Program

Seventy-foot waves batter a tattered life raft 250 miles out to sea in one of the world’s most dangerous places, the Gulf Stream. Hanging onto the raft are three men, a Canadian, a Brit, and their captain, JP DeLutz, a dual citizen of America and France. The waves repeatedly toss the men out of their tiny vessel, and JP, with 9 broken ribs, is hypothermic and on the verge of death. The captain, however, is a tough-minded character who survived a difficult boyhood. He now must rely on those same inner resources to outlast the storm. Meanwhile, four coast guardsmen battling hurricane force winds, head toward the crew in their Jayhawk helicopter, wondering if they themselves can survive their own rescue mission. Tougias tells the story of his book—published in versions for adults and middle readers—with the backdrop of dramatic photography. After telling the story, he engages students in a discussion of his research and writing process for the book and offers tips for their own projects.