Family Shipwrecked in Alaska | The Raft | 2

Against The Odds

Wondery

Cassie De Pecol, History, Society & Culture, Dolby, Mike Corey, Dolby Atmos, Atmos

4.7 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 15 April 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

After a powerful storm destroys their sailboat and leaves them stranded on a remote Alaskan island, Elmo Wortman and his children build a raft, determined to reach a friend’s cabin 25 miles north. Elmo expects southeastern winds to carry them there in a day or two, but the journey is far harsher than he imagined. After several grueling days inching northward, he makes a difficult decision to spare his daughters Cindy and Jena from further suffering.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Against the Odds early and ad-free right now.
0:05.6	Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:10.0	A listener note. Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events.
0:15.4	Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.
0:28.9	Thank you. dialogue may be invented, but everything is based on research. Alma Wartman braces against the wind as he trudges through a maze of snow-covered rocks.
0:35.0	He and his 16-year-old daughter, Cindy, are navigating the steep,
0:38.5	jagged coastline of a remote Alaskan island. Their goal is to round the southern point and reach
0:44.6	a more sheltered spot on the western side to build a raft. There, they'll meet up with his
0:49.1	15-year-old son, Randy, and 12-year-old daughter Jenna, who paddled ahead in their two-person dinghy to scout
0:55.1	the first suitable location. Now, after many grueling hours of hiking, the sun is set, and Elmo is
1:02.5	utterly exhausted. It's February 16, 1979, two days since their sailboat sank during a massive storm. All four of them swam through
1:13.3	icy water to reach the shore, but their survival is uncertain, unless they find help soon.
1:19.3	Elmo's plan is to build a raft and make it to a friend's cabin roughly 25 miles away.
1:24.8	Elmo thought it would take him and Cindy just a few hours to hike around the southern
1:28.8	tip of the island, but the terrain is far more difficult than he expected. They've had to navigate
1:35.0	deep ravines, dense brush, and narrow cliffside paths. To make matters worse, Elmo's stomach has been
1:42.1	twisting in pain since they left Prince Ruper three days ago.
1:45.9	He keeps falling behind, but Cindy keeps coaxing him on. As darkness falls, they descend into a deep
1:53.5	crevice. Their feet are so numb, they have to crouch and feel their way along the rocks with their
1:59.3	hands. Suddenly, they're forced to stop. A sheer
2:03.7	10-foot-high rock face is blocking their path. Elmo collapses into the snow. I can't do it anymore.
2:10.7	I'm too weak. Come on, Daddy. Just a little farther. He wishes he could rest, but Cindy insists they find a spot to build a fire first.
	...

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