117 jours à la dérive (117 days adrift) is a story published in 1974 by Maurice Bailey. It tells of his shipwreck with his wife in the Pacific. Sophie Elmhirst has reprinted this story, published by Paulsen, and has supplemented it with numerous documents to tell the whole story of this extraordinary couple's life.
An adventure born of a desire for freedom
Tired of their routine life in England, Maurice and Maralyn Bailey decide to sell their house and build a sailing boat, the Auralyn, to set off on an adventure. Their goal: to reach New Zealand. In June 1972, they left the British coast, embarking on a journey that would take them across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific.
The shipwreck: an unexpected collision
On March 4, 1973, while sailing some 600 kilometers from the Galapagos Islands, their yacht was struck by a sperm whale, severely damaging the wooden hull. Forced to abandon the Auralyn, they took refuge in a lifeboat and a dinghy, bringing with them a few provisions and basic equipment. And so began a drift of exactly 118 days and a third in the heart of the Pacific (the figure of 117 days remains, as it was mistakenly reported by all the press of the time).
The challenges of survival at sea
Aboard their makeshift boat, the couple face extreme conditions: lack of drinking water, food rationing, exposure to the elements, and total isolation. Maralyn organizes their daily routine, setting a strict schedule to manage limited resources. They survive by catching turtles and fish, and collecting rainwater. Their resilience and ingenuity are put to the test.
A relationship put to the test
This extreme ordeal tests not only their physical endurance, but also the strength of their relationship. The confinement and constant stress reveal the tensions and strengths of their relationship. Maralyn, more pragmatic, takes the initiative, while Maurice, more introspective, fights against discouragement. But their complementarity becomes an essential asset for their survival.
In this new light, Sophie Elmhirst shows the power and strength of the couple's relationship, with Maralyn as the leader, supporting her husband at arm's length, whose morale often pushes him to give up.
The rescue and the sequel
On June 30, 1973, after 118 days at sea (4 months!) confined to the raft and dinghy, they were rescued by a South Korean ship, the Wolmi 306. Their story soon went around the world, arousing admiration and media interest. Back in England, they published a book about their adventure and built a new yacht, the Auralyn II, continuing their passion for sailing. Maralyn died in 2002, and Maurice in 2017. Sophie Elmhirst completes the blank page left after the publication of the first story. She also brings a very feminine perspective to Maralyn's presence and importance in the success of this very long drift.
Shipwrecked, a couple adrift in the Pacific
- Sophie Elmhirst
- Editions Paulsen
- 15 x 21 cm
- 272 pages
- In bookshops April 10, 2025
- 22,00 ?
