Characters
What is JP's wife's name?
Mayke
What was the first warning sign that the men saw that indicated there was a storm approaching?
They saw wispy yellow-brown clouds. One man remarked that he had never seen any clouds that looked that menacing before.
What is the only type of rescue available for the men of the Sean Seymour II because of the severe storm?
A helicopter rescue, which was still risky and dangerous due to the high waves and severe winds.
Whose first sailing trip is this?
Rudy. He had retired and had always wanted to sail the ocean.
What type of colors are sharks attracted to? Why is this dangerous for the men once on the life raft?
Bright colors. Life rafts also have to be brightly colored in order for rescuers to located them, which means life rafts are usually visited by curious sharks.
What did JP's father do to JP to try to get his second wife back?
Thinking that his wife would come back if JP was hurt, he dumped boiling water onto JP
Why was there confusion about which ship was in trouble?
There was an emergency beacon that was registered to JP's old ship "Lou Pantai" that was still on board the "Sean Seymour II". When it was activated, the name of the ship confused the coast guard and JP's family.
Why do the other rescuers think Drew has broken his back?
While Drew was being lifted by a cable back up into the helicopter a wave dropped underneath him and caused him to fall, bending his back violently.
How tall are the waves during the rescue?
The waves are measuring to be about 80 feet high.
Hurricanes
What do tropical storms typically turn into as they pass through the gulf stream?
What started JP's love of the ocean?
He had to take a boat across the ocean to be reunited with his mother. He found the sea very comforting.
When the "Sean Seamour II" capsizes what injuries does JP sustain and how?
He is hit by and trapped under a large table, breaking multiple ribs.
What do the men on the life raft do when they first spot the plane?
They try to send up flares. Only one works, but is blown away by the waves. The men hope the plane has seen it.
What port is the Sean Seamour II leaving from?
Florida
What are some ways to battle hypothermia?
Minimize movement to conserve energy. Hold your knees to your chest to kept your upper torso warm. Two people can huddle together, chest to chest, to keep warm.
What is JP's step-mothers name?
Betty
How does the Coast Guard rescue the sailors? (provide as much detail as you can)
They lower down a man who is a "swimmer" to swim to the life raft. From there he places the sailors individually into a metal basket to be raised up into the helicopter.
What does Drew do to the raft after he rescues Ben?
He deflates the raft by stabbing it with a knife. He doesn't want the raft to be seen by anyone else who might think there is someone on the raft that needs rescued.
Where is Sean Seamour II's destination?
France
What is an EPIRB and a GPIRB?
EPIRB-emergency position indicating radio beacon, an older piece of equipment that sends a signal but does not use GPS technology
GPIRB-global position indicating radio beacon, which can send a signal to the Coast Guard quickly pinpointing the location of an emergency.
Who was Drew from the Coast Guard's first rescue after graduating from the Coast Guard?
His own daughter (who was caught in a rip tide).
What happens to the life raft after the men finally get in it and free it from the boat?
The life raft flips over, causing the men to be half submerged in the water while having to hold onto the edges of the life raft. Eventually, they are able to climb up and lay on the top of the overturned raft.
What is in the survival bag that doesn't make it into the life raft?
Water and flares.
What does Drew the "swimmer" say to Rudy and Ben when he swims up to their life raft?
Drew says "How y"all doing today?"
In A Storm Too Soon, what is "the Dunker"?
a simulator to teach helicopter crews how to get out of a helicopter that turtles in the water