"I really wish I had taken the time to do that. I really felt the energy of the divine soulmate connection between Tami and her fiance.. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. RDK'n The then 23-year-old Ashcraft accompanied him on the crossing. Join Facebook to connect with Tami Oldham and others you may know. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2018-2023, All Rights Reserved Super Stars Bio. Sharp, however, was gone. She said: I will never understand why Richard died and I lived, except that he saved my life by having me go below.. Not so much. Though she couldnt even read for six years afterward due to her head injury, she managed to put her entire story down on paper for her book Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea. He insisted she take cover below deck while he tried to steer the Hazana to safety, then gave her a reassuring wink as she headed downwards. They had two daughters Brook, 21, and Kelli, who died aged 22 in April last year from carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty heating system in her home. So any deviations from the sailor's lived experience are intentional, and done with her approval. Stay in the know with local, state and national political news delivered to your inbox every Friday. In the most profound way, it made me really appreciate life. Required fields are marked *. The couple, both avid sailors, had decided to take a break from pleasure sailing in Sharp's 36-foot sailboat, Mayaluga, to take a job delivering a 44-foot yacht, Hazana, from Tahiti to San Diego. "As I have told my story over the years, I have had people tell me what an incredible story it was and it prompted me to write my book. She says Woodley and Claflin fit the personalities of her and Sharp at the time of their voyage. They left Tahiti on September 22, sailing without incident until October 12. Directed by Baltasar Kormkur, from a screenplay by Aaron and Jordan Kandell and David Branson Smith, based on a book by Tami Oldham Ashcraft and Susea McGearhart. The sails were now useless; she fashioned a new one with a storm jib and spinnaker pole. Login. Here's an excerpt of Oldham Ashcraft's book, from a New Zealand Herald review: Yup in real life, Oldham-Ashcraft's boyfriend Richard Sharp was swept overboard during the storm, never to be seen again, while the film has him alive and acting as the main motivation for Oldham-Ashcraft to find her way back to civilization. It has everything: love, adventure, survival, tragedy, and in the end, hope.". A search of the drier cabin revealed a sextant and a watch, the only tools that had survived, and the ones she would use to navigate to the closest landmass the 1,500-mile-away island of Hilo, Hawaii. Regarding the major difference, Oldham-Ashcraft said she doesn't want to be a spoiler and noted, accurately, that "there is a little bit of a twist and everything becomes clear in the end. She heard: Never leave the boat. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It reminds me of how I got home, she said. Q. In interviews, Tami Oldham Ashcraft has said that the parallels between the film and what happened are incredibly accurate. Tami Lee Oldham Ashcraft is an American sailor and author who, in 1983, survived 41 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The force threw Ashcraft against the wall, knocking her unconscious. based on her true story of survival in Category-four Hurricane in 1983, Sister: Cousin: Chelsea Reinhart Pavloff & Claire Bullas, Daughter: Brook Ashcraft and Kelli Ashcraft, Your email address will not be published. The film has her coming to and finding Richard badly injured, leaving her the only one able to operate and repair the yacht, which she does under Richard's guidance. storm strikes as Richard and Tami struggle to stay on board, Alone. P10yE%SWz"wU}=*0llo9)KT~j'r[RaMKZ%n=UM7UY ["E'!sy_$T2 :ks+$Lar6%qMU (),@Rs\}b>kxM:I vc@N@'5 \2sDOc9&nMYGN) &o \pHv0Vi_4bm\dT@jK'dC#L#Lppz@v ` F]YK`M6R8ebJ!jd2 1z$\&TL#) GITc |1B>=.xzuuCez8Q^ZX]#/EUtJxmQ2Jr"K~;zd 6&d_Vy>eVM%i#%`HodwXVDveeD?`lh)rz6}aYb<2l[;iGNW%CI-{0~q5}*5;/I^ bN*+ 5hyF^@SOP!dK*[*i #,46EN]}4Ak__"1tqu "No one ever suggested it, but I wish I had [gotten counseling] because I definitely had some severe post-traumatic stress syndrome," Tami explained to the Chicago newspaper. Success. Tami Oldham remained unconscious for 27 hours after hitting her head when the boat capsized during the hurricane. The severe head injury is visible on Shailene Woodley's character in the 2018 movie. At first, the Adrift movie seems to unfold differently than the true story. My main message is that knowledge is key for any kind of extreme sports that women get involved in. In 1983, engaged couple Tami Oldham-Ashcraft and Richard Sharp set off from Tahiti to deliver a yacht to San Diego. But that survival instinct [while at sea] just kicked in. Profession: Author. But Ashcraft's dream of a happy future with Richard was destroyed when they got caught in a hurricane less than three weeks into their journey. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. You mentioned the movie "A Perfect Storm." Father: Mr. Oldham. The survival story of Tami Oldham Ashcraft In September 1983, 23-year-old American sailor Tami Oldham Ashcraft set to sea for a 31-day crossing from Tahiti to San Diego, California. She was with her British fianc Richard Sharp, and delivering luxury yacht, Hazana . 20 days into the journey, they were caught in a Category 4 hurricane, bringing with it 15m waves and 150mph winds. Richards body was never found, but Tami took his belongings to his parents back in England. But finally she approached Hawaiis Hilo harbour and soon she was on land, safe and overwhelmed with the horror of her ordeal. . Create one. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. "It wasn't as intense as when I got to shore and the survival was over, and I could see people together and everything kept reminding me of him. It was 1983, and, just as the trailer depicts, Tami and Richard were engaged and in loveboth with each other and with the water, which they had called home for six months of sailing in their boat, the Mayaluga. The book helped her heal from the loss of her first love. As it was she had to drastically ration her meagre supply of water, peanut butter, canned fruit, Spam and sardines. There were times I didnt even want to live any more because I didnt know how I was going to go on.. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. The film is based on the memoir of Tami Oldham Ashcraft who endured a devastating hurricane in 1983 and was stranded at sea for 41 days. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. 35 years later, incredible story of survival at sea to hit the Actress Shailene had to survive on 350 calories a day in order to lose enough weight to portray Tami in her emaciated state a diet she calls f***ing miserable. But how accurate is Adrift compared to the true story that inspired it? You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. I was never going to fall in love again. Her fianc was gone and her boat was badly damaged, the result of an unexpected category-four hurricane. Her book is now available in 15 countries and eight languages. == 1983 shipwreck == In 1983, Ashcraft's then-fianc, 34-year-old British sailor Richard Sharp, was hired to ferry the 13-metre yacht Hazaa from Tahiti to San Diego. Why Trust Us? Couldn't wait to start traveling. A. I just love it. It does not store any personal data. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. "There were times I didn't even want to live anymore because I didn't know how I was going to go on. The only sign of her trauma is a tiny sextant pendant, encrusted with a diamond, which she wears every day. Definitely the hardest part was dealing with Richard being gone. Shailene Woodley as brave Tami, reviewed here by Sun film critic Jamie East, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. The safety harness was dangling in the water, but Ashcrafts fianc was nowhere to be found. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. FOR loved-up young adventurer Tami Oldham, sailing a yacht across the Pacific with her sexy fiance was meant to be 4,000 miles of sun-kissed bliss. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. It reminds me of how I got home. It had lost its masts, engine, radio equipment and its electronic navigation system, and Tami had lost the love of her life, her soulmate. I did pull on my resourcefulness, too. The beautiful thing about this movie to me is that it is a womans survival story but its not a man or woman versus nature story, Woodley said. . The engine, radio, electronic navigation system and emergency position-indicating radio device were broken. How tall is Tami Oldham Ashcraft? Today, Ashcraft lives on San Juan Island off the coast of Washington, where she still sails regularly. The new movie starring Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin is based on the book Red Sky in Mourningbut the real story is much more heartbreaking. Sailor KO'd after hearing fiance's chilling 3 words woke up to The film is based on the memoir of Tami Oldham Ashcraft who endured a devastating hurricane on a sailing trip with her fiance Richard Sharp in 1983 and was stranded at sea for 41 days. "Definitely the hardest part was dealing with Richard being gone," Tami told the Tribune. She heard it again when, desperate to get out of the flooded yacht, she prepared to set off in the lifeboat. She heard it again when, desperate to get out of the flooded yacht, she prepared to set off in the Truth is my jam, Woodley said.