| "We would have died if it weren't for all that | | | | trans Atlantic voyage. The collision jabbed deep |
| crazy technology," said Jonas Butler, a 75 year-old | | | | gouges in the hull of the ship which began the |
| man from Maine. Jonas is probably right. Aboard a | | | | quickly fill with water. |
| boat sinking in the middle of the Northern Atlantic, | | | | After a brief moment of shock, the three men |
| the chances were slim that he and two sons, Eric | | | | surged with adrenaline and jumped into action. |
| and Ben, would make it back to any sort of land | | | | While the technological systems were still |
| alive. In that lonely strip of the world there wasn't | | | | functioning, Jonas was able to send an SOS |
| another soul, but there was satellite internet | | | | message to safety personnel, providing the exact |
| aboard the sailboat, having been installed with | | | | Latitude and Longitude. Though there position, in |
| worst-case scenario safety technology, a worthy | | | | the middle of the ocean with nothing in sight, didn't |
| investment. | | | | offer the fastest satellite broadband connection |
| Jonas and his sons were on a lengthy nautical | | | | that exists, it did the trick. Within a matter of |
| journey, starting in Boston and ending on the | | | | hours the family was floating in the dinghy as the |
| west coast of France. It's a considerably risky trip | | | | mast of their sailboat sank beneath the icy water. |
| lasting several weeks, but both Jonas and his | | | | Shortly after, a rescue helicopter appeared and |
| boys have years of experience with long distance | | | | carried the three men aboard, back to Maine. |
| sailing. They were aware and cautious of hazards; | | | | Months after the ordeal, Jonas, Ben and Eric were |
| getting blown off course, lack of wind, mechanical | | | | still shaken up by the whole experience. |
| malfunction, shortage of drinking water should a | | | | Understandably, envisioning yourself slowing being |
| disaster occur. | | | | swallowed by the freezing water of the northern |
| And a disaster did occur. The trio was in the habit | | | | Atlantic is not pleasant. They know how lucky |
| of taking sleeping shifts, never leaving the helm | | | | they are. In the immediate aftershock that's all |
| unattended. However, on the 9th day of the | | | | they could do, looking downwards, incredulous, and |
| journey, Ben, Jonas' younger son, dozed off at | | | | grumbling "we're so lucky..." They also know that |
| the wheel. This would not normally be a dire | | | | in the past, such a rescue would have been |
| problem, but with a combination of bad luck it | | | | unlikely or impossible. And they're just thankful for |
| quickly ended their hopes of reaching France. In | | | | computer geeks inventing things like satellite |
| the dark night, nothing but black water and black | | | | internet broadband that can track virtually any |
| sky, the ship collided with a giant oil barrel that | | | | place on the globe and locate a sinking ship. |
| had fallen off one of the massive tankers on a | | | | |