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Abandoned (2015)
(EERIE MUSIC PLAYING)
(MUSIC CONTINUES) (HULL CREAKING) (DISTANT RUMBLING) What's that? [PHIL] John! What's happening? (LOUD RUMBLING) Oh, my god! What the hell? (ALL YELLING) NARRATOR (V.O.): The rogue wave came out of nowhere, with no warning... a 40-foot wall of solid water hit us like a freight train... and was gone before we knew it. Suddenly we were upside-down... with water flooding through the companion way. (YELLING) Jim! Are you okay? - Okay? Fucking kidding, we're upside-down, mate! - We're bloody sinking! We won't sink. The boat will start rising when it equalizes with outside, okay? We're gonna die! We're gonna die! Jesus! - No! Hold on! Hold on! - (HULL CREAKING) Shit... guys, grab anything you can! The aft cabin is the highest point! Come on! (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) Look, that's about as good as we're gonna get it. Rick! Rick! What are you doing? Emergency beacon. All right, come on. I can't go in there. Come on, Phil. [JOHN] Get in! What now? What the fuck do we do now? Here... eat. We're gonna die. - We're rooted. - Shut the fuck up. She's gonna break up... sooner or later. Storm or container ship, we're going down. Just keep calm, okay? That's the main thing. We'll be all right. So we just turn this thing the right-side-up? - Can't... impossible. - Why not? Once a multi-hull capsizes, it stays that way. Fucked on the drawing board... bloody death traps! How about we rig something up, make a mast, sail upside-down? She's 75 percent underwater, all right... unnavigable. Hey, we got food, we got water. I got tanks full of it, thousands of liters. We just have to wait. We'll be okay. I want you guys to relax. JOHN (V.O.): The only way forward was to adapt, learn to survive. We needed to accept the situation and go with it. But all they could think about was rescue. (SAW CUTTING) Mutilation. Yeah, of a corpse. Wouldn't need to do it, if you'd built an escape hatch. Now someone's gonna hear us, right? How long before someone picks up the signal, do you reckon? Hard to say. Not too many boats out here... have to be a plane. Well, how close do they have to be to pick up a signal? Depends on the conditions. JOHN (V.O.): I'd missed my scheduled departure date. My original crew had dropped out at the last minute... and I needed to find replacements at short notice. Jim, check it out. JOHN (V.O.): I wanted to sail before the weather changed. - John Glennie. - Jim, pleased to meet ya'. Yeah, good to meet you. So what's the weather like in Tonga this time of year? Oh, it's the tropics, mate. You know? Sun, warm, beaches... more beautiful women than you can shake your stick at. I like the sound of that. Yeah, the Friendly Islands! Could do with a cook. You got any sailing experience? Absolutely none. Some... a bit. Oh, well. Yeah, it doesn't matter. I just need extra bodies to keep watch. How long would it take? Mm... two weeks tops. Trade winds are pretty strong this time of year. You guys should come on down, check it out. Sure. Could be just what you need, mate. Eh? Get away for a bit, time to think, clear the air. - What about you? - Maybe. Seriously? Sure, why not? Doctor phoned this morning. Going to see her tomorrow, but it looks like I'm in the clear. Latest scan says it's retreating. Fantastic, man. Fantastic. Rose Noelle, leaving two days time. What do you reckon? [MARTHA] Go on. Write them down. C'mon, Martha. Don't do this. I mean it. Write them down. What? The people I'll have to get in contact with when you drown. Oh, for Christ's sake, have some faith. You've never been to sea in your whole, damn, stupid, landlocked life. You can barely swim. We decided to take a break to see if this is what we really want. Not that kind of break. That guy's gonna have you cooking dawn till dusk. That is, when you're not throwing up. You get seasick in a kayak. Look, I'm sorry I can't be on call for you, but I really need to do this. Not your last will and testament. Just a name and phone number in the States. Don't forget that. You'll need it. I'll wait in the car. [RICK] Knows how to pick her moments, doesn't she? Bloody hour of departure. I s'pose, oh, you know Martha, she's probably just thinking of the worst that could... Neither of us are exactly keen on this idea. But it's good you're going. It's important. No regrets, all that. Uh... we'll say goodbye here. Oh, you don't want to come down? No, I'm not big on public farewells. And it looks like Martha is in one of her moods, so... (SNIFFING) Be careful. Don't fall overboard. I won't. See you in a couple of weeks. Bye-bye. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) Bye! See ya'! Love you! Oh, this is gonna be so good for him! - See ya, Dad! - Bye, Dad! - See ya. - Bye. Bye, baby! Bye. Be nice to your mum! Be good! Oh, hey, don't be like that! Us girls, we'll look after each other. Where's your mate? [KAREN] Is she all right? Oh, come on, cheer up. They'll be fine. Just think of all the fun you'll have when you get him back, he'll be hot to trot! No, it's... it's not that... we're breaking up. (MUSIC CONTINUES) Hey, Jim, give Phil a hand with the fenders. JOHN (V.O.): I'd waited a long time for this adventure. Unfortunately, I wasn't sharing the first leg of the voyage... with the men I wanted, but at least I had a crew. Once we made landfall in Tonga, I would replace them. This voyage was going to take me back to my old cruising haunts of the South Pacific. New beginnings, a fresh start, love and adventure. I had invested everything I had in Rose Noelle. She was my pride and joy, my home, my haven. What do you reckon, Jim? Jim looks a bit green around the gills. Yeah, he'll be alright. She's all yours, mate. - Oh, yeah, okay. - ANNOUNCER (ON RADIO): The extended marine forecast... for all of New Zealand until the 6th of June. An intense tropical cyclone is situated off the east coast of the North Island... with south-westerly gales gusting to 50 knots and seas rising to 6 meters. For all of the east coast... severe weather warning... For all of the west coast from Terawhiti to Cape Egmont. JOHN (V.O.): This was music to my ears. There'd be no beating into the wind. We'd sail on a broad reach all the way to Tonga, and make faster time than I'd hoped. What's he doing? Don't know. Look's as those he's putting up more sails. [JOHN] A plane would have to be close. Within a 100 nautical miles. Come on, John, honestly. How long before they find us? What's she gonna remember of me... of us? [RICK] John? Five days. It's okay, mate. Five days and we'll be out of here... according to the oracle. JOHN (V.O.): I estimated our position to be about 140 miles off the east coast. The EPIRB signal was well outside the reach of domestic aircraft. We'd need to pin our hopes on an international flight. Jesus, I can't breathe! It's time you took a turn back there. - Oh, I was just... - Oh, shit! Can't be much longer now. Surely, somebody's gotta hear that signal. They will. We've been pretty lucky up till now. Lucky? In what way have we been lucky? If one of us had been on deck when that wave hit, it would've been curtains. If we'd cut the parachute, we would've been fine. Hey, it was your idea to put it out in the first place. Remember that. What's that supposed to mean? You knew the storm was coming. You put us out here! You risked our lives! (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) Right, Rick. Let her go! JOHN (V.O.): Leaving on a journey and arriving at a destination... is the best part of cruising. To be honest, I dislike blue water sailing, it bores me to tears. The excitement of bad weather and long night watches soon wears off. For me, it was all about seeing the world and taking my home with me. There's a man who knows what he's doing. We're flying along, mate. She's got a great turn of speed. Oh, yeah. She's fast, just how I like my women. So, who've you left behind? Do you have someone in Australia? More interested in who I could be sailing towards, mate. Hey, who's the lady in the picture down below? Now that is the original Rose Noelle, Tahitian princess. I named the boat after her. Love of my life. Do you still love her? In spirit. We're going a bit fast, John? Don't you think? I mean, we're not in that much of a bloody hurry, are we? Well, I want to get as far as we can before nightfall. - But why? - Well, the weather's changing. The weather's changing? What do you mean? What's it doing? Well, there's a storm coming. We're going to catch it. It'll be on us pretty soon. And then we'll do some real sailing. (OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING) JOHN (V.O.): A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I don't like this. I really don't like this. JOHN (V.O.): Phil had limited coastal sailing experience. Maybe that's why he was so anxious. His fear was contagious. How long's this going to last? What's the big surprise? If you guys heard the marine forecast, you would've known about this. This storm's gonna blow us all the way to Tonga in no time. You sailed us into a storm on purpose? Get us... come on! Get on the radio now! Fuck... Call the Coast Guard. Get us a helicopter. Get us off. Hello? Is the Coast Guard... Hey, hey, hey! That radio's short-range. There's no one out here to hear you. - Why? - Why what? Why is it short range? Because I don't have a license. Why not? 'Cause I don't believe in them, and I don't want to waste the money. When you're out here, you're out here. That's the journey you're on. Fuck you, mate! We're gonna flip! Look, we're not gonna flip. This yacht can't flip. I've sailed 40,000 miles in one of these. This is just another blow. - And when was that, 20 years ago? - Yeah. I built this baby with my own hands, we've already crossed the Tasman together. You're safe, Rick. Relax. Oh, God. What about a sea anchor? You got one of those? What for? Well, to stop us bouncing round while we ride it out. Yeah. Have you got one? Of course, I have... Well, then let's throw it out, slow us down a bit. No way, it's brand new. It cost me a lot of money. - For Christ's sakes. - The wind turn and goes. - Let's take take a vote. - Yeah. It's not a bloody democracy, mate. Hey, fuck you! Where is it? (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) Okay, throw us the bag! Okay, hold onto the bag! - Use this rope! - Got it! Ready? Now! (MUSIC CONTINUES) JOHN (V.O.): If I made one big mistake, this was it... allowing myself to be bulldozed by a terrified crew... with no experience of blue water sailing. The noise of waves smashing against a multihull is like gunfire. That should do the trick. JOHN (V.O.): It can be terrifying if you're not used to it. (LOUD BANG) What the... What the hell was that! Chute must've fouled. - Then we've got to free it. - No, too dangerous. It's pulling us side-on. Well, you make a mistake pulling it in, you could lose a finger or a hand. Then we cut it loose. No. Hey! The tiller's lashed. All we can do is sit tight and wait it out. We can't leave the chute like that. I'm the skipper, Rick, remember? [JOHN] Get some sleep. We'll sort it in the morning when conditions improve. COMEDIAN (ON TAPE): So we just locked ourselves down in the scrum... This will put a smile in your eye and some lead in your pencil. What's that? Epirb. We can set it to send out distress signals, any plane flying over, it'll pick it up. COMEDIAN (CONT'D): He had a double jointed arse. Mick, me mate the master farter. Put the art back into farting with his custom tailored farts. Mick, me mate the master farter broke new ground... in breaking wind with his double jointed arse. [RICK] You risked our lives! What are you after, eh? Insurance money? I'm not insured. I don't believe in it. I'm insured with the Gods, not the bottom feeders. Hey, you're in my space, mate. What happens if a wave flips the boat the right side up? Are we gonna be fine with all this water? It can't happen, okay. It won't happen. No, no. We've got to cut an escape hatch. You are not cutting another hole in this bloody boat. Now you have some respect for her, for me, for everything I've put in to it. No bloody way. This is our lives we're talking about. If you won't do it, I will. (SAW CUTTING) JOHN (V.O.): It was painful to watch, like the violation of a loved one. But Rick was not a man to argue with. Once he made his mind up, that was it. (OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING) JOHN (V.O.): Breaking outside didn't make them feel any better. Seeing the magnitude of what we were up against, their morale sank to a new low. Any hope of a quick rescue seemed a distant prospect. Rick, Rick... the light. Wait a minute. It will come back on. That's it. JOHN (V.O.): Once the EPIRB battery died we were on our own... outside standard flight paths and shipping lanes. JOHN (V.O.): Wind, current and the gods were taking us for a ride. The only control we had was over ourselves. Rick, Jim, give us a hand outside, eh. JOHN (V.O.): We needed to put differences behind us and work as a team. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) (MUSIC CONTINUES) Okay. I got it. All right. Got it. Phil, give us a bloody hand, would ya'? I'm busy. I don't know why you're doing that anyway? No point. Don't bother. We need to make ourselves more visible to passing ships, planes, whatever. That's why. [PHIL] What else is down there? Oh, Jesus! Watch what you're doing! Take it easy, mate. I didn't mean to. Screw you, Rick. Look! Look! I'm bleeding! Oh, get over it. Jesus, you're a bloody moron. You... - And we ration all food from now on. - Who says? It's the smart thing to do. We don't know how long we're going to be out here. And we're gonna get hold of the sails. You're gonna dive for them, tomorrow. I've told you already. You can't sail this boat upside down. And we make decisions by vote from now on. Majority rules and we stick to the rules. Used to be a cop, didn't you? Hey, let it go, Rick. Man, your emotional body is starving your neuronet. Have faith in the God within. You can shove your dumb-ass religion up your skinny ass. Rick, pass me the cabbage. Where's the knife? This one's shit. Now... we got tuna. There was a lemon somewhere laying around in this leaking son of a boat. All right, there we are. Okay. When I was a young boy... I wanted to sail around the world. That's the life for me. Living on the sea. Spirit of a sailor circumnavigates the globe. The lust of... I just spent six months in a leaky boat. Lucky just to be afloat. What song is that? [PHIL] That's a kiwi classic, mate. No. Aotearoa. Yeah. I've gotta get out of here. [JOHN] Glisten like a pearl. (MUSIC PLAYING) I just spent six months on a leaky boat! JOHN (V.O.): I think Rick felt he'd lost Jim to us... like someone had stolen his girlfriend. Or maybe something else was going on inside his head. Meanwhile back home, Jim's girlfriend Martha was becoming concerned. By now he should have made contact from Tonga. After three weeks adrift, no one had begun searching for us. [KAREN] I think it still works. I haven't used it for a while. Here you go. Okay. You're not gonna be able to get through anyway. What's that, Darren? What did you say? You're not gonna be able to get through. Gordon'll radio for you. He arranged a time with John. What do you mean? Gordon's supposed to call him and get his position... but John's not gonna be able to call him or name the boat, because his radio's illegal. That's the deal. The deal? I heard him talking about it. Gordon's gonna call him and give him a weather forecast. Well, why didn't you tell us this before? Your dad wouldn't've have gone if he'd known they didn't have a proper radio. I don't know. Hello? How do you drive this thing? Hello? Come aboard! So... I reckon they're out here, somewhere. Okay, let's give it a go. 6128.6... that's what John and I agreed. It's almost half-past 8:00, he might be listening. Argo calling Rose Noelle. Do you read me? Your position, please. Over. (GARBLED TRANSMISSION) MAN (OVER RADIO): Argo... ...eight degrees south. Was that 28 degrees south? Please confirm or deny, Rose Noelle. Over. MAN (OVER RADIO): ...south. 28 degrees south. I'm sure that's what he said. (MUSIC CONTINUES) [JIM] Let me get up to you. [RICK] What? JOHN (V.O.): Something wasn't right. But I'd filled the tanks to capacity with fresh water before we left. Where had it gone? For the first time, I had doubts about our survival. When are you going to check the water tanks, John? John? Checked them already. And? Empty. What do you mean empty? There's no water? Hang on. So, all the water you've been talking about, in the tanks. Thousands of liters... it's all gone? What happened to it? Where's all the water gone? Well, it must've drained out when we capsized. [PHIL] Drained out? How come? There are air vents in the tanks. Why didn't you bloody well tell us? Well? We need to stay calm. Shit! You guys have got to face facts. We're going to die. There's no point about your stupid mast or your stupid rationing. We've all had it! Fuck the lot of you! Phil. Oh, watch out! Jesus! Look out, the knife! Get the knife back, fuckwit! You dropped it! You get it back! Hey, shit head, I brought a present for ya! Put these on and piss off! Eh? If we're all fucked, why don't you swim for it? - Bye-bye, Phil! - Bugger off! It's not my fault there's no bloody water! Rick, stop it! Come on, Rick! Enough. Fat, useless prick! Rick! Rick! Stop it! Rick! Leave him alone! Okay, I'll go down and look for the sails now. I'll do it now, all right? Is that good enough for you? Yeah, why have you suddenly changed your tune? Because you're a dangerous man, Rick. Things go wrong, things don't go your way, you throw a wobbly. You don't trust. I'll get the sails. No, no, no, I'll do it! You? Yeah, sure. No, no, no. Bad idea, Phil. I should do it. I know where they are. Well, so do I. Fuck the lot of ya'! Oh, Jesus... What if he doesn't make it? More of everything for the rest of us. You're out of line, Rick... seriously out of line. Jesus. Fuck! (COUGHING) JOHN (V.O.): Rick hated to lose control. Any setback could send him into a rage. He always needed someone to blame for his predicament. Usually it was me, but it could be anyone. It was only later I understood what was really driving him. He felt he was running out of time. (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) Okay, so as you all know, the Rose Noelle has not yet reached it's destination. Does anyone recall anything that John Glennie might've said... about the course he was taking to Tonga? It's more than a months since they set off. They should've arrived in Tonga by now. Hello? Rose Noelle. Come in. Do you read? Hello? Rose Noelle? (MUSIC CONTINUES) Thank god. I knew it. We're gonna make it. JOHN (V.O.): It was a sign. I knew we were being looked after. I have told you, mate. There's no fish out here. Nothing lives this far away from land. We're in a marine desert. You've gotta try. Hey, um,... maybe we could have our water ration now. Nope... still no sign of rain. Hey, guys... check this out. I've been thinking. When we capsized, we would've been about here. Prevailing current is going that way, taking us maybe 10, 20 miles a day. So, after 34 days drifting, that would put us right off the map. But there's nothing there... nothing until South America. That's gonna take us... At least eight months. Possibly... or the current could take us north along the line of the continent... but well out of the sight of land. And that would add another 1,000 miles. 1,000 miles. Yeah. Just you wait. You blokes are gonna be famous. What the fuck are you doing? You're writing your memoirs? Haven't made up my mind up yet. Might be a book. Might be a love letter to my ex. Who? Rose Noelle? The poor bitch you named this piece of crap after? Why did she dump you anyway? She didn't dump me. She died in a plane crash, Pan Am 816. She was on her way to join me. Oh, yeah. Nah, there's been many women since my sweet Rose Noelle... too many. Sure. I mean you're a real catch, hm? Sane. Handsome, young, normal, sane... sane! Rick, Rick. Let's just... let's play a game. Sure, why not? Yeah, that's a good idea. I'll play the winner. Piss off! You gotta take it easy on him. I know he's annoying, but... But nothing. Count this shit up. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) Oh, shit! Phil? Are you gonna tell them or shall I? What? You should do that outside. It's too windy. Phil lost the rod. That was the only rig we had. First the only decent bloody knife and now the rod. - How bloody thick are you? - I'm sorry. Okay? No, not okay. It's everything else about you. You're a greedy, farting pig! Look at your head, mate. You look like you've been in a fight. When're you going to learn how low the fucking roof is? I... I just wanna go home. I want my Karen. Phil, it's okay... it's okay. Hey, guys. Check this out. Something I've been working on. It's a collection system for water. These are PVC pipes. I've got heaps of them in the starboard pontoon. What do you think? I don't see how you... how are you gonna cut the pipes? Exactly. Look. How about... Why don't we use the surface of the hull as a catchment. And we put wood along here and over here... with drain holes here and here. Yeah. Hey, hey, good on ya, mate. Hey, now you're pulling your weight. Eh? Yeah. So, have we got any wood? (DRAMATIC MUSIC FADES UP) - Cheers, mate. - Yeah. JOHN (V.O.): You can survive a long time without food, but not without water. Over the weeks, we'd reduced our rations to little more... than two ounces of liquid each, per day. This better bloody work. JOHN (V.O.): But now the precious water was almost gone. We were beyond thirst... suffering the onset of dehydration. - Rick. - What's that? A boat! [JOHN] It's a yacht. The beacon! Quick, get the beacon! Come on! Come on! Quick. Yeah. Guys! Guys! Guys! It's too far out. They'll never see it. They'll never see it! Fuel... generator fuel! Oh, good on you, mate. Brilliant. [RICK] Okay, stand back. Here, chuck it on. Come on... come on... come on! Forget it. She's gone. [JOHN] Yeah, a yacht like that shouldn't be out here. It's a sign. Yeah, a sign we're not as close to South America as you thought. No, it's a sign from God. We're gonna be okay. Enough! Okay? No more! You're giving me a fucking headache! Everything in life happens for a reason. That yacht is a sign, we willed her to appear. Yeah, just like you willed that storm to appear, eh? You're a fucking wanker! God only knows what you know. Don't you know that? Everything comes from within. Don't fight it. One more word... I swear one more word and I will fucking gag you! Rick, Rick, Rick. Rick. Yeah, thank you, God, for bringing us this far and thank you for what is to come. ANNOUNCER (V.O.): There is still no contact with the missing crew... of the Rose Noelle, which left Picton on June the 6th with four local men on board. The tri-maran was expected to arrive in Tonga by the middle of the month. It is now six weeks overdue. Following an unsuccessful search by RNZAF Orion, pressure is now mounting... for a second search, despite the already considerable expenditure of public money. (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) That's it. (RAIN FALLING) It's raining! Water! It's raining! Get the bottles! (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) The bottles! Go, go, go! Oh, thank you, thank you, God! 40 days in the desert... thank you. Woo! Look at this! Ah! Woo-hoo! Thank you, god! Good work... woo! They're alive. They're on their way. Home? Does Rick have a white cable-knit jersey? No. Hm, I see him in one... very nice, and gumboots... - on an island. - Which island? I've asked the guides, but they won't tell me... the name is two words. Five letters and seven letters. Rick's guide is here with us now. He's standing right behind you. He's telling us they're safe. Rick, Rick, come here, come here! Rick! Come. Ssh, fish. Oh... come to Papa. Oh, thanks to you there's no rod, no bloody way of catching the bastard. Come on, Harry. Come on. Come on. Bugger. Nah, he'll be back. Yeah. Don't worry. He'll be back. I think I've got something. - Oh, that's perfect. - Yeah. - And this? - Okay. Are we good? Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're good. We're good. That's all we need. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) Oh, Harry's back! Quick, ssh! Get the net. Get the net. He's down there by the table. Come on, Harry. Slowly, mate. Slowly. Come on, Harry. Come on. Steady, Jim. He's got 'im! He's got 'im! I got him! I got him! I got him! I'll take it. - Jesus Christ. - Take it. Let me have him! Harry, you beautiful, beautiful, beautiful... Oh, oh, my god. Oh, Harry, you're a top fish... and I just hope that you have lots of mates just like you. No fish in the sea, eh, John? There will be now. They'll be coming for the barnacles in the hull. When are you gonna check those gas tanks, John? There's no telling how far they've corroded. One mistake could blow us all to bits. Come on. Let's just appreciate what we've got. [JOHN] We don't give thanks enough. Thank you, God, for sending us Harry. And please help John find his inner what have you, so that we can use the bloody gas tanks. Amen. Amen. JOHN (V.O.): Harry's friends had begun to appear in numbers. After two and a half months at sea, the Rose Noelle had become a floating reef. Our menu was expanding, barnacles, seaweed and kingfish... plenty of kingfish. Oi, imagine that fried. I'm not gonna give up on the gas tanks, John. You find them... or I will. You wouldn't like that. I might hurt your precious bloody boat. All right! All right! (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) Okay, Jim! Turn it on. (GAS HISSING) Gas coming. Shouldn't you be on your knees, John? Praying? Oh, here we go. All right. Easy. Try 'em. One, two, three. You call those even? Yeah, who's gonna get the big one? They're all roughly the same size. Pig's ass. It's your birthday tomorrow. Am I right, Rick? You'll get first choice. Don't worry, Phil. You can have the biggest, mate. Cheers. Bloody beautiful. Hollow victory, isn't it? Could've had this months ago. [RICK] He knew exactly where those tanks were. We didn't have to wait all this time to have hot, bloody food. We had to fight for everything. It's like we're not suffering enough for him. That's true, mate. It's true. Every idea we have he scoffs at. He uses knowledge of the boat to hold the power over us. Hey, the most important thing is we've got gas now and hot food. How good's that? You're even starting to sound like him. Bloody wanker. What the hell's wrong with you? He's the one that got this whole thing rigged up. But just... just be thankful. Fuck you! Hey, why are you defending him now, eh? Sad shit, pussy-whipped fucking yank! Hey! Hey! Guys! Jesus. Oi. JOHN (V.O.): Despite our improving situation... Rick's moods were becoming darker, more erratic. Not even Jim was safe from his fits of temper. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) Look. Look at the breast meat on him. - Roast chicken. - Let's get him. Yes! (ALBATROSS SCREECHING) He's got him! I got him! I got him! Come. Come on. Albatross burritos and tomato puree... delicious. You are a bloody artist, Jim. [PHIL] What's supposed to happen if you kill an albatross? [JOHN] The Ancient Mariner was doomed to wander the oceans forever. The Ancient Mariner didn't fry his, so I think we get a pass. So much food, we could have people over. Happy birthday, mate. Nice one, Rick. Keep you warm on watch. For he's a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow And so say all of us - Hip, hip. - Hooray! - Hip, hip. - Hooray! What's up, man? You all right? I couldn't have had a better birthday. It doesn't make sense to be happy out here. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) Most of us gathered here have sailed the South Pacific... ...and most of us know John Glennie. So far our requests to mount another search have been fruitless... so it may be that we have to find the money ourselves... some $15,000 per hour of flying time. Does anybody recall anything that he might have said about the route? Yeah, can you tell us if you definitely heard John's voice when you took the position? The speaker never identified himself. But you clearly heard Rose Noelle? I think so. - You're full of shit. - Martha... please. It is only because of your lies that they searched the Kermadecs! That was John's fourth way point. It made sense to look for them there. Bullshit. Karen was there. She'll tell you. There was so much interference. We could hardly hear anything. We know nothing. That's the bloody truth! What we want is to search from this line, 300 miles to the east. ANNOUNCER (V.O.): Funded by friends and family... Another search has been mounted for the trimaran Rose Noelle... missing at sea now for nearly three months. 20 minutes of flying time in this direction before we turn around. (SOFT MUSIC CONTINUES) (BABY CRYING) JOHN (V.O.): It had taken nearly three months... but finally we were beginning to work as a team. Each of us had a role. We had food and water. We could have gone on forever. Farewell and adieu to you fine Spanish ladies Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Spain For we've received orders to sail for old England And perhaps never more shall we see you again Farewell and adieu my fair Spanish ladies Farewell and adieu all you ladies of Spain Do you think maybe we'll need a bigger boat? JOHN (V.O.): There was no point in telling the others. The ship was too far off to see us. It was better to spare them the disappointment. (UNZIPPING) Rick! Rick! Get out here! What's up, mate? Tell me... It can't be. Surely. What is it? Christ, you bastards! That's land! That's land! Feast your eyes, John! You son of a bitch! I reckon we're about ten miles out! John, you okay? John... look at it. Land, it's real, mate. JOHN (V.O.): I couldn't find words to describe how I felt... relief, elation, disappointment. I just knew it was coming to an end, whatever that meant. Perhaps that was what I was afraid of. I didn't know. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) JOHN (V.O.): The others were looking forward to lives they could return to. Smile for the camera. JOHN (V.O.): But my life was here, with what was left of my ruined Rose Noelle. I had nowhere else to go. You know, we should have the record by now. Record? What record? 119 days in an overturned boat. It's gotta be some kind of record. Jesus, John! Who gives a toss? I told you. You blokes are gonna be famous. Let's concentrate on getting on land first. Yeah, I just want to get back to Karen and the kids. That'll do me. Yeah, mate. Can't be. What? What can't be? When I was a kid, we used to go on holiday on Great Barrier Island. Ah-ha. - [RICK] See that peak? - [JIM] Yeah. That looks like Hirakimata... the mountain on the Barrier. [JOHN] Well, all mountains look pretty much the same from a distance. I worked it out and it must be an island off South America. Nah, Hirakimata. Mount Hobson. I reckon that's it. Well, how could that be possible. We've drifted thousands of miles in the other direction. You might be wrong. JOHN (V.O.): Making landfall is always dangerous. The ocean striking a land mass can produce... a short, confused seaway, conflicting wind and currents draw you in like a magnet. John... Christ sake, put it on! There's no need. No more bullshit. Put the bloody thing on. JOHN (V.O.): We could almost touch the land... but having no way of steering Rose Noelle, we were in danger of being cast onto the rocks. What was that? Must be the mast... hitting the seabed. JOHN (V.O.): If the mast were driven up through the hull... Rose Noelle could break apart and throw us into the sea. We've got to get off the boat. We'll be all right, guys. We're being looked after. Fuck that, I'm gonna swim for it. I'm with you, mate. Too dangerous, mate. Just over there, you'll be fine. [JIM] John! John! [PHIL] There's a bloody shark! [JIM] Swim for the boat, John! There's a shark. Swim! No, no, no. One more go. One more go. [JIM] Come on, mate! Swim! Come on, John! Hold on! We've got it! JOHN (V.O.): I was done, exhausted... but apart from a blow to the head and a twisted knee, I was okay. Thanks. JOHN (V.O.): In the end, after months of constant danger... enduring storm and tempest, we just drifted gently to shore. And when Rose Noelle could take us no further... we slipped into the water and waded to dry land. What are you doing, John? Praying? You blokes didn't have to worry. We were always going to make it. We should give thanks. Let's just be thankful we made it, mate, eh? That's enough. Course, we did. What did I tell you? Dry land... beautiful. We were never in any danger... not once... thanks to you. What about the sail bag? Can anyone see it? Let's go. John, we're off, mate. John... tell me that's not a pohutakawa tree. Toitoi... definitely New Zealand. This way, guys. Looks like a track. Oh, my god. (MUSIC FADES UP) Hello? Hello? It's locked. What do we do? Break a window? No, no, no, no. There'll be a key. There's always a key. My god, a chair. - All right. - I got the peaches. Not connected. JOHN (V.O.): I must have been in shock. Inside a real house after so long. Still think we're in South America, mate? [PHIL] Jesus Christ. JOHN (V.O.): I couldn't join the party; the feeding frenzy. [PHIL] What do you want? JOHN (V.O.): All I could think of was my poor Rose Noelle... drifting helpless in the bay. I wanted to return to her, but I didn't have the strength. Fuck. Top up there, mate? Oh, thank you, mate. Cheers. What are you up to, buddy? Chopped sizzlers. Need a hand? No. I'm good, I'm really good. Here. Cheers. Cheers. Look at this feast, this house. We are four, bloody, lucky guys. [JIM] Yes, we are. A toast... Tomorrow, with any luck, we find a phone and we get off this island. It's very unlikely the four of us will ever be alone again. Well, not like this. John, I want to thank you for getting us through this. It's because of you, the Rose Noelle was a bountiful mother to us all. To John. John. I don't know why you were so certain that we were going to be saved. And please spare us any more of your crackpot theories. Although it's hard to admit, I... I guess you were right... in the end. Cheers. But, I love you guys... and I hope... I hope that after all we've been through, we can remain friends. Famous friends. They'll give us all medals. Yeah, to friends. Oh, pudding! Can't sleep. How's your head? It hurts. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) (KNOCKING) Yeah, yeah. Can I help you, blokes? Who the hell are you? And what are you doing in Jim's house? Where are we? What do you mean? Great Barrier Island. Hey, what's going on here? Who are you? We're the crew from the Rose Noelle. That trimaran that went missing? [JIM] That's right. No... you guys are supposed to be dead. Really good to see ya'. A few hundred meters either side of that cove... I would've been filling in a report about four dead bodies. No chance. There you go, mate. (PHONE RINGING) Hello? RICK (OVER PHONE): Hi, can I speak to Heather, please. Speaking. Rick? - RICK (OVER PHONE): Yeah. - Rick? It's me. Sorry, love, I didn't recognise you. RICK (OVER PHONE): Are you there? Oh, g... oh, god, sorry... yes, oh, darling... HEATHER (OVER PHONE): I don't believe it's true. It's really you. Yeah, it's me. Um, look, we're on Great Barrier Island. We're heading into Auckland soon. Get the first flight you can, eh? You and Mattie? HEATHER (OVER PHONE): Yes, I will. Oh, darling, I love you, love you, love you! Mattie, Mattie, it's daddy! Yeah, oh, darling... See you soon, okay? (HEATHER KISSES RECEIVER) [KAHU] Port of departure? [JOHN] Picton. Date of capsize. (PHONE RINGING) - Hello? - JIM (OVER PHONE): Martha? It's me. Are you there? Yes, of course, I am. JIM (OVER PHONE): They're flying us to Auckland. Can you please get on a plane... and meet me there? Please, Martha? Okay. JIM (OVER PHONE): Okay, bye. That was a first. Okay, you mentioned sightings of a freight? (MUFFLED SCREAMING) Listen. Hey, hey, hey. (MUFFLED LAUGHING, CRYING) KAREN (OVER PHONE): Ohh, oh, my baby. Yeah, Snookie Pooh... it's Snuggle Beard. - KAREN (OVER PHONE): Oh, my god! - Hey, babe. Jeez, I missed you. KAREN (OVER PHONE): I love you so much! I'm so glad! Yeah, I know. I really missed you. Yeah, well, you should get a... Get a plane. Yeah, get a plane to Auckland as soon as you can. - Yeah. - KAREN (OVER PHONE): I love you so much. Bye. Oh. John, your turn. No. (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (REPORTERS YELLING) Did you have any doubts that you'd make it? - Not one. - Why's that? Faith... abiding faith. - Mr. Glennie, I presume? - Ah, yeah. Ross Laing, Marine Transport Division. This is Captain McKinley. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions? No. Did you keep a log book, Mr. Glennie? Yeah. Any idea where it is now? JOHN (V.O.): This was so unexpected. Are you serious? Christ! Can't this wait? If you want us to believe your story, Mr. Glennie, you'd better co-operate. JOHN (V.O.): After all we'd been through. What did you do for food and water all the time you were supposedly adrift? Um... Rick? Oh, Rick, darling. [KAREN] Oh, darling. JOHN (V.O.): I struggled to comprehend how we could have survived... so much and yet be and treated with such suspicion. I don't know what these men have been doing for 119 days... but they haven't been drifting on the ocean. JOHN (V.O.): And it was only the beginning. We had no inkling of what we were about to walk into. No one would believe us. (BABY CRYING) Damn it! Mattie, please? Ssh... ANNOUNCER (OVER RADIO): Many people are wondering, what power and spirit they had... these four men who spent July, August and September adrift on the Pacific Ocean. ANNOUNCER #2 (ON TV): Ministry of Transport officials... are to retrace the 119-day voyage of the Rose Noelle with the use of a computer. CALLER 1 (OVER RADIO): They look too good to be true. I mean no salt sores, far too well fed, what did they eat out there all that time? CALLER #2 (OVER RADIO): Who the hell do they think they're kidding? Bloody drug smugglers, I reckon. They're having us on and it's all bull... CALLER #3 (OVER RADIO): I don't believe a word of it. How can they be floating around for so long without someone seeing them? It's just impossible. It's just... CALLER #4 (OVER RADIO): Okay, mate. It's just not humanly possible. I know what conditions are like that time of year. No yacht's gonna stay afloat for even half that time, mate. REPORTER (ON TV): Amid the euphoria, relief and sheer joy at the survival of the crew... some serious questions arise. The Transport Minister has asked for a preliminary investigation... into the crew members' claims of the 120-day ordeal... which has attracted widespread scepticism. So what do you say, John, in response to those... who don't believe you? Is there an alternative story? You know, I... I couldn't give a stuff what anybody thinks. Jim, check it out. John's on the tele. We were adrift all that time. Survived only because we were careful and clever and looked after each other. For the rest of my life, I'll be grateful to Phil and Rick and Jim. Under the circumstances, they were the best men I could have hoped for. If you're watching this, guys, I thank you. REPORTER (ON TV): We needed a miracle and we got one. Skipper John Glennie claims his yacht was capsized by a huge wave 3 days into their voyage. Ah, bullshit. No, no, babe. Hey, it's all right. REPORTER (ON TV): But now after surviving... 119 days drifting at sea, the Rose Noelle broke up in a storm yesterday. Mr. Glennie returned to the wreck yesterday by helicopter... accompanied by marine division investigators who are trying to piece together... the final voyage of the Rose Noelle. Empty. Do you wanna have a look at this? I might've been wrong. REPORTER (ON TV): It's perhaps New Zealand's most miraculous survival story ever. How four men in an upturned boat could drift on the high seas without trace... for nearly four months and live to tell the story. So remarkable was their tale of survival, that some began to doubt that it ever happened. But a report released today backs up the incredible saga. This inquiry with detailed scientific evidence... supporting it has demonstrated that this is absolutely true... and it is in fact is one of the great stories of human survival on the seas. The Rose Noelle skipper, John Glennie, describes the report as fair and thorough. Glennie says it answers the doubts some people had. JOHN (V.O.): Sadly, eight months after our return, Rick died of a brain tumor. Jim helped take care of him and then trained as a nurse. Phil went back to sea. He even made several voyages across the Pacific and fathered another child. But despite the ordeal we had survived so well together... after we left the island, I never saw Rick, Jim or Phil ever again. (MUSIC PLAYING) |
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