Finding A New Route

Unfortunately, due to her makeshift sail, Ashcraft could only sail at a slow two and a half miles per hour. What’s more, without any working electronics, it became almost impossible for her to determine which direction to steer the yacht. Thankfully, as the 23-year-old removed more and more water from the cabin, she found a sextant and a waterproof watch, the only tools the survived the hurricane.

However, as a trained sailor, Ashcraft knew these items could help her navigate! Using the sextant, the young woman determined her position by comparing the sun and the horizon. Now, Ashcraft knew that her closest landmass was the 1,500-mile-away island of Hilo, Hawaii.