Surviving the Storms
Extraordinary Stories of Courage and Compassion at Sea
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.67
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Lucy Tregear
-
Tim Bruce
-
By:
-
The RNLI
About this listen
‘There’s water in the engine,’ he said. ‘The engine has stopped.’
This changed everything…
Surviving the Storms brings together incredible first-hand accounts of rescues carried out by the remarkable RNLI lifesavers.
In this collection of heart-wrenching and life-affirming missions, we hear blow-by-blow descriptions of some of the most dramatic rescues from the last twenty years. We experience these through the eyes of the lifesavers as they must make life-or-death decisions, face fierce conditions and tackle difficult and dangerous situations. But we also see the optimism, passion and courage that is crucial to a successful rescue, and experience the genuine joy felt by the volunteer crews and lifeguards in being a part of something so important.
Each remarkable story is one of bravery, jeopardy and an unrelenting commitment to battling the forces of nature and saving every life. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the RNLI – men, women, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers, all forming one big crew determined to protect perfect strangers. They are ordinary people doing the truly extraordinary.
©2020 The RNLI (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedRelated to this topic
-
Ten Hours Until Dawn
- The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do
- By: Michael J. Tougias
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the height of the blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals off the Massachusetts coast. The Coast Guard dispatched a patrol boat, but was soon in as much trouble as the tanker. Then pilot boat captain Frank Quirk, hearing of the Coast Guard's troubles on his radio, decided to act.
-
-
A riveting story
- By Christopher on 11-30-07
-
The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition)
- The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue (The True Rescue Series, Book 1)
- By: Michael J. Tougias, Casey Sherman
- Narrated by: Alex Boyles
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the night of February 18, 1952, during one of the worst winter storms that New England has ever seen, two oil tankers just off the shore of Cape Cod were torn in half by the force of the storm. This middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book tells the story of the shipwreck and a harrowing Coast Guard rescue when four men in a tiny lifeboat overcame insurmountable odds and saved more than thirty stranded sailors.
By: Michael J. Tougias, and others
-
Black Wave
- A Family's Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them
- By: John Silverwood, Jean Silverwood
- Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie, Joe Barrett
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When John and Jean Silverwood, both experienced sailors, decided to give their four children a taste of life on the high seas, they hoped the trip would offer important learning experiences - not only about the natural world but about the beauty of human life stripped down to its essence, far from civilization. But the adventure that awaited them would surpass anything they could have imagined.
-
-
What Wave
- By James on 09-03-08
By: John Silverwood, and others
-
The Gathering Wind
- Hurricane Sandy, the Sailing Ship Bounty, and a Courageous Rescue at Sea
- By: Gregory A. Freeman
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In October 2012, a replica of the famous HMS Bounty, an eighteenth-century tall sailing ship, was on a collision course with a storm that would become the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic - a clash that would prove dramatic, tragic, perplexing, and ultimately one of the most unforgettable stories of Superstorm Sandy. Crewed by an eclectic team of seafarers, the Bounty was led by Robin Walbridge, their highly respected captain with decades at the helm, whose actions - sometimes questionable - decided the fate of his ship and crew.
-
-
Good.
- By Dan on 08-06-15
-
Until the Sea Shall Free Them
- By: Robert Frump
- Narrated by: Luke Smith
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The men on the SS Marine Electric sailed into a storm in February 1983 not knowing that they would make history - at a great cost in lives. Just three men survived the wreck of the Marine Electric off the shores of Virginia and they found that their struggle had just begun once they got back to shore. Blamed for the wreck, they fought back and broke a code of silence that had covered up sloppy ship inspections for decades and revealed the flaws in old World War II rust buckets that were still at sea long past their functional lifetime.
-
-
Interesting, but not a great listen
- By Eric on 02-22-13
By: Robert Frump
-
Wreck of the Carl D.
- A True Story of Loss, Survival, and Rescue at Sea
- By: Michael Schumacher
- Narrated by: Gary D. MacFadden
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On November 18, 1958, a 623-foot limestone carrier - caught in one of the most violent storms in Lake Michigan history - broke in two and sank in less than five minutes. Four of the 35-person crew escaped to a small raft, to which they clung in total darkness, braving 30-foot waves and frigid temperatures. As the storm raged on, a search-and-rescue mission hunted for survivors, while the frantic citizens of nearby Rogers City, Michigan, anxiously awaited word of their loved ones' fates.
-
-
A harrowing story of survival and loss
- By Ron T on 03-25-16
-
Ten Hours Until Dawn
- The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do
- By: Michael J. Tougias
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the height of the blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals off the Massachusetts coast. The Coast Guard dispatched a patrol boat, but was soon in as much trouble as the tanker. Then pilot boat captain Frank Quirk, hearing of the Coast Guard's troubles on his radio, decided to act.
-
-
A riveting story
- By Christopher on 11-30-07
-
The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition)
- The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue (The True Rescue Series, Book 1)
- By: Michael J. Tougias, Casey Sherman
- Narrated by: Alex Boyles
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the night of February 18, 1952, during one of the worst winter storms that New England has ever seen, two oil tankers just off the shore of Cape Cod were torn in half by the force of the storm. This middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book tells the story of the shipwreck and a harrowing Coast Guard rescue when four men in a tiny lifeboat overcame insurmountable odds and saved more than thirty stranded sailors.
By: Michael J. Tougias, and others
-
Black Wave
- A Family's Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them
- By: John Silverwood, Jean Silverwood
- Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie, Joe Barrett
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When John and Jean Silverwood, both experienced sailors, decided to give their four children a taste of life on the high seas, they hoped the trip would offer important learning experiences - not only about the natural world but about the beauty of human life stripped down to its essence, far from civilization. But the adventure that awaited them would surpass anything they could have imagined.
-
-
What Wave
- By James on 09-03-08
By: John Silverwood, and others
-
The Gathering Wind
- Hurricane Sandy, the Sailing Ship Bounty, and a Courageous Rescue at Sea
- By: Gregory A. Freeman
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In October 2012, a replica of the famous HMS Bounty, an eighteenth-century tall sailing ship, was on a collision course with a storm that would become the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic - a clash that would prove dramatic, tragic, perplexing, and ultimately one of the most unforgettable stories of Superstorm Sandy. Crewed by an eclectic team of seafarers, the Bounty was led by Robin Walbridge, their highly respected captain with decades at the helm, whose actions - sometimes questionable - decided the fate of his ship and crew.
-
-
Good.
- By Dan on 08-06-15
-
Until the Sea Shall Free Them
- By: Robert Frump
- Narrated by: Luke Smith
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The men on the SS Marine Electric sailed into a storm in February 1983 not knowing that they would make history - at a great cost in lives. Just three men survived the wreck of the Marine Electric off the shores of Virginia and they found that their struggle had just begun once they got back to shore. Blamed for the wreck, they fought back and broke a code of silence that had covered up sloppy ship inspections for decades and revealed the flaws in old World War II rust buckets that were still at sea long past their functional lifetime.
-
-
Interesting, but not a great listen
- By Eric on 02-22-13
By: Robert Frump
-
Wreck of the Carl D.
- A True Story of Loss, Survival, and Rescue at Sea
- By: Michael Schumacher
- Narrated by: Gary D. MacFadden
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On November 18, 1958, a 623-foot limestone carrier - caught in one of the most violent storms in Lake Michigan history - broke in two and sank in less than five minutes. Four of the 35-person crew escaped to a small raft, to which they clung in total darkness, braving 30-foot waves and frigid temperatures. As the storm raged on, a search-and-rescue mission hunted for survivors, while the frantic citizens of nearby Rogers City, Michigan, anxiously awaited word of their loved ones' fates.
-
-
A harrowing story of survival and loss
- By Ron T on 03-25-16
-
Simple Courage
- The True Story of Peril on the Sea
- By: Frank Delaney
- Narrated by: Frank Delaney
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drawing on historical documents and contemporary accounts and on exclusive interviews with Carlsen's family, Delaney opens a window into the world of the merchant marine. With deep affection, and respect, for the weather and all that goes with it, he places us in the heart of the storm, a "biblical tempest" of unimaginable power. He illuminates the bravery and ingenuity of Carlsen and the extraordinary courage that the 37-year-old captain inspired in his stalwart crew.
-
-
Well written and read
- By AMS on 03-03-08
By: Frank Delaney
-
Ghost Wave
- The Discovery of Cortes Bank and the Biggest Wave on Earth
- By: Chris Dixon
- Narrated by: Chris Dixon
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rising from the depths of the North Pacific lies a fabled island, now submerged just 15 feet below the surface of the ocean. Rumors and warnings about Cortes Bank abound, but among big wave surfers, this legendary rock is famous for one simple (and massive) reason: this is the home of the biggest rideable wave on the face of the earth.
-
-
A Surfing Classic of Monster Waves
- By Susie on 01-03-13
By: Chris Dixon
-
Into the Raging Sea
- Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of the El Faro
- By: Rachel Slade
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On October 1, 2015, Hurricane Joaquin barreled into the Bermuda Triangle and swallowed the container ship El Faro whole, resulting in the worst American shipping disaster in 35 years. No one could fathom how a vessel equipped with satellite communications and a sophisticated navigation system could suddenly vanish - until now. Relying on hundreds of exclusive interviews with family members and maritime experts, as well as the words of the crew members themselves - whose conversations were captured by the ship’s data recorder - journalist Rachel Slade unravels the mystery.
-
-
This Book is Tragic for More Than Just its Story
- By John A. Tucker on 10-23-19
By: Rachel Slade
-
Rescue Pilot
- Cheating the Sea
- By: Jerry Grayson
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jerry Grayson is an ordinary man who chose an extraordinary career. At age 17 he became the youngest helicopter pilot ever to serve in the Royal Navy. By age 25 he was the most decorated peacetime naval pilot in history.
-
-
Great tales of adventure with fascinating facts about helicopters
- By david y muramatsu on 07-17-23
By: Jerry Grayson
-
Stop Drifting, Start Rowing
- One Woman's Search for Happiness and Meaning Alone on the Pacific
- By: Roz Savage
- Narrated by: Roz Savage
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2007, Roz Savage set out to row 8,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean—alone. Despite having successfully rowed across the Atlantic the previous year, the Pacific presented the former office worker with unprecedented challenges and overpowering currents—both in the water and within herself. Crossing Earth’s largest ocean alone might seem a long way removed from everyday life, yet the lessons Roz learned about the inner journey, the ocean, and the world are relevant to all of us.
-
-
I only listened to 1/3, so maybe it gets better?
- By Brandin on 05-14-14
By: Roz Savage
-
Coming Back Alive
- The True Story of the Most Harrowing Search and Rescue Mission Ever Attempted on Alaska's High Seas
- By: Spike Walker
- Narrated by: Paul Heitsch
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the fishing vessel La Conte sinks suddenly at night in 100-mile-per-hour winds and record 90-foot seas during a savage storm in January 1998, her five crewmen are left to drift without a life raft in the freezing Alaskan waters and survive as best they can. One hundred fifty miles away, in Sitka, Alaska, an H-60 Jayhawk helicopter lifts off from America's most remote Coast Guard base in the hopes of tracking down an anonymous Mayday signal. A fisherman's worst nightmare has become a Coast Guard crew's desperate mission.
-
-
Outstanding Story and Performance
- By Stephen Bowlby on 05-22-18
By: Spike Walker
-
Last Man Off
- By: Matthew Lewis
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hamilton
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Antarctica, June 6th 1998. 23-year-old Matt Lewis has just started his dream job: an observer aboard a deep sea fishing boat. As the crew haul in their lines for the day, the waves seem bigger than usual - they are casting shadows on the deck. A storm is brewing. What follows is an astonishing story of courage and tragedy. Lewis leads the escape onto three life rafts, where the battle for survival begins.
-
-
Spellbinding
- By Honey Leveen on 07-04-15
By: Matthew Lewis
-
Deadliest Sea
- The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in Coast Guard History
- By: Kalee Thompson
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Deadliest Sea by Kalee Thompson is the spellbinding true story of the greatest rescue in US Coast Guard history. Recounting the tragic sinking of the fishing trawler, Alaska Ranger, in the Bering Sea and its remarkable aftermath in March 2008, Deadliest Sea is real-life action and adventure at its finest. The full story of an amazing rescue - where extraordinary courage, ingenuity, will, and technology combined in one of the most remarkable maritime feats ever recorded - has never been told before now. It’s The Perfect Storm meets Deadliest Catch.
-
-
Good story line
- By Jayson on 03-31-20
By: Kalee Thompson
-
Team Spirit
- Life and Leadership on One of the World's Toughest Yacht Races
- By: Brendan Hall, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
- Narrated by: Stephen Pilkington
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Team Spirit is a gripping account of a race on the edge, and a young skipper's determined journey to victory. The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is the ultimate long distance challenge - a 35,000-mile circumnavigation of the globe, contested by amateur crews in identical racing yachts - and the winners are those who keep their focus the longest.
-
-
How to lead for fun and winning
- By Aubible Book Ernie on 12-18-22
By: Brendan Hall, and others
-
On the Edge of Survival
- A Shipwreck, a Raging Storm, and the Harrowing Alaskan Rescue That Became a Legend
- By: Spike Walker
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Malaysian cargo ship on its way from Seattle, Washington, to China ran aground off the coast of western Alaska's Aleutian Islands on December 8, 2004, during a brutal storm, leading to one of the most incredible Coast Guard rescue missions of all time. Two Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopters lifted off immediately from Air Station Kodiak during the driving storm, in an effort to rescue the ship's 18 crew members before it broke apart and sank in the freezing waters.
-
-
An absolutely gripping true story…
- By Kent on 11-08-10
By: Spike Walker
-
Into the Deep
- A Memoir from the Man Who Found Titanic
- By: Robert D. Ballard, Christopher Drew
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary explorer of the Titanic shares inside stories of danger, suspense, and discovery - plus previously untold stories about his own dyslexia and how it has shaped his life.
-
-
A Study of the Ego
- By Thomas on 06-08-21
By: Robert D. Ballard, and others
-
Rowing the Atlantic
- Lessons Learned on the Open Ocean
- By: Roz Savage
- Narrated by: Roz Savage
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stuck in a corporate job rut and faced with an unraveling marriage at the age of thirty-six, Roz Savage sat down one night and wrote two versions of her own obituary - the one that she wanted and the one she was heading for. They were very different. She realized that if she carried on as she was, she wasn't going to end up with the life she wanted. So she turned her back on an eleven-year career as a management consultant to reinvent herself as a woman of adventure.
-
-
boooooring
- By Amazon Customer on 04-11-17
By: Roz Savage