry! No worries. Lloyé turns around and waves to the other customers inside the bakery to show he's alright. Then he walks on toward the harbour. The sun is starting to rise on the Icelandic island of Heimae. It's just before 8 o 'clock on Sunday morning, and the contours of the Eldfell volcano are emerging in the dawn light. The volcano may look peaceful now, but the crater is active. It last erupted 11 years ago, with no warning, in the middle of the night.

7:20Loyer was just a child, and the memory of that night is seared in his mind.

7:26Gudlaugur Fridthorsson:Loyer, come have a drink with us. Loyer sees a couple of his friends sitting in front of a closed bar. They've clearly partied all night, and they're still going strong. I'm sorry, I can't. I'm back out at sea for a couple days now. All right, all right. Suit yourself. But hey, you're buying the next round. His friends stagger off, and Loyer feels a pang of jealousy. He doesn't really want to go out to sea today. Spring is arriving on the island, and he'd much rather raise a glass with his pals. He thinks about the little trawler that he'll be sailing out on. The coffee will be awful, and the catch probably won't be much better.

8:07But what choice does he have? He needs the money, and fishing is all that he knows.

8:20Loyer can't help but shake his head every time he sees the trawler. It bobs up and down in the half-light of the harbour. It is not an impressive sight. It's about 75 feet long, and it's pretty narrow. Towards the stern of the boat are two outriggers that are used to release and bring in the dragnets. Below them is the deck, and then at the bow, there is a large wheelhouse where the captain keeps an eye on proceedings. The Helisei VE-503 really has seen better days. Everything is just a little rusty and tired. Captain Hyurter is already on deck and catches Loyer's look of disdain. You got a problem, Loyer?

9:02No, but how much longer do you think this thing is going to keep going? Oh, come on. It's got a few miles left in it yet. Yeah, if you say so, Cap. Loyer climbs aboard and gives Hyurter a big hug. He may hate the boat, but he is fond of the captain. He gets along well with his crewmates, too. Like Loye, they're all in their early to mid-twenties, and they've been working together for a long time. Loye takes his bag to the cabin. Pater is there too, unpacking for the voyage. They greet each other without a word. Loye throws his small sports bag onto one of the bunks and trudges back upstairs. Captain Huyter is sitting, deep in thought, looking at a map.

9:46He takes a puff of his cigarette and traces a root with his finger. I think we'll go here. Back to our usual spot. I don't know, Cap. The catch hasn't been so good there recently. Yeah, yeah, but we know the area, and honestly, I'm not in the mood for experimenting. Ha. Look who's coming. Two figures are staggering toward the pier. The ship's cook, Varlur, is propping up Engelbert, who seems a little worse for wear. Varlur practically has to drag him up the gangway. Someone had a little too much to drink last night He hands the hungover Engelbert over to Loyer Who gives him a hearty heave on board and a slap on the back There we are Good thing it's your turn to check the engines today, Engelbert Loyer knows that once Engelbert is sitting in the heat of the engine room He'll soon be back to normal Coffee on tap wouldn't hurt either Loyer ruffles Engelbert's hair and gives Captain Hiurter the thumbs up It is time to cast off.

10:59Varler rummages through the provisions, looking for coffee. He's in the Hellesay's galley kitchen, which is so small that there's barely space to turn around. But somehow, he can't find the coffee anywhere. He isn't sure whether he's already unpacked it, or whether he even packed it in the first place. He glances through the small round porthole and sees the town and harbor of Hema 'e getting smaller. There's no turning back now. If he really did forget to pack the coffee, the crew is going to be furious. Varlur feels his stomach lurch. This is his first multi-day voyage, and obviously he didn't mention his tendency to get seasick when he took the job.

11:41He swallows down his nausea and turns to resume unpacking, then jumps. startled. There's a huge figure standing in the galley door. It's Loille. The gentle giant, with his curly short hair and thin blonde mustache, is staring at him intently. What's on the menu today? I, um, haven't decided yet. You don't look so good. Let's open a window, get you some air. But it's really cold. There's no point in arguing with Loille. The giant plonks him down on a stool, then rips open the porthole window. Loyer fills a kettle with water, puts it on to boil, and rummages in a drawer. He finds a teabag, grunts in satisfaction, and drops it in a mug.

12:26Then he turns to face Varlor. Do you have milk, flour, eggs? Varlor nods. Great. Pancakes it is. Loyer begins unpacking provisions. He undoes the spring locks that keep the cupboards closed at sea, and curses when he finds empty packets left behind by the previous crew. Varlor didn't ask him to do any of this, but he's grateful for a distraction from his seasickness. Don't forget Engelbert's coffee, okay? And leave the spoon in the cup so he knows which one's his. I can't find the... What, the filter papers? Then use toilet paper. It'll work just as well. Without another word, Loyer takes his tea and shuffles out the door.

13:10Varlor feels calmer, and his seasickness is subsiding. Maybe this voyage won't be so bad after all. Suddenly, he has a flash of inspiration. He rummages in a bag of supplies and finds the coffee right at the bottom.

13:30Later that evening, Loyer clenches and unclenches his fist, trying to get the blood flowing into his frozen fingers. The twilight is fading, and he and his colleagues have just lowered the enormous dragnet back into the water. They release the winch and the rope clatters off the spool. The enormous dragnet sinks into the dark waters towards the seabed. As the ship pulls the net along, it takes everything with it. Capelin, herring, and cod, if they're lucky. But this trip, they haven't had much luck at all. Every now and then, they feel a jolt when the dragnet gets stuck on the seabed. That's the cue for Loye and his crewmates to hold onto the railings.

14:11The hungover Engelbert is up on deck for the first time today. What does the net keep getting caught on? It's igneous rock. Solidified lava. But this far out? We're not that far from shore. Loyer points in the direction of Hemae. The slopes of the Eldfell volcano are glowing red with the sun setting behind them. Before he knows it, he's deep in conversation with Engelbert about the Great Eruption of 1973. Every resident of Hema 'e still remembers where they were on that day. Like lots of other people, Loyé had to run for his life. Engelbert recalls the boats in the harbor. Within hours, the island was evacuated.

14:54Loyé watches the sun disappear behind the volcano. It is strange leaving the island. Why? I don't know. I guess I always feel like it's the last time I'll ever see it. The island will always call us back, Loie. Engelbert turns around and heads back below deck to check on the engine. Loie watches him leave, then looks back at Eldfell, watching its silhouette fade into darkness. When the captain gives the order, Loie and the other fishermen pull the net back in. They sort through the pitiful catch, and it looks like they're not done for the night yet.

15:43Hyurter's stomach is rumbling. He hasn't eaten anything since breakfast, and he's starving. The light flickering above his wheelhouse is giving him a headache, too. He's just sent Loye to check on Varlur, the cook, to find out what's for dinner. The captain slams his palm on the steering wheel in frustration. The dragnet has gotten caught on the seabed again. Khyurter reduces speed, but the swell of the ocean keeps the ship moving. The net won't come loose, and the helise begins to lean. Khyurter shouts through the open door of the wheelhouse to the men on deck. Nah, I've had enough of this. Let's just get it sorted and call it a night.

16:24He wonders for a moment whether anyone understood him, but then he sees Loye and Pater head to the rope winch to try and release the dragnet. But it doesn't seem to work. He can tell by the men's body language that they're getting frustrated. Then, the captain has a sudden realization. The ship is leaning far too much. The swells are starting to wash through the railings and onto the deck. Heurtur yanks the steering wheel one way and then the other, but the boat won't budge. They're stuck, and the net is continuing to pull them over to one side. The next big wave will capsize them. Thoughts flash through his mind.

17:01He has ultimate responsibility for the crew. He runs through his options. Could they try cutting the net or dumping some cargo to rebalance the ship? But he can already see it's too late for any of that. It's all his men can do to avoid falling overboard. Hyurter watches helplessly as Varlor comes up from the galley and immediately loses his balance. He tumbles off the deck and into the dark sea. Hyurter knows he has to give the order that no captain wants to give. Abandon ship! No one hears him. The roar of the waves and the grinding of the engine are too loud. Heater leaves the wheelhouse, climbing through the door, which is now hanging almost level with the sea.

17:42He tries with all his might to hold on. He hears Loie shouting the names of the crew, but he can't understand anything else. Then the captain loses his balance and slips. He claws in panic for something to hold on to. He can't abandon ship before the others. The captain is the last to go, And if not, then he goes down with his ship. But Hjorter can't fight gravity. And with a scream, he tumbles overboard and into the freezing sea.

18:24Loya swallows another mouthful of salt water. He's surrounded on all sides by nothing but the dark black sea. The waves didn't seem all that big from up on deck, but here in the water, it is a different story. Loyer realizes something else. It is unbearably cold. The temperature of the water can't be much more than 40 degrees. He looks around frantically for his crewmates. Where is everyone? Where is everyone? Loyer! Captain?

18:54Gudlaugur Fridthorsson:Over here! L 'Ouye summons all of his strength and swims in the direction of Hjortra's voice. It's not easy to swim through the rise and fall of the waves, especially in the dark. But gradually, L 'Ouye's eyes adjust and spots the hull of the helissade. It hasn't fully sunk yet. There's a glow under the water where the lights of the ship are still lit. It's all so surreal. The world seems to have turned upside down. After a few strokes, L 'Ouye reaches the captain. Where are the others? I don't know. I saw Varlor fall into the water, but now he's gone. That's Pater over there. The captain points, and Lóie sees another head bobbing above the surface of the water nearby.

19:40Okay, what about Engelbert? I didn't see him leave the engine room. It is hard for Lóie to tread water and keep his head above the sea. This part of Iceland is known as the windiest corner of Europe, and all that wind makes the waves unpredictable. But they can count themselves lucky. The weather conditions could be much worse. Lóie and the captain hatch a plan. Hjortor will try to dive down to release the lifeboat from the helisei, while Lóie looks for Engelbert. But first, he has to help Pétar, who seems to be in distress. Lloyé swims over and leads him gently in the direction of the sinking ship.

20:20Pater! Pater! We have to find something that you can hold on to. But it's so cold. I know. I know. But you'll be okay. Just hold on tight. Lloyé finds a piece of floating debris and makes Pater wrap his arms around it. All the while, he tries to keep an eye out for Engelbert, but there's no sign of him. Maybe the captain is right, and he's still in the engine room. Loyer doesn't think twice. As soon as he's sure Pater is secure, he takes a big gulp of air and dives underwater. He watches in the dim light as the captain pulls on the lifeboat's release mechanism. It doesn't look easy. Loyer turns toward the hull of the ship and looks through the portholes, one after the other.

21:08At last, he finds the engine room and presses his face against the window. All he can make out is a cloud of blood and the silhouette of a lifeless body floating. It's Engelbert. Loyer desperately wants to do something, but he knows it's too late. And if he's going to survive, he has to get back to the surface.

21:38Kiyurter pulls with all of his might on the lifeboat's release mechanism. I mustn't budge. He looks over to Loye, who is peering through a porthole before heading back up to the surface. Kiyurter gives the metal handle another pull, but to no avail. He needs to head back up too. Back at the surface, he finds Pater, illuminated by the weak light of the ship. He's shivering and clinging to a styrofoam panel. Next to him is Loye, treading water. It's impossible. I can't release the lifeboat. Is it rusted shut? I can't tell. Hiurter looks around him. All he can see is the silhouette of the wreckage.

22:22He can feel the cold in his bones. His muscles are spasming, and every movement seems to take an almighty effort. Loyer, on the other hand, seems unaffected by the icy temperatures. He just keeps calmly treading water. Through clattering teeth, Pater tries to speak. The flares, the life jackets, where are they? They're on the ship, Pater, where we can't reach them. Hyurter can hardly bear to meet Pater's gaze. His eyes move back and forth as if he's trying to read something. He seems to be coming to terms with the situation that he finds himself in. Hyurtor hears a muffled boom from somewhere inside the sinking ship.

23:09And with that, the lights, aboard the helise, go dark. Hyurtor runs his hands through his hair. It feels like the ends have ice on them. His body keeps spasming. He's familiar with situations like this from taking sea emergency courses. But those were just hypotheticals. Now, they're facing reality. They have maybe 45 minutes before hypothermia sets in. He looks over to the wreck of the Helisei. It seems to have stopped sinking for a moment. But what use is that? He wants to say something reassuring to Pater and Loie. But what? The lifeboat can't be released. They don't even have life jackets or a flashlight.

23:53But then, suddenly he has an idea. We were due to message the Coast Guard any time now. When they don't hear from us, they'll realize something is wrong, and they will start looking for us. Pater is too far gone to even register this news, but Loye looks shocked. Are you saying that you didn't make an emergency call? Everything just moved so quickly. Hyurter is second-guessing himself. Was he too hasty in leaving his wheelhouse? How long would it have taken to make the emergency call? Ten seconds? Maybe twenty? But he didn't even have that long. He barely made it out alive as it is. Loye speaks up.

24:34We need to get out of here. But where can we go? Look at the keel of the ship. It doesn't seem to be sinking now. Hyortor is impressed to realize Loye is still thinking clearly. He hasn't given up. Getting out of the water might buy some time before they become hypothermic. Loye gives Hyortor a tug on his sleeve, and the captain follows him. Together, they push Pater along on his styrofoam sheet. The metal of the ship is ice cold. Hiortar wonders whether his wet hands might get stuck if he touches it, like a tongue on a frosty lamppost. He decides to go for it anyway, and begins heaving himself up while Loye helps him from below.

25:17Loye still has the strength to push the captain up. Hiortar drags himself onto the keel of the boat. Out of the water, the icy wind needles at his drenched body. Hey, help me get Pater out of the sea. You pull and I'll push. When he's up there, hold on tight. Hiotar follows Loye's instructions almost robotically. He pulls Pater up onto the keel, then helps Loye. He grabs a handful of the big man's sweater and hoists him up with the little strength he can muster. Loye flops onto the keel with a groan. They've made it. Hyurter feels the urge to laugh. Will this even help them? And then a wave strikes the sinking ship and the captain sees the silhouette of Pater sway then collapse into the darkness.