We’re Not Afraid To Die … If We Are All Together

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What preparations did the author and his wife make for their round to the world
sea-voyage?

The narrator and his wife wanted to ‘duplicate’ the round—the world voyage made 200 years
earlier by Captain James Cook. They had been making formidable preparations for the last 16
years. First of all they got a boat especially designed and professionally built for this purpose. It
was a 23 meter, 30 tonne wooden-hulled boat. They tested it for months in the roughest
weather. They were both mentally and physically prepared to undertake their exceptionally long
and challenging sea-voyage.

Q2. When and how did they encounter their first troubles during the long voyage?

Everything went on well till they sailed down the west coast of Africa and reached Cape Town.
The trouble started on the second day out of Cape Town. They began to encounter strong gales.
They blew continuously for the next few weeks. Gales didn’t worry them. But the size of the
waves was alarming—up to 15 meters. They rose as high as up to the main mast. They expected
the weather to improve on the New Year’s Day. Sadly the weather changed but for the worse.

Q3. What were the first indications of the ‘impending disaster’ that ultimately struck
them on January 2?

The first indication of the impending disaster came at about 6 p.m. on January 2. An ominous
silence prevailed all around. The wind dropped. The sky immediately grew dark. Then came a
growing roar. A huge vertical wave, almost twice the height of the other waves, came roaring
towards the ship. These were the indications of the coming disaster.

Q4. How did the first ‘disaster’ strike the ship?

On New Year’s Day the weather changed for the worse. The waves were gigantic. Strong gales
did trouble them. As the ship rose to the top of each wave, they could see endless huge waves.
These were rolling towards them. The howling of the wind and the spray was painful to the ears.
The sky grew dark. A torrent of green and white water broke over the ship. The captain was
thrown overboard.

Q5. What precautions did the narrator take when huge waves struck the boat on
January 2?

Huge waves came rolling towards the boat. The howling of gales and spray was painful to the
ears. First of all, they decided to slow down the boat. The storm jib was dropped. Heavy mooring
ropes were looped across the stern. They went through their life-raft drill. They attached
lifelines. Oilskins and life-jackets were donned. Larry and Herb were continuously pumping out
the water like madmen.

Q6. How did the narrator accept his ‘approaching death and why was he still
peaceful’?

The narrator saw a torrent of green and white water breaking over the ship. His head had
smashed into the wheel. He felt himself flying overboard and sinking below the waves. He was
losing consciousness. He accepted his approaching death without murmuring. He felt quite
peaceful even when death was approaching and Wavewalker was near capsizing.

Q7. How did the narrator hurt himself on January 2?

Wavewalker was capsizing. Her masts had fallen. Huge waves struck the boat upright. The
narrator grabbed the guard rails. He sailed through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom. Waves
tossed him around the deck like a rag doll. His left ribs cracked and his mouth was filled with
blood and broken teeth.

Q8. Who were Larry and Herb? What role did they play?

Before heading east from Cape Town, the narrator employed two crewmen. They were Larry
Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler. They were to help them ‘to take one of the world’s roughest seas,
the Southern Indian Ocean. Larry and Herb did their job quite well. When the gigantic waves
struck Wavewalker, they continued pumping water out of the boat.

Q9. How did Sue hurt herself and how did she bear the injury?

The narrator crawled into the children’s cabin to find out if they were safe. Sue told him that her
head was hurt a bit. He saw a big bump over her eyes. Sue’s head had swollen alarmingly. She
showed a deep cut on her arm. But she didn’t want to worry them when they were trying to
save them all.

Q10. Describe the situation on the morning of January 3.

By morning on January 3, the situation showed a little improvement. Pumps had been working
round the clock. The water level was sufficiently under control. The crewmen could take two
hours’ rest in rotation. But there was still a tremendous leak somewhere below the waterline. No
doubt, they had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit Wavewalker. But it would not hold long
enough for them to reach Australia.

Q11. Why and when did the captain send ‘May day calls’? What was the response?

On January 2 at 6 pm Wavewalker was hit by a gigantic wave. The captain and the crew tried
their best to pump water out and steer the ship to safety. When nothing seemed to work well,
May-day calls or signals were sent for rescue and help. But they didn’t get any replies. It was
not surprising in that remote corner of the world.

Q12. Describe the situation on January 4. Why did the narrator and Mary feel that ‘the
end was very near’?

On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, they could pump the water out. Mary
found some corned beef and biscuits. They ate their first meal in almost two days. But their
respite was short-lived. At 4 pm black clouds began building up behind them. The wind was back
to 40 knots and the wave rose high. By the morning of January 5, the situation became again
desperate. The narrator and Mary sat together holding hands in the evening. Both of them felt
that the end was very near.

Q13. How and when did Wavewalker ride out the storm? How did the narrator feel at
that time?
By the morning of January 6, the wind eased. The narrator was back in the chart room and read
on the sextant. They were somewhere in 1, 05,000 kilometers of ocean searching for a 65
kilometer-wide island. At about 2 pm he went on deck. He asked Larry to steer a course of 185
degrees. If they were lucky, they could expect to see the island at about 5 pm. Then with a
heavy heart, he went below and dozed off. When he woke up at 6 pm, he knew they must have
missed the island.

Q14. Why did Jonathan ask for a hug and called him the best daddy and the best
captain in the world?

The children were excited. They saw the island before the narrator. Jonathan asked if he could
have a hug. The narrator was surprised. His son declared that he was “the best daddy in the
whole world and the best captain”. The narrator replied: “Not today”. Suddenly, the children
shouted that the island was in front of them and it was as big as a battleship.

Q15. Describe Ile Amsterdam. How did its inhabitants behave with the newcomers?

When the narrator rushed on the deck he was relieved to see the outline of lle Amsterdam. It
was a French base. It was ‘a black piece of volcanic rock’. It had little vegetation but still it
appeared to be ‘the most beautiful island in the world’. They anchored offshore for the night. The
next morning all 28 inhabitants of the island cheered them and helped them ashore.

Q16. What did the narrator think of on landing at Ile Amsterdam? Why?

On landing at Ile Amsterdam, the narrator’s thoughts were full of Larry and Herbie, his crew
members who remained cheerful and optimistic throughout the hardships. He thought of his wife
also, who stayed at the wheel for all those crucial hours? He also thought of his daughter, who
had been so brave all through the ordeal and had not bothered about her head injury.

Q17. How can you say that Suzanne’s injuries were serious?

Suzanne’s injuries were serious because she had to undergo six minor surgeries to remove a
recurring blood clot between her skin and skull. She had also injured her arm and had two black
eyes.

Q18. Justify the title: “We’re Not Afraid to die …”

The lesson is aptly and logically titled: “We’re Not Afraid to Die …” These were the words of
Jonathan, the son of the narrator. Like his brave father, Jon declared that they were not afraid
to die if they could be all together—Daddy and Mummy and Sue and he. These words sum up
the courage shown by the narrator, his wife and children and, of course, the crewmen.

Q19. “We’re Not Afraid to Die” is a saga of patience and bravery. Comment.

“We’re Not Afraid to Die” is the story of rare courage and perseverance of the narrator’s family.
It comprised his wife and children, with the crewmen. All the dangers and disasters were
confronted with patience, courage and determination. Never did anybody shake or waver even
for a second. Even the children showed an exemplary courage. They were not afraid to die. They
were ready to die with their daddy and mummy together.

Q20. “Optimism and courage help to tide over difficulties”. How did the narrator
succeed in searching the small island?
Despite the lost compass and a faulty compass, the author did not lose hope. He used his
intelligence to estimate the influence of the westerly currents which flowed through that part of
the Ocean. He asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees and remained optimistic about
spotting the island at about 5 pm.

Q21. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the
risks involved?

People undertake such adventurous expeditions due to two reasons. They have the passionate
thrive for risk, thrill and uncertainty and they push their limits of skill and endurance. They seek
such adventures for pure joy and exhilaration. They also want to do certain things for attaining
name, fame and recognition.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe in brief how the voyage began in July 1976 from Plymouth, England and
ended at a small island Isle Amsterdam in the South Indian Ocean.

The narrator wanted ‘to duplicate’ the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by
Captain James Cook. For the past 16 years they had been making preparations. They got a boat
professionally built for this purpose. It was a 23 metre, 30 tons wooden hulled boat. It had been
tested for months in the roughest weather. The first leg of their 1, 05,000 kilometer journey
passed pleasantly. They sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town.

Their troubles started on the second day out of Cape Town. They encountered strong gales.
Waves rose as high as their main mast. The boat was slowed down. The storm jib was dropped.
Heavy ropes were looped across the stern. Lifelines were attached, oilskins and life jackets were
donned. Wavewalker was near capsizing. Sue got a big bump over her eyes. The narrator was
tossed over the deck. His left ribs cracked and teeth were broken. By morning on January 3,
Larry and Herb brought the water level sufficiently under control.

On January 4, they received some respite. The situation was again quite grim. Jon asked if they
were going to die. They were not afraid of dying if they could all die together. But by the
morning of 6 January, Wavewalker rode out (of) the storm. lle Amsterdam was just in front of
them. The next day all 28 inhabitants cheered and helped them ashore.

Q2. Describe the steps taken by the captain and the crewmen to protect the boat from
the storm and the gigantic waves. Were they successful?

Just on the second day when they left Cape Town, Wavewalker began to face all kinds of
troubles. Strong gales lashed it for the next few weeks. The size of the waves was really
alarming. They went up as high as the main mast. The captain took immediate steps to save the
boat. The boat was slowed down. The storm jib was dropped. Heavy mooring ropes were lashed
across the stern. Lifelines were attached. Oilskins and life-jackets were donned. A tremendous
explosion shook the deck. A torrent of green and white water broke over the ship. Wavewalker
was near capsizing. Her masts had fallen flat. Waves tossed him around the deck like a rag doll.
Larry and Herb continued pumping water out like madmen. Waterproof covers across the open
holes were covered. Most of the water was now being thrown over the sides.

All the urgent steps were taken. Fortunately, they proved quite effective. By the morning of
January 6, the wind eased. Wavewalker rode out storm. But still it couldn’t hold for long to reach
Australia. Hence, the search for islands began. In the end, Wavewalker had a cheerful landing at
lle Amsterdam.

Q3. Describe the behaviour of the narrator and his family, particularly of his children
Jon and Sue, during the voyage.

The narrator, his wife and children, set sail from Plymouth, England with great hope, excitement
and determination. The narrator was a 37-year-old businessman. He had dreamt of duplicating
the round-the-world voyage made 200 years ago by Captain James Cook. He had worked hard in
sharpening his seafaring skills in British waters. The first leg of their journey passed pleasantly.
Their troubles started when they moved out of Cape Town. But even hostile weather couldn’t
dampen their spirits. Though the weather changed for the worse on the New Year’s Day, they all
participated in its celebrations.

The captain really showed his heroic qualities. He was thrown overboard and sinking below the
waves. He didn’t panic. His left ribs cracked. His mouth was filled with blood and broken teeth.
Somehow, he found the wheel and hung on. Even the behaviour of the crewmen Larry and Herb
was quite praiseworthy. They continued pumping water out like madmen. The narrator’s wife
Mary didn’t panic either. She only cried “We’re sinking”.

Jonathan and Sue proved that they were the children of brave and adventurous parents. Jon
declared that they were “not afraid of dying if they could all die together”. The children were
really excited when they saw the lle Amsterdam. Now the narrator was not an ordinary father.
He was “the best daddy in the whole world—and the best captain”.

Q4. What do you think of the narrator as a captain? How did the crew and the family
members show courage during distress?

This is a story of human endurance, selflessness and courage in the face of adversity.
Traditionally, the captain of the ship must go down with it and attempt only to save the
passengers. However, in this story, we see other traits in the narrator which make him a good
captain.
The narrator was able to think rationally, prioritize and recall important information under
distress. He was able to recall the backup electric pump, waterproofed the ship and performed
repairs as required, identified nearest land/port and performed intense calculations despite the
lack of proper equipment, did not convey his fears to his crew and presented a confident face
throughout enhancing the morale of his team.
The narrator’s family and crew showed unconditional team spirit during adversity. His wife
helped with the navigation of the ship while his children offered moral support. The crew
members Larry and Herb worked tirelessly and did not abandon ship.
Despite their young years, Jonathan and Suzanne showed courage and optimistic fervour.
Suzanne did not bother her parents with her injuries no matter how extensive they were. She
also made a card for her parents to show her love and gratitude. Jonathan claimed he was not
afraid even to die if he were with his family.

Important Dates:

July, 1976 – Voyage Begins

  Voyage begins from Plymouth, England.
 Good weather and cheerful days.
 From England via west coast of Africa
 Larry Vigil, American
 Herb Seigler, Swiss

December 25 - In the Indian Ocean

 Voyagers reach 3,500 kilometers east of Cape Town.

 The weather was still atrocious yet they had a wonderful holiday complete with a
Christmas tree.
 New Year’s Day saw no improvement in the weather.

January 2 1977 - Dawn

 Gigantic waves in the morning.

 Sailing with only a small storm jib and were still making eight knots.
 Ship rises to the top of each wave
 Endless, enormous seas rolling towards the ship
 The screaming of the wind and spray painful to ears

Fighting the Sea

 The storm jib dropped,

 A heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern lashed
 Double-lashed everything
 Went through life-raft drill
 Attached lifelines
 Donned oilskins and life jackets

6:00 PM, January 2

 Waves higher than the ship, chase the ship

 The wave hits the back of the ship
 The wave breaks the starboard (right side)
 The ship was about to capsize (sink)
 Mary (the narrator’s wife) took the steering wheel
 Larry and Herb pumped the water from the deck
 An immediate action required
 Water level rose threateningly
 Pumps stopped functioning
 Electric pumps used
 All radio signals blocked. No communication with base.
 Sue’s (his daughter’s) eyes bumped against

January 3

 Survived 48 hours
 Auxiliary engine failed

January 4

 Water level almost dipped

  Still unable to hoist sail on the mast for fear of the ship’s possible wreckage.
 Hoisted the storm jib
 Headed to the direction of Ile Amsterdam (not very certain about it)
 Ate a meal after 48 hours

January 5

 Weather went on deteriorating (became worse)

 Jonathan says “Daddy, if we are all dying, we are not afraid to die…”
 More water flowed in.
 Sue made a card with her family in the ship as a caricature.
 Narrator went to sleep after predicting the ship’s reaching Ile Amsterdam
 Before 6.00 pm the ship reached Ile Amsterdam

Textbook Questions

Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

honing our seafaring skills: this refers to the efforts made by the author and his wife, to perfect
or sharpen their seafaring skills.

ominous silence: the silence here refers to an impending danger.

Mayday calls: Mayday calls are radio-telephonic words which signal aircrafts or ships stuck in a
disastrous situation.

pinpricks in the vast ocean: this phrase expresses the search for two small islands in the vast
ocean.

a tousled head: this refers to hair in disarray or the disarranged hair of the author’s son,
Jonathan

Page No: 18

Understanding the Text

1. List the steps taken by the captain

(i) to protect the ship when rough weather began.
In order to protect the ship from rough weather, the captain decided to slow it down. So he
dropped the storm jib and lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern. Then they
doubled fastened everything and went through their life-raft drill

(ii)to check the flooding of the water in the ship.

To check the flooding of water in the ship, he put waterproof hatch covers across the gaping
holes which diverted the water to the side. When the two hands pump blocked and electric pump
short circuited, he found another electric pump, connected it to an out pipe and started it.

2. Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4 and 5 January.

On January 4 and 5, the voyagers felt relieved after rigorous practice of continuous pumping.
They had their first meal in almost two days. Their respite was short-lived. They faced
dangerous situation on January 5. Fear of death loomed large. They were under great mental
stress.

3. Describe the shifts in the narration of the events as indicated in the three sections
of the text. Give a subtitle to each section.

The first section: The first section opens on a cheerful note. The narrator and his family are all
set for their ultimate dream- to take up an around-the-world voyage like Captain James Cook
did. They have perfected their seafaring skills. They begin the voyage and despite of the bad
weather, they celebrate Christmas on the ‘Wavewalker’.

The second section: This part of narration covers the hazards faced by the voyagers. There is a
shift in the narration from cheerful to intense. They find themselves in an extremely fatal and
disastrous situation. A huge wave hits their boat and the narrator is thrown overboard. Despite
getting injured, he maintains his composure and applies every possible way to tackle the critical
situation. They manage to pump out maximum amount of water out of the boat in about 36
hours. But as they continue to face bad weather conditions the narrator loses hope. The children
remain fearless, courageous and optimistic throughout.

The third section: The children provide moral support to the narrator and he continues with his
efforts. Under the captaincy of the narrator, they manage to reach Ile Amsterdam. The narrator
proves his seamanship and receives the title of “the best daddy” and “the best captain” from his
children.

The above three sections can be subtitled as follows:

a) The first section: Round-the-world voyage begins
b) The second section: The attack of the big wave
c) The third section: Ultimate victory

Talking about the Text

1. What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children
when faced with danger?

There was lot of difference between the way in which the adults and children reacted when faced
danger. The adults lose hope and wait for their end with a heavy heart. At this point, they are
motivated by the children. The children offer moral support to the adults. They display maturity
and tolerance. Jonathan expresses his fearlessness and courage when he says that they are not
afraid of dying if they all can be together. Sue expresses her love and gratitude for her parents
by making a greeting card. She is strong enough to not let her parents know about her serious
injuries. She did not want to bother her parents in the times of crisis.

2. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?

Optimism is a determination to overcome difficulties. It raises one’s spirits and helps one
overcome stress and difficulty with ease. The story displays courage and optimism throughout.
Survival happens only because of the optimistic struggle that the family carries on with.

The level of perseverance in the author rises when Jonathan says, “we’re not afraid of dying if
we can all be together. Besides, the caricatures of him and Mary, drawn by Sue, helps his
determination and optimism to grow many folds. The positive outlook of the children infuses
positivity in the narrator. He rigorously calculates their position and finally asks Larry to steer a
course of 185 degrees. Though he had lost all hope by then, he did not show it and optimistically
told Larry that they would spot the island by about 5 P.M. Fortunately, their struggle and
optimism pays off and they manage to find Ile Amsterdam by evening.

3. What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face-to-
face with death?

Such experiences teach us the potential that courage, perseverance and tolerance hold. It
explains how one must react in the direst of the situations. It teaches us that one must never
lose hope and try to find reasons to stay positive in the face of adversity. In such situations one
must try his/her best to remain calm and composed and understand the power of unity and
team work. Moreover, the importance of common sense, putting continuous efforts to overcome
the catastrophe and the significance of being extra cautious and careful are learnt from such
hazardous experiences.

4. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the
risk involved?

The spirit to experience unique elements of nature, undaunted passion and willingness to accept
challenges drive people to take up adventurous expeditions. The people who involve themselves
in such activities are very well aware of the risk involved in them. But due to their passion and
enthusiasm to do something unique and great, they willingly accept such challenges. Also, their
desire to be in the lap of nature and experience its beauty pushes them to such expeditions.