Man who survived two months lost at sea with his dog had 'many, many bad days'
The Australian sailor who survived two months lost in the Pacific Ocean felt he would die at sea, saying “I really didn’t think I would make it.”
Tim Shaddock and his dog Bella finally returned to land today after being rescued by a tuna trawler while surviving on a diet of “sushi” and rainwater.
After a visit from a doctor on board the Maria Delia Tuna, the sailor disembarked in the Mexican city of Manzanillo from the fishing boat that rescued them.
“I’m feeling alright. I’m feeling a lot better than I was, I tell ya,” Shaddock, smiling, bearded and thin, told reporters on the dock in the port city, which is about 210 miles west of Mexico City.
“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.
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The two survived off sushi and rainwater (Grupomar/AFP via Getty Images)The 54-year-old and Bella left Mexico for French Polynesia in April, but their boat was damaged by a storm several weeks later, leaving them drifting for weeks.
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.”
The sailor said he spent time in the water swimming before his rescue. Shaddock then told how he befriended the 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.”
He told how she kept his spirits up at sea, describing her as being a “lot braver” than himself.
Tim and Bella were rescued by the trawler (Grupomar/AFP via Getty Images)When asked about his time drifting by himself, he said: “I love being alone on the ocean.”
When quizzed about when he will return to sailing, Shaddock added: “I’ll always be in the water, but I don’t know how far it will be out in the ocean."
He was spotted on Saturday by a helicopter before being brought on board.
He said he survived by fishing for food but said he was “very skinny and was eating a lot of food on the rescue fishing boat.” Asked what meal he is looking forward to most, Shaddock joked: “Tuna sushi”.
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He said he'll be going back to Australia soon and that he's looking forward to seeing his family.
Shaddock was aboard his incapacitated catamaran Aloha Toa in the Pacific about 1,200 miles from land when the crew of the boat from the Grupomar fleet spotted them.
The company said the Australian and Bella were in a "precarious" state when found, lacking provisions and shelter.
The tuna boat's crew gave them medical attention, food and hydration. Antonio Suárez Gutiérrez, Grupomar's founder and president, said he was proud of his crew, praising them for their humanity in saving the life of someone in trouble.
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