Class XI English
VALUE POINTS OF THE CHAPTER/Summary of the chapter
Chapter – 2
We’re Not afraid to Die — If We Can All Be Together
By Gordon Cook and Alan East
The story, ‘We’re Not afraid to Die—if We Can All Be Together” is a story of extreme
courage and skill exhibited by Gordon Cook, his family and crewmen in a war with water
and waves for survival.
Round the world voyage
• In July 1976, the narrator, his wife Mary, son Jonathan and daughter Suzanne set
sail from Plymouth, England.
• repeating the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James
Cook.
• took the voyage in the Southern Indian Ocean in their professionally built ship, the
Wavewalker, a 23 meter long and 30 ton Wooden boat.
• accompanied by two experienced sailors- Larry Vigil, anAmerican and Herb Seigler,
a Swiss.
• The first part of the journey, that is, about 105,000 kilometres up to Cape Town
passed
Attack of the big wave
• On the second day ,they began to encounter strong gales up to 15 metres, as high as
the main mast.
• On 25th December, the writer’s ship was in the southern Indian Ocean, 3500
kilometres to the east of Cape Town and celebrated their New Year in the ship.
• At dawn on January 2 due to unfriendly weather and gigantic waves
— the sailors slow their speed,
— drop storm jib and take other precautions.
— sailors complete life-raft drill,
— attach life lines and life jackets.
• Suddenly at 6 pm, a tremendous explosion shook the Wavewalker, and the author
was thrown overboard.
• The ship was about to capsize when another gigantic wave hit it tossing it upright
once again.
• in spite of his injuries, the narrator took charge of the situation. Somehow he found
the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on till Mary appeared and
took charge of the wheel.
• Larry and Herb started pumping out water like madmen.
• The whole starboard side bulged inwards.
• The narrator managed to cover canvas acrossthe gapsto prevent water from entering
the ship.
• Then came more problems. Their hand pumps stopped working and electric pumps
short-circuited.
• the narrator found a spare electric pump under the chartroom that worked.
• The entire night wasspent in pumping,steering, repairing and sending radio signals.
• The narrator checked charts and calculated that lie Amsterdem, a French scientific
base was their only hope.
• Sue’s head was swollen and she had a deep injury.
• Finally they reached Ile Amsterdam, a volcanic island where they were welcomed
by 28 inhabitants.
• Thus, the collective strength and never failing optimism of the sailors made it possible
for them to come out of the jaws of death.
• Though, Jonathan and Suzanne did not do anything to save Wave walker but their
courage, faith and optimism gave extra strength and persistence to the narrator and
his team.
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