This man is a good story teller. I'm visualising the whole thing as he is telling the story!

The surviving dinghy is on display at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth UK.... Such an incredible thing to see up close once you are intimate with the story - well worth a visit

Those 36 minutes went by so fast. Incredible, breathtaking story

It’s so wonderful to hear you speak Douglas. I’m now 71, and I don’t any true story in my lifetime has been more riveting. I’ve thought about your family’s ordeal many times and I have kept my copy of the book on my boat. As you of all people know, there have been killer whale ramming reported over the past few years, and the news people inevitably describe it as an “unprecedented” event. They clearly haven’t read “Survive the Savage Sea!” The Lucette was such a beautiful boat. Thank you Douglas…absolutely riveting to hear this story first hand from you. Your emotion…still…is so palpable, and deeply appreciated.

A 36minute story I will never forget. The intellect, bravery and sheer bloody mindedness of that whole family is awe inspiring.

I read his father's book several times when I was 14 and found it utterly inspiring in so many ways. At the time I was living under the rule of violence from a vicious stepfather, and the book, like so many others, transported me away with this family in peril, and their struggle for survival breathed life into my own, although our circumstances were quite different. The potrait of the 18 year old son in the pages of the story is a loving one, the father describing his son's dogged devotion to keeping watch, his deep anger and sadness at the first ship not spotting them, his strength and relaibility being a huge support throughout the ordeal. The fact that they all lived was due to two things: Dougal Robertson's invaluable skill and experience as a seaman, and the single kitchen knife he grabbed in the few minutes it took for their yacht to go down. That knife enabled them to kill and cut up raw food, cut material for sun hats, cut string and strips of rubber from the inflatable raft to fashion makeshift rain-catchers. By the time they were rescued, the knife blade was all but worn down to a sliver. So moving to get some first-hand accounts from Douglas Robertson, the steadfast son. I still own the secondhand copy of the book and I'll never part with it.

I survived ONE night capsized off OC, NJ and it changed my life at the time. I forget how lucky I was at times until I tell the story to someone and get emotional. This story is INCREDIBLE!!!!!! What an amazing story of survival and perseverance.

No comments, just floored. Simply revelational.

As a parent, the part about his mother giving up her turn to let them sleep in the only dry part of the raft hits hard. Love is what matters, no more, no less.

Quoted from Dougals Wikipedia page. “Dougal later wrote Sea Survival: A Manual, and continued to sail until his death from cancer in 1991. The manual was used to help save the life of Steven Callahan, who was stranded for 76 days in the Atlantic Ocean in 1981.”

I'm 67 and sailed as a teenager, all I can say about this story is " Wow "

I was 41 years old when I learned that the doldrums is an actual place. What an amazing story! So glad that this brave family survived to tell the tale.

As a mariner of 38 years and having retired 8 years ago, I am really grateful for the advances in technology that have been made over the last 50 years. The family survived through a combination of knowledge, luck and sheer determination. Now we have all the electronic gizmos and much better equipment. A fantastic story.

I sailed with my family on what was supposed to be a voyage around the world. I remember a day when I saw whales flipping and twirling in the air, up ahead of us. At the time I thought it was beautiful and I pointed it out to my family. My dad's reaction was totally unexpected because he ran to the tiller and turned the boat as quickly as he could without plotting a new course nor checking compass readings. He went in another direction for miles because he knew what whales who were playing could do to our yacht that was only 39 foot long.

A great Englishman - honest and unassuming - a cracking story

“…and we sang with joy!” Is the moment I wept. God bless all of you

I'm gonna be completely honest, when Douglas said "and, he altered course" - I started tearing up. This is the most horrific and yet heart warming real story I think I've ever been told. I could listen to Douglas tell us stories for days. Absolutely beautiful retelling! 😊 I'm so happy you all made it through alive, God bless you all! 😇

Woah! The fact that it was the day it rained which made him so emotional shows how incredibly significant that day was! Probably the most important day in that family's life!

By far, the most frightening, harrowing and profoundly human story I have ever heard. The love of his family shines through, no resentment just gratitude and love. I cannot help but believe some divine, benevolent force was protecting that family. This is a story I will think about, over and over.

I have stumbled across this story at a very low point in my life. This has helped me.

Dougal's first wife and son were killed during an attack on their ship by the Imperial Japanese Navy, after which he quit sailing for some time, remarried and had his other children. It must have been quite strange to then be rescued by Japanese fishermen all those years later.

An amazing recollection of events told by an amazing man in the most eloquent and vivid way. As he was speaking and telling the story you could picture all of it in your mind so clearly. He has such a calming voice which is completely engaging, one you could listen to all day. Incredible story of courage, strength and sheer will to survive. The love and compassion he has for his parents is beautiful.

That’s a guy you really want to meet in a pub. What a story!

I love the way Mr. Robertson Shares his experience with us I could listen to his calm voice for ever God be with him and his family.

As I was building a yacht, and later preparing her for a circumnavigation, I read his fathers book Survive the Savage Sea, and found the stoicism and courage awe inspiring. It also made me rethink what I would pack in the panic bag. Along with fishing gear, flares, first aid box, and a copy of Robinson Crusoe, I stowed a copy of Survive the Savage Sea...just in case. For us it never came to that, but while sailing past the Galapagos toward where Lucette was lost, the enormity of what they did struck me afresh. Absolute respect. For those interested in a similar story, Once is Enough by Miles Smeeton is a cracking read.

I am a sailor and, listening to him recount this horrifying story with such a calming presence was a study in juxtaposition. Reflecting this, I now have a sore stomach, a tight jaw, and a sense of calm awe. 😮

Man still to this day remembers the name of the ship that passed him by, he took that shit personal 😂😂😂😂

Dougal Robertson wrote a book called Survive The Savage Sea. It was published in 1973 and documents their experience to survive in about 250 pages or so, it is well worth reading if you can find a copy. I learned from this book and others four things. One never give up your stronger and smarter than you think you are. Two some life experiences will change you forever, the things you thought were important or took for granted, your perspective of life , family, friends, a lot changes. One worth sharing would be the importance of a small hand held VHF. In most the books I read, people sighted a ship or boat but they didn't see their flares. I now have an EPIRB as well. The last lesson is easy, without a life raft they and many others would not have survived. Don't be a fool, no one goes to sea thinking their boat will sink, buy a life raft. That was a great interview. Thank you.

Wow this whole family is incredible. That's one hell of a situation and story, I'm so relieved they all survived that.

I can’t believe he was only 18 years old when that occurred…I can only imagine how insignificant materialistic things that we think we need to survive in our daily life have been to him…through out his life after having lived and survived 38 days at Sea in a dingy with 5 other people living off of Turtle blood and their eggs to just survive the day….amazing!

I really love this story and the kindness at the heart of it. So often survivors in these situations turn on each other, and the fact Robin made it home tells you about their families integrity.

He tells his whole story on Spotify. I've forgotten which podcast. It is absolutely breath-taking. What a wonderful human being, Douglas is.

Eloquence, intelligence.. humanity. I'm in awe of this man. What a story!

Could listen to this man talking for hours. The smoothest voice and so much positivity. Loved this episode! 💙

When he started talking about it finally raining started tearing up about the same time he did... amazing

My life is richer from having listened to this amazing story. ♥️🙏 One of the most inspiring stories I’ve ever heard.

Humans have so much untapped potential and we don’t realise the lengths we would go to to survive!

Thank you for sharing your story, Douglas. As a transatlantic sailor who took his wife and 3 children across the Atlantic in a 47 foot sailboat with a sextant, compass and depth sounder for navigation - and sailed from the Arctic Circle south to Portugal, the Canaries, the Caribbean, and the US over a four year period, I can truly say I understand much of what you experienced. The shock of the whale attack and the 36 or so days you and your family spent in that raft and tiny dinghy are a tribute to the determination that you and your family and friend were able to muster. I am in awe!

Thankyou, Mr. Douglas Robertson. Incredible.

This is somehow one of the very best stories I've ever heard. I've listened twice now.

This is one of the very best sea stories I ever heard. What a beautiful family you had.

A work colleague of mine experienced a 24 hour power outage at her house recently. Her retelling of the events felt similar to this. Oh humanity, how far you have fallen!

This honestly is the most gripping storie I’ve ever heard. Brought me to tears several times. This man is a treasure and his mother was a saint. Every human being should live an adventure.

What an incredible story of survival, with all 6 family members making it out. This needs to be a movie if it isn’t already!

How sweet.. And such a mom.. That she saved "clothes" for them for when they were rescued ❤ what a story!

His mum sounds like an incredible person.

This gentleman is my spirit animal!! I'm 35... and when I grow up, I want to be as cool as this man. Bravo, Sir.

I am not an ocean guy. It is amazing to me how the family survived. I would imagine they are close knit. That is an experience you will never forget. A huge lonely ocean floating around in a thimble. As a parent, I know their thoughts were of guilt and regret. I would love to hear the story of everything that happened in the years that followed their rescue. Even this cannot define your whole life, it can lead you, remind you and help set a course for the rest of you life. We are who we are because of everything we have gone through.

What a beautiful way that he recalled these events. Even being grateful for it, thanking his parents. How amazing they could survive. Well done!

Wow the way he told the story was amazing, would love to see this be made into a film. Incredible story

This by far one of the most amazing stories of survival that I have ever heard, especially that all six survived.

He explains everything as if you're reading out of a book. Legendary

Sir, I’m in absolute awe. Thank you for telling us some of your life’s most important stories.

I sit here with tears of joy... what an amazing story of family, love, seamanship, and ultimate survival. I joined the US Coast Guard when I was still in high school and served alongside the best men and women this nation has to offer as a helicopter rescue swimmer truly the best years of my life. We went out to search for survivors in really bad weather hoping to find and bring them home. Sometimes a fellow mariner is better situated to effect a rescue and in this case, the successful use of the last flare and a duty-driven keen-eyed fisherman saved them. I once found myself and my fellow Coasties adrift in a broken boat in the Mona Passage with no radio and getting dark one last rusty smoke flare is all we have... my mates gave me the responsibility to make it work as our hope for rescue flies overhead....yes, I coaxed that smoke flare into life and the helo overhead signaled back 1 hour later we were rescued...

What an amazing story! I will remember this forever. Amazing and very brave people. The mother 💖

What and incredible story, and told so calmly. I was enraptured, it was so moving. I can hardly imagine what it must have been like. What an amazing family!

The emotion as he talks about the rain is amazing knowing this was almost 50 years ago..

I got chills when he described the smell of the rope that he grasped onto for dear life when they were being rescued…Him describing the greasy smell of it like it was still right in front of him.

This man is such a brilliant storyteller I could listen to Him forever.

What an amazing storyteller. I was so invested and engaged during this entire video. He makes it so easy to visualize exactly what's happening. I can't imagine going through something like this. The pure resilience and strength it would take, and must have taken, is immense.

I was on one of the boats hit by orcas in the Straits of Gibraltar. Had we ended up in the water, the one thing I at least knew was that we were in a busy shipping channel and not far from land. What you went through with your family is an amazing tale. So glad you made it through it all.

At 19:25 when he talks about food, his description is exactly what I've heard from other survival stories, how the smallest details were of incredible importance.

I still have a signed copy of Dougal's book. It was indeed a fascinating story.

Wonderful story. A tribute to the mettle of the individual castaways. Bravura!

What a remarkable story of courage, resilience, and survival! He started recounting what happened with characteristic understatement, but the emotion and the memories of that odyssey were apparent at the point in the story where the heavens broke and it started raining.

The truth is I generally have no patience for longer videos I've been spoiled by UKpostss short format but this video I sat with rapt attention to every second, what an incredible story. I was especially touched by how moved he was when they got fresh water, and the mother's sacrifice for dry sleep.

Spellbound, I have been for the entire story. No words. Tears. A bit overwhelmed, after absorbing this superbly told Homeric tale. Thank you for sharing this video.

What an amazing story told by an amazing man. I can't imagine the thoughts that he and his family must have had throughout this journey. The hardships that they endured and overcame when I'm sure, all hope appeared lost, were nearly insurmountable and yet, never giving up hope. It was truly a miracle that they all survived.

I can relate to this in a minor way.. 4 crew on a 44ft Yacht in Biscay, the November forecast was very wrong, a TRS recurved across the Atlantic, 75kts winds & 15m waves, the Helm made a mistake & we pitch poled, one Crew went berserk. I had accepted we were stuffed, but just kept on Trying. A Spanish Helicopter lifted us off in ni impossible conditions.

I'm not gonna lie... But I almost cried when he spoke about his mother giving up the dry patch

One of the most riveting stories I've ever heard. This man's mother was a saint, God bless her.❤

This is one of the most tragically beautiful stories I’ve ever heard, thank you for sharing ❤

His memory for every slight detail from all those years ago is remarkable

I’m so glad I watched this, the man told his story in such a beautiful way that only he could. Amazing story!

That man is a master story teller. It was impossible to turn off. Thank you!

I sailed with Douglas on a Bp Tanker in the late 70's or early 80's, I was the chief cook and Douglas was a deck officer. He told me this whole amazing story one day and I just could not believe what I was hearing. What an incredible feat of survival, and when I listened to Douglas telling the story again it was absolutely amazing. The bit when the rain came, 'got me.' What an amazing family and what amazing memories for you all. Thank goodness you all survived

Thank you Douglas Robertson for sharing your survival. What an amazing family.

Read this book many years ago and it is a story I have never forgotten. “Last Voyage of the Lucette.” Amazing to hear this story here too. What a feat and this man seems so grateful. Seems his farther taught him quite well.

Amazing story. Blessed be God they stuck together. Family is life.

A truly excellent video. I could happily listen for another hour of this man talking about this amazing survival. I need a follow up, re. their journey home and how they re-built their lives, jobs etc. Lesson learned. If I go to sea I will have a survival pack on deck - just in case.

Amazing story told so beautifully I could visualize it perfectly. I can’t imagine sitting in water all that time, such a strong family. Mom was a hero for her family and so was Douglas as a young man.

What a story of survival. Utterly incredible. The things humans do to survive, when our natural instinct kicks in, from all those years ago when we first evolved on this planet, no matter how many thousands of years it’s been it’s proof we all still have that survival instinct within us. What a story 👏

Douglas Robertson put it all so well together in telling this remarkable story. And how they managed to create an illusion (the restaurant) in order to keep their minds alive. So happy to hear they all servided, this is one story I could listen to over and over again.

It rained….the things we take for granted. Also makes you realise what’s really important in life

I sat without moving a muscle while listening to this. Amazing story told with love and honor. I am intrigued by stories of whales stoving in the sides of ships - Turtles have saved the lives of marooned sailors for millennium.

It is so incredible that they all survived, what a brilliant family

This was one of the best survival story that I have ever listened to. And I am so happy that your family survived that.

What a wonderful story. I’m so glad you all made it.

I watched this hanging on his every word! Wow what an amazing family, I love they had the password 'survival' the collective power of their minds and sheer determination got them through that. Thank you for sharing such an inspirational story

A soulfully told story. I kept thinking of their Mother and the silent glances she must have shared with their Father that spoke volumes about their utter commitment to each other and to their children. I can see the looks of reassurance that I know they gave to one another, that they were going to get their children out of this with sheer willpower and grit and they weren’t going to rest until everyone was safe! And, I can see their Mother’s heart skip a beat and feel her exhale as the last person came aboard that rescue ship!! I can also imagine their Father’s pain as he explained to the rescuers how they’d gotten there. And, I can hear the story tellers love in his voice for all things simple, small and useful, like the mere touch of a loved one’s hand! So happy for your successes, Mate!! Well done. ❤

Amazing unfathomable story. The desire and will to survive. Glad you all survived that ordeal.

Thank you Douglas. Calm voice of an experience retold. Appreciation & respect.

Read this story years ago and amazed by their survival. It is great to hear him tell the story in person.

Unbelievable. Tenacity, discipline, creativity and resilience.

I read the book, "Survive the Savage Seas", when I was 17. It always stayed with me as a poignant story. At 52, to hear one of the survivors speak was mind blowing.

What an amazing story! I have watched hundreds of videos about sailing voyages, and this might be my all-time favorite. Simply beautiful! Thank you

What a very calming demeanor along with the ability to really have you engage and picture this harrowing experience this well spoken gentleman brought to us with his story. Everyone played a very important role in surviving. I couldn't stop sobbing when his mother would skip her turn on the dry part to rest/sleep to give to the children. What a remarkable encouraging story. 🇦🇺

Being in a situation like this- mine wasn't nearly as bad or long as his- will make you understand and appreciate the importance of being prepared. I kayak, hike, camp, etc.- and love it, but it can leave you in some hard situations at times. A few years ago, a few friends wanted to go down the local river with me- it's about a 4 day trip from where I put in to where I get out- which is actually right by my home, less than a mile. So, we all meet up and put in and we're several hours into the trip and one of them pulls out a sub machine gun. You heard that right- this moron had brought a sub machine gun with him on a kayak trip. He explains to me how he has nowhere to shoot it and figured since we would be deep, deep in the woods this would be a great time to shoot his gun. I'm arguing with him about it, asking him why he would bring something so dangerous on a kayak trip- and he's telling me how I don't know what I'm talking about, how the gun is perfectly safe if you know how to handle it. And at the same time, he's inserting a clip, he racks back the bolt and puts a round in the chamber- and when he released the bolt, the gun fired 4 times. He had his left hand wrapped around the end of the barrel and as it fired it just tore all the meat off the inside of his hand. His entire palm was gone- you could see the tendons and bones in his hand. Luckily it wasn't pointed in anyone's direction, so the bullets went into the forest, and I'm sure hit a tree or something- but not a person, thank God. I took the gun away from him- 1st things first- took out the clip and made sure there was no round in the chamber- stowed the gun in my pack. Got his hand wrapped up and cleaned as best I could- and then we had to figure out what to do. He couldn't kayak any further- the kid was in massive pain. We were deep in the bottoms though- no cell service, many miles from civilization, in a situation where we couldn't even keep his wound clean. But I knew I had to stop the bleeding- that was the main concern to start with. I soaked a couple towels in the cooler which had ice in it- wrapped his hand as tightly as I could- and put it up over his head- above his heart. And much to my surprise, the bleeding slowed to the point I felt it was no longer dangerous. So, we started walking out of the bottom- trying to find cell service or a house. Long story short- we did finally find some loggers who were working and got help. I almost went to jail for his gun to- totally forgot it was in my pack and went in the hospital with it on me. But it showed me that being prepared is the name of the game- had we not had the few things we did have that day to stop the bleeding and keep him hydrated and all- it could've ended a totally different way. I even had a couple pain pills with me- form an old script- that I was able to give him to keep him from being in so much pain- I think he was about to go into shock. Also taught me something I actually already instinctively knew- don't bring sub machine guns on kayak trips. Guys who use sub machine guns don't kayak.

what a wonderful man, eloquently telling an amazing story

I think this is a contender for the best LADbible clip ever! Amazing guy.