438 Days cover art

438 Days

One man's incredible story of survival against all odds

 Preview
Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

438 Days

By: Jonathan Franklin
Narrated by: George Newbern
Try Standard free

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $19.99

Buy Now for $19.99

About this listen

The incredible true survival story of fisherman Salvador Alvarenga – and his record-breaking fourteen months lost at sea.

On 17th November, 2012, Salvador Alvarenga left the coast of Mexico for a two-day fishing trip. A vicious storm killed his engine and the current dragged his boat out to sea. The storm picked up and carried him West, deeper into the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Alvarenga would not touch solid ground again for fourteen months.

When he was washed ashore on January 30th, 2014, he had drifted over 9,000 miles.

Not one ship stopped for him. He considered suicide on multiple occasions – including offering himself up to a pack of circling sharks. But Alvarenga developed a method of survival that kept his body and mind intact long enough for the Pacific Ocean to spit him up onto a remote palm-studded island.

Based on extensive interviews with Alvarenga, his colleagues, search and rescue officials, and the people who saved his life, 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin is an epic, inspirational tale of survival – and one man's incredible story of beating the ultimate odds.

For readers of Touching the Void and In the Heart of the Sea.

'A fascinating, action-packed account of long-term survival on the open seas' – Kirkus Reviews

 Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Sailing Sailing & Boating Water Sports

Critic Reviews

A fascinating, action-packed account of long-term survival on the open seas
All stars
Most relevant
awesome story. extremely captivating. I couldn't turn it off once it started. Definitely listen again.

listened in 1 go

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The author’s pace and flow of the “lost at sea timeline” kept me engaged and always looking to return as soon as I could. The narrator does a very commendable job; he is authoritative, but also reads with subtle animation and charm. I think that’s a big advantage for a story like this. Time well spent, would recommend.

Well read and detailed account

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Audible is a wonderfull App so easy to order books and love their suggestions...I love them

Love

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A great listen. Well written. Amazing survival story against the odds and a harrowing listen at times

Great survival story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Overall, it is pretty good. I enjoyed the narrator and the tale was very interesting.

pretty good

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.