Unit -2: We're Not Afraid to Die

Background of the Story: 

 Author: Gordon Cook, co-authored with Alan East. 

 Type: True adventure story / personal account. 

 Setting: The sea voyage starts from Plymouth, England, and the events occur mainly in the Southern 

Indian Ocean. 

 Time Period: The voyage began in July 1976. 

 Inspired by: The authors were inspired by the famous round-the-world voyage of Captain James Cook 

(no relation to Gordon Cook). 

 Purpose of the Voyage: A planned three-year voyage around the world with Gordon Cook’s wife Mary 

and their two children, Jonathan (6) and Suzanne (7), aboard their ship Wavewalker. 

Summary in Points: 

1. The Journey Begins: 

o Gordon Cook and family start their world voyage in July 1976 from Plymouth, England. 

o They travel down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town, South Africa, without major trouble. 

2. Crew Reinforcement: 

o In Cape Town, they hire two professional sailors — Larry Vigil (American) and Herb Seigler 

(Swiss) — to help navigate the Southern Indian Ocean, known for rough seas. 

3. Storm Hits in the Southern Ocean: 

o On January 2, strong winds and massive waves hit their ship. 

o A huge wave nearly capsizes the boat, causing serious damage to the ship and injuries to the 

family. 

4. Struggle for Survival: 

o The ship’s deck is broken, water floods the cabins, and equipment fails. 

o Gordon suffers broken ribs and head injuries, but keeps working. 

o Mary and the children are terrified but stay strong. 

o The children show incredible courage — Jonathan says, “We’re not afraid to die if we can all be 

together.” 

5. Desperate Measures: 

o The team pumps out water continuously and patches the boat temporarily. 

o They struggle for over 36 hours in freezing, stormy weather to keep the ship afloat. 

6. Hope Restored: 

o Gordon manages to navigate toward a tiny island — Île Amsterdam, a French scientific base. 

o After days of suffering, they spot the island and reach safety on January 6. 

7. Triumph of Spirit: 

o Despite life-threatening danger, their unity, teamwork, courage, and determination save them. 

o The story ends with survival and a deep sense of gratitude.  

Setting: 

 Place: Begins in Plymouth, England, moves to Cape Town, then the Southern Indian Ocean, ending 

at Île Amsterdam. 

 Time: The journey starts in July 1976; the storm hits in early January 1977. 

 Environment: Mostly takes place at sea in a dangerous, stormy, and isolated environment.

2. Perspective (Point of View): 

 First-person narration by Gordon Cook, the captain and father. 

 Gives a personal, emotional, and direct insight into the events and characters. 

3. Central Idea: 

 The power of human endurance, courage, and family unity in the face of life-threatening adversity. 

 Shows that hope and determination can lead to survival, even in the harshest conditions. 

 4. Themes: 

 � Survival and Human Courage 

 ���� Family Bond and Togetherness 

 � Perseverance in Adversity 

 � Man vs Nature 

 � Leadership and Teamwork 

 5. Message: 

 With unity, courage, and determination, even the worst crises can be overcome. 

 The story highlights that the strength of the human spirit is greatest when people stand together in the 

face of fear and danger. 

6. Title Justification: 

 The title is based on the six-year-old Jonathan’s words, which capture the emotional core of the story. 

 It reflects the bravery and emotional strength of the family — they don’t fear death as long as they 

are together. 

 The title sets the tone for a story about love, courage, and resilience.

 Tone and Mood:
  Tone: Serious, tense, determined, hopeful.
  Mood: Suspenseful, fearful, emotional, yet inspiring.

Flow Chart 

Start from Plymouth, England (July 1976) 

↓ 

Sail to Cape Town, South Africa 

↓ 

Hire 2 crew members: Larry and Herb 

↓ 

Enter rough Southern Indian Ocean 

↓ 

Storm hits (Jan 2, 1977) – boat severely damaged 

↓ 

Family injured, but everyone helps 

↓ 

Jonathan says “We’re not afraid to die...” 

↓ 

Pumping water, steering manually – 36+ hours of effort 

↓ 

Spot Île Amsterdam (Jan 6) – small volcanic island 

↓ 

Reach safety – Family survives

Themes 

Man vs Nature: 

The story shows how human beings face the unpredictable and powerful forces of nature. 

Courage and Endurance: 

It highlights the bravery and determination needed to survive life-threatening situations. 

Family Unity: 

The strength and support of family becomes a source of hope during crisis. 

Leadership and Teamwork: 

Effective leadership and cooperation among the crew are essential for survival. 

Hope and Optimism: 

Even in extreme adversity, hope keeps the characters moving forward.

Meanings of Expressions 

honing our seafaring skills 

ominous silence 

Mayday calls 

pinpricks in the vast ocean 

a tousled head 

Answer 

honing our seafaring skills: this refers to the efforts made by the author and his wife, to perfect or sharpen their 

seafaring skills. 

ominous silence: the silence here refers to an impending danger. 

Mayday calls: Mayday calls are radio-telephonic words which signal aircrafts or ships stuck in a disastrous 

situation. 

pinpricks in the vast ocean: this phrase expresses the search for two small islands in the vast ocean. 

a tousled head: this refers to hair in disarray or the disarranged hair of the author’s son, Jonathan