Miracle in the North Atlantic | The Dark Ocean | 1

Against The Odds

Wondery

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

4.7 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 9 December 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 1984, a young fisherman named Gudlaugur Fridthorsson — better known as “Laugi”— headed out to sea off the coast of Iceland in a small fishing trawler. But the first night of the trip, their boat capsizes, leaving Laugi and his crewmates stranded in frigid waters miles from shore.

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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.
0:10.1	A listener note, Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events.
0:15.1	Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.
0:27.9	Thank you. may be invented, but everything is based on research. Goodlager Frith Dorsen wakes up suddenly.
0:31.3	L'Eye, as his friends call him, is in his cabin on a fishing trawler at sea off the coast of Iceland.
0:38.4	He's trying to get some sleep, but he keeps hearing strange noises coming from the boat's engine
0:43.6	room. The sun set hours ago, and Loyier can hardly see a thing through the cabin's
0:49.6	porthole, just the shadows of his fellow fishermen casting their nets.
0:54.9	Loyier knows he should be used to the trawler's noisy engine by now,
0:59.2	but he can't help but worry. It's almost a reflex for him.
1:03.2	One of his crewmates, Engelbert, enters the cabin and gives himself a shake, trying to warm up.
1:09.1	Take over for me, Loyier.
1:12.0	I need a cigarette break.
1:13.3	What's the point?
1:15.0	We've barely seen a fish all day.
1:16.4	Yeah, I know.
1:19.3	But we have to catch something eventually, right?
1:24.4	Loya sighs and looks at his watch.
1:31.5	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
1:36.8	thin sweater and an oil skin jacket over his red flannel shirt, then climbs the steep stairs
1:42.9	up to the deck. It's 26 degrees Fahrenheit outside,
	...

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