Real Survival Stories: "Mayday on Christmas: Epic Ocean Rescue (Repeat)"

Podcast: Real Survival Stories
Host: John Hopkins
Date: December 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This riveting episode recounts the true story of Pete Goss, a British yachtsman and former Royal Marine, who was competing in the grueling 1996-1997 Vendée Globe—a solo, nonstop, round-the-world yacht race—when he diverted his own campaign in the midst of a deadly Southern Ocean storm to rescue fellow competitor Rafael Dinelli. Set against a backdrop of hurricane-force gales, freezing temperatures, and enormous seas, the episode explores not only the mechanics of survival at sea but also the code of seafarers and the depths of human solidarity and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Pete Goss & the Vendée Globe ([01:32] - [09:58])

• Scene Setting: Christmas Day, 1996, deep in the Southern Ocean.
• Race Context: The Vendée Globe is described as “the world’s toughest sailing race," a single-handed, non-stop, round-the-world event (~24,300 miles).
• Pete’s Background: Deep family roots in seafaring. Early exposure to the ocean and an early, formative experience in the 1979 Fastnet disaster cemented his understanding of the sea's perils.
• Life Commitment: After a difficult transatlantic crossing, Pete commits to solo ocean ra>acing:

  “It just struck me that I'd stumbled across what I wanted to do in life and this was to go ocean sailing.”
  (Pete Goss, [09:18])

• Personal Sacrifice: Pete and his wife Tracy sold their home to finance his dream.

2. Race Preparation & Start ([09:58] - [15:35])

• Qualification & Safety: Emphasis on safety training and equipment, including medical training and survival gear.
• Race Start: The boats depart Les Sables d’Olonne, France, amid much excitement—but Pete notes the hidden dangers:

  “When you go to the start of these events … all of those skippers have their ambitions and dreams, but a lot of them, it won't work out as they hoped.”
  (Pete Goss, [13:39])

• Underdog Factor: Pete’s Aqua Quorum is the smallest boat in the fleet, but designed for reliability and simplicity over speed.

3. The Southern Ocean & Building Tension ([16:10] - [20:46])

• The Route: Navigating from France, down the coast of Africa, and into the notorious Southern Ocean.
• Harsh Environment:

  “Sea temperature can drop to minus 1, wind chill on deck can drop to minus 30. Then you have icebergs dotted around.”
  (Pete Goss, [18:22])

• Skipper Camaraderie: Fierce competitiveness is matched by a sense of shared fate—a crucial theme as events unfold.

4. The Storm & Mayday ([20:46] - [22:50])

• Storm Descends:

  “You reduce your sails down to literally the size of a domestic door. … Each wave, you never know which wave is going to present a real problem.”
  (Pete Goss, [20:46])

• Chaos Below Deck: Equipment and personal injury; hefty impact from waves.
• The Mayday: Pete is alerted: Another competitor (Rafael Dinelli on Algemuss) has capsized, 160 miles upwind, in the same storm.

5. The Decision ([23:59] - [24:50])

• Seafarer’s Code:

  “If someone's in trouble, then you help them. It was Christmas … and I just thought, I must tell Tracy … Don't worry. I'm turning around in a storm.”
  (Pete Goss, [23:59])

• Burden of Responsibility: Pete is the only one positioned to help after another competitor’s comms have failed.

6. Survival First, Rescue Second ([24:50] - [27:56])

• Survival Strategies: Using military training, Pete focuses on small steps—survive the storm, then attempt rescue.
• Damage Control: Boat sustains significant damage, including a torn-off generator and flooding; Pete struggles with injury and exhaustion.

7. The Pivot Keel Innovation ([27:56])

• Boat Design: Pete’s boat features a swiveling keel that allows it to “skip” like a stone, saving him from capsizing—a crucial design in survival.

8. The Search for Rafael ([28:42] - [35:10])

• Repairing & Refocusing: With storm abating, Pete begins repairs and heads toward Rafael’s last position.
• Aerial Support: The Royal Australian Air Force appears, providing critical visual and moral support:

  “I remember calling him up and in this lovely Australian voice saying, you know, happy Christmas and how are you doing?... And he just said, oh, it's you, Mike. And that was a really sobering moment...”
  (Pete Goss, [29:19])

• Challenging Search: Rafael’s raft is a tiny, moving target amid monstrous seas.

9. The Rescue ([35:10] - [37:56])

• Finding the Raft: With help from the Air Force’s circling and flashing lights, Pete finally locates Rafael.
• Memorable Quote:

  “Just an absolute thrill to see that little life raft pop up… And that was just, just amazing. Absolutely amazing.”
  (Pete Goss, [35:10])

• Physical Rescue: No engine; Pete sails alongside, secures Rafael with a safety strop, and pulls him aboard.
• Rafael’s Condition: Severe hypothermia, physically devastated:

  “He was as stiff as a board, literally, like rigor mortis. First layer of his eyes had been pebbled, ashed off by the spray.”
  (Pete Goss, [37:17])

10. Aftermath and Recovery ([37:56] - [41:05])

• Caring for Rafael: Pete provides medical care, food, and support during the 10-day journey to Tasmania.
• Language Barrier, Human Connection:

  “This is where we first met and discovered that he doesn't speak English and I don't speak French. … [But] we're very close.”
  (Pete Goss, [38:39])

• Rafael’s Ordeal:

  “His boat’s gone down a big wave. … He's trapped inside. … The water level’s rising. … It's pitch dark. … And basically Raphael stood on his deck and just watched his life just drift away into the distance.”
  (Pete Goss, [39:26])

11. Emotional Release & New Perspective ([41:05] - [41:51])

• Pete’s Emotional Release:

  “I just started crying. Not crying like I've ever cried before. It was just tears pouring down my face. And it wasn't a bad thing. It just felt like all this emotion purging itself.”

• Rafael’s Marriage Proposal: Journey triggers a life decision for Rafael: he proposes to his partner, who accepts—with the playful condition that Pete be best man.

12. Finishing the Race ([42:24] - [45:02])

• Returning to Competition: After delivering Rafael to safety, Pete resumes and completes the race—fifth overall and one of only six finishers.
• Self-surgery: At one point, Pete performs surgery on his own elbow using radioed instructions and a scalpel—with no anesthetic.
• Magical Ocean Moment:

  “We're surfing along and can read a book by the moonlight. And then a super pod of dolphins are leaping all around the boat ... magical moment.”
  (Pete Goss, [43:14])

• Hero's Welcome: Over 150,000 greet Pete in France; he is awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French government.

13. Reflections & Enduring Lessons ([46:20] - [47:33])

• Credit to Rafael:

  “I don't think Raph gets enough credit for the part that he played in the success of this rescue by simply surviving. … That will to live and survive had kept him going until I got there…”
  (Pete Goss, [46:20])

• Enduring Friendship & Life Wisdom:

  “Life hangs on a very thin and delicate thread and that the cancer of time is complacency. If you want to do something, you must do it now.”
  (Pete Goss, [47:01])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If someone's in trouble, then you help them.”
  – Pete Goss, articulating the unwritten law of the sea ([04:05])

• “It just struck me that I'd stumbled across what I wanted to do in life and this was to go ocean sailing.”
  – Pete Goss on finding his calling ([09:18])

• “I sent her a really quick email. Hi, Trace. I don't know. Happy Christmas. Just to let you know. Don't worry. I'm turning around in a storm, I Didn't realize it's the only time I've ever told Tracy not to worry. It was the worst thing I could have done.”
  – Pete Goss, on breaking the news to his wife ([23:59])

• “It was only when they flew towards me in transit with Raphael very low, and they flashed their landing lights when they were above him that I could then take a compass bearing and they kept flying around and that slowly drew me into Raphael.”
  – Pete Goss, describing a critical rescue maneuver ([34:37])

• “I just started crying. … It wasn't a bad thing. It just felt like all this emotion purging itself.”
  – Pete Goss, on finally processing the ordeal ([41:05])

• “If you want to do something, you must do it now.”
  – Pete Goss, on lessons from survival ([47:01])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [01:32] – Christmas Day, 1996: Introduction of Pete Goss & the Vendée Globe context
• [07:20] – Pete’s upbringing and early influences in sailing
• [09:18] – Committing to ocean sailing as a life pursuit
• [13:39] – Race day observations and expectations
• [18:22] – Description of the Southern Ocean’s deadliness
• [20:46] – Preparing for and weathering the storm
• [22:50] – Discovery of Rafael’s mayday
• [23:59] – The moral imperative to help; informing his wife Tracy
• [24:50] – Immediate actions and survival strategies
• [27:56] – Boat design innovation proves critical
• [29:19] – First aerial contact with the Royal Australian Air Force
• [35:10] – Locating Rafael’s raft; moment of rescue
• [38:39] – Bonding during recovery; language barrier overcome by empathy
• [41:05] – Pete’s emotional release after the rescue
• [43:14] – Serene moment on the home stretch
• [45:02] – Triumphant (and emotional) finish in France
• [46:20] – Reflecting on Rafael’s courage and the will to survive
• [47:01] – Final reflections: The fragility of life and urgency of purpose

Tone and Language

The episode blends the technical, the harrowing, and the deeply personal—balancing tales of disaster and survival with moments of humor, humility, and humanity. Pete Goss’s storytelling is warm and unvarnished, giving listeners a vivid sense of the perilous, awe-inspiring ocean and the indomitable will of those who dare to sail it.

Summary

"Mayday on Christmas: Epic Ocean Rescue" is a masterclass in storytelling and a thrilling tribute to the resilience, ingenuity, and compassion of ordinary—and extraordinary—people. Pete Goss’s decision to risk his own life to save a fellow sailor is recounted with heart and honesty, taking listeners inside the cockpit of a storm-tossed yacht and the mind of a man who refuses to leave another behind. From technical innovations to emotional revelations, this episode captures the essence of real-world survival, camaraderie, and the unbreakable code of the sea.