Abstract of Banigan's Voyage in a Robin Moor Lifeboat

May 21--No attempt to sail. Put out sea anchors, drifted, rested, kept clear of wreckage. Night, boats secured by painters. Mast stepped. Lantern set up. Men in #4, on tail end, rowed to keep other boats apart.

May 22--Old Man's orders to sail for St. Paul Rocks, light, unwatched. Sailed 0815 GMT. 14 mi. to noon. Mod. NE wind, sea and swell. Set watches, 3 on a watch. Instructed men how to steer. Lengthened stays with lifeline. Added canvas to get more sail area. Rations 3 times day: 1 biscuit, 1 cup water, ½ small onion. Night, signaled to Old Man with flares.

May 23--71 mi. to noon. Rain squalls. Overcast. Knocked out end of air tank to catch rain water. Made tiller out of spreaders. Yoke with lanyards inefficient.

May 24--43 mi. to noon. Made new sea anchor. Night, permission from Old Man to go off alone., Taylor rowed off with his boat and disappeared over horizon. NE wind. Mod. NE sea and swell. Near southernmost limit NE trades. Realize cannot make St. Paul Rocks.

May 25--41 mi. to noon. Overcast, heavy rain squalls. Rough SE sea and mod. swell. Mod. SE wind.

May 26--67 mi. to noon. Overcast, heavy rain squalls. Mod. SE wind. Rough sea and heavy swell. Current setting to northwestward. Wind abeam. Afternoon, Hugh Murphy, messboy, at tiller, almost

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Lifeboat being rescued by CG cutter
These survivors of a British ship are pulling alongside a Coast Guard cutter.
With rescue so near, there is still danger if the weight is not properly distributed. (Acme)

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ran aboard two whales. Night, heavy squalls. Blowing. All but three men on weather side. Last attempt to make south latitude. Flares seen from the other boats. Answered. Taylor's boat reappeared. Shipping water, bailing constantly. Cold. Rationed liquor.

May 27--64 mi. to noon. Rough and heavy sea. Almost got swamped. Told men could not make Rock. Current, wind, sea setting us off. Decided to run before it. Faces fell. Night, following sea. A.B.'s steering.

May 28--101 mi. to noon. Rough sea, heavy swell. Partly cloudy. Too far northward, tried to make something. Men well, but wet, chilled.

May 29--67 mi. to noon. Rain squalls. Mod. SE wind. Heavy sea and swell.

May 30--30 mi. to noon. Overcast. Light var. airs. When sun came out, burned through clothes. Feet and legs swelled. Night, boat pounded.

May 31--No sight. Drifted. Overcast. Terrific burns. Water boiling with fish. Men restless.

June 1--36 mi. to noon. Overcast, rain squalls. Mod. SE swell. Light airs. Night, NW winds, died out in morning.

June 2--69 mi. to noon. Morning, smoke spotted. Saw ship for 5 hrs. About 7 mi. off, changing course. Rags burned, kerosene smudge, but smoke blended with clouds. Cook crying, panicking others. Men rowed. Let them row one hour. Night, no wind. Pounded.

June 3--No observation. Water alive with fish. Drifted. Heavy SE sea and swell. Heavy rain squalls.

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Light var. airs. Terrific pounding. Shivered all day and night. Lack of cigarettes felt.

June 4--79 mi. from noon of 2nd. Light var. winds to light airs. Overcast. Mod. swell. Heavy rain squalls.

June 5--17 mi. to noon. Overcast, cloudy. Heavy rain. Lt. airs, mod. SE swell. Night, crew getting leery.

June 6--27 mi. to noon. Cloudy, clear. Gentle to mod. SE wind. Mod. rough sea and swell.

June 7--52 mi. to noon. Gentle to mod. SE wind and mod. rough sea. Cloudy and clear.

June 8--73 mi. to noon. Mod. E'ly winds. Partly cloudy and clear. Rough sea and swell. 35 mi. from Great Circle track. Men excited. Watched steering. Sharp lookout. Night, moonlight. Seas became very rough. Decided to get nap and then stay up rest of night. 9:45, Peter Buss, A.B., reported light. Sent up flare. Got men on oil lamp. Men jumped on thwarts. Lifted center of gravity, almost capsized. Light over side of ship. Hove to. Came about, got alongside. Brazilian ship, Osorio. Got men aboard. Holes cut in tanks and bottom of lifeboat to sink it. Dist. 898 mi. Total time -- 18 days, 16 hrs., 49 mins.

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