Lots of people fantasize about giving up life on land, chucking it all, and setting sail on a grand adventure. Maurice and Maralyn Bailey did just that in June 1972. They’d been married almost nine years, two loners who knew they wanted more from life than dull jobs and a plodding life in 1970s Derby, England. When their sea voyage turned into a harrowing story of survival against all odds, the couple would have to work together to have even the slimmest hope of rescue.

Sophie Elmhirst brings the exciting story of their ordeal to a new audience. After all, it’s been over fifty years since their quiet cruise turned a nightmare when a sperm whale swam into their boat, knocking a large hole in it just below the waterline. Few now remember the couple who almost perished at sea before being miraculously rescued after over three months adrift on their life raft and dinghy.

Maralyn was a bundle of enthusiasm and confidence; Maurice, nine years older, was quieter, with a stutter and a wealth of practical information. He’d not dismissed Maralyn’s wild idea of selling their small house and buying a boat to sail to New Zealand and other lands. Instead, he considered the possibilities. Neither was close to their family. They’d already made the decision not to have children. He and Maralyn enjoyed sailing and were untroubled by being on their own. He agreed, and the couple began to prepare for the adventure of a lifetime.

“A Marriage at Sea” opens with the sinking of their boat as the whale pierces the hull, leaving them to scramble to launch the life raft, all while watching their beloved Auralayn slip into the sea. Elmhirst does an excellent job of portraying the two, as they rush to grab food, water, and other supplies. Neither panicked. Maralyn even took some pictures to commemorate the loss. It was March 4, 1973. They had not included a radio transmitter on the Auralyn. No one would even look for them.

The two would drift for over 100 days, facing hunger, thirst, and eventually illness. Through it all, Maralyn never doubted they’d be rescued. Maurice was just as positive that they would die, though he knew enough to keep these thoughts to himself. They collected enough rainwater to stave off death by dehydration and soon learned to catch as many fish as they could stomach.

Each time they spotted a ship in the distance, no one spotted the tiny dot of their raft and dinghy until June 30 when the crew of a Korean fishing boat saw them and pulled them out of the sea. Elmhirst describes their rescue and its aftermath, including the reaction of the Koreans. Although their own provisions were not plentiful at that point in a long voyage, the captain and crew prioritized their unexpected guests. Maurice, although sick and near death, would recover. Maralyn was almost immediately ready to build another boat to set sail for Patagonia.

The story of their rescue was broadcast around the world. To survive on a life raft while drifting in the ocean for the better part of four months was remarkable. They’d made photos and taken notes during their journey. These would form the basis of a book they’d write to help fund the purchase of their second boat. By 1975, they’d be on their way.

The interplay between these two very strong personalities is as much a part of the narrative as their journey. Navigating their differences and learning to appreciate the other partner’s strengths kept them going. It’s extraordinary that they managed all they did during their ordeal. Their love story would end only with Maralyn’s death in 2002.

“A Marriage at Sea” will be published July 8, 2025, and I intend to purchase a copy for the library. Thanks to NetGalley for a pre-publication digital copy in exchange for my honest review.