Surviving a Shipwreck, with Larz Stewart
Episode description
On April 25th, 2009, the Princess Tiaping, a 54-foot replica of a Ming Dynasty Chinese junk, sank in open ocean. Larz Stewart, along with 10 other crew members, miraculously survived. The Princess Tiaping was built to revive maritime culture, history, and pride to the people of Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Larz joined the crew in Hawaii for the final leg of their global journey, intending to sail the boat to Taiwan. With just 27 nautical miles to go from their final destination, the Princess Tiaping encountered a storm, and was subsequently hit by a huge tanker, cleaving the boat in two. The tanker did not stop to assist, and the crew was left to cling to the wreckage for hours before help arrived. Larz's story is truly incredible, and the fact that he survived is a testament to his captain, crew, and own resilience.