Four Days Underwater and in the Dark: The Tony Bullimore Miracle Rescue | E210

When Tony Bullimore's yacht capsized in the violent Southern Ocean during the 1996-97 Vendée Globe race, rescuers feared the worst. The 57-year-old sailor was trapped inside the upturned hull in pitch darkness, surrounded by near-freezing water, with only a chocolate bar for sustenance. For four days, he clung to survival in conditions that would break most people—extreme cold, complete isolation, and the very real possibility that no one would find him alive. Then, on January 9, 1997, the Australian Navy arrived. What happened next captivated the world and proved that the human will to survive can overcome almost unimaginable odds.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Introduction and Patreon Pitch

00:45 Meet the Hosts

01:10 Setting the Scene: A Dark and Cold Ocean

02:11 Tony Bullimore's Background and the Vonday Globe Race

05:20 Disaster Strikes: The Capsize

07:12 Surviving in the Upside Down Yacht

12:56 The Rescue Operation

20:24 Tony's Remarkable Survival and Aftermath

29:39 Conclusion and Listener Engagement

REFERENCES:

1. "Tony Bullimore" - Wikipedia
2. "Occasional Paper 98: Life Line - the Rescue of Tony Bullimore" - Naval Historical Society of Australia
3. "1996-1997 Vendée Globe" - Wikipedia
4. "Rescues in the Southern Ocean" - Royal Australian Navy
5. "Round-the-world sailor Tony Bullimore, who survived four days in the Southern Ocean in 1997, has died" - KidsNews
6. "Gerry Roufs" - Wikipedia
7. "Story of the Week #39 Gerry Roufs" - Virtual Regatta
8. "Solo sailor Tony Bullimore dies aged 79" - MySailing
9. "Sailor Tony Bullimore became famous for surviving four days in capsized yacht" - Multiple UK news sources
10. "The legend - 1996-1997" - Vendée Globe Archives
11. "British sailor Tony Bullimore, 79, has died from 'rare form of cancer'" - Starts at 60
12. "RIP Tony Bullimore" - Classic Sailor
13. "Teen Sailor's Rescuers Take Costs, No Complaint" - CBS News
14. "When Wealthy Adventurers Take Huge Risks, Who Should Foot the Bill for Rescue Attempts?" - NBC News
15. Captain Raydon Gates personal account - Naval Historical Society of Australia

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