The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor

A shipwrecked sailor’s ordeal is not necessarily over once they spot land. Paddling to shore, even had Velasco had a complete oar, is not so easy—and when an exhausted Velasco finally swims to shore, he must battle an undertow and loose sand. When he finally finds himself securely planted on terra firma, he gives one of the very few utterances in praise of his own abilities: “[…] by force of will, hope, and indefatigable desire to live […]” (89).

After Velasco is found on the beach, Dámaso is advised not to give him any nourishment before a doctor examines him. This is a counterintuitive degree of medical savvy for people who appear cut off from the outside world. Had someone neglected this advice, it would have led to several medical complications. The problem is known as “refeeding syndrome,” occurring when the body is too quickly reintroduced to food after starvation and must rapidly adjust, its electrolyte imbalance becoming more acute. Oftentimes this electrolyte imbalance causes hypophosphatemia—an imbalance in phosphorus that can result in seizures, muscular breakdown, and respiratory and heart failure.

The area of Colombia in which Velasco is rescued is so isolated that a previously unknown shipwrecked sailor becomes an attraction, an element of diversion for the locals. Velasco’s journey to San Juan de Urubá, while the first taste of his future celebrity life, isn’t necessarily a positive experience. He remembers being in Bogotá, paying 50 cents to look at a fakir; more than likely, what Velasco saw was the quintessential sideshow attraction of a man lying on a bed of nails, who was often referred to as a fakir. Velasco now, however, instead of feeling incensed and humiliated to be treated as a spectacle, takes it in stride, laughing and wondering whether anyone was selling tickets to see him. Another of Velasco’s deep-rooted characteristics that plays into his survival is his equanimity, which helped him overcome adversity after adversity: losing his comrades, losing hope that the plane had spotted him, losing his fish and his oars, to name just a few. This characteristic further shows in the story with the El Tiempo reporter disguised as a psychiatrist. The reporter asks no pertinent questions about Velasco’s time at a sea but still produces a sensationalist piece—but what is most compelling about the story is Velasco’s reaction to it: “I felt great admiration for a reporter who would disguise himself as a doctor to gain entrance to a military hospital” (104). Just like with the story of the fakir, Velasco demonstrates his good humor.

A brand-new and unexpected life of celebrity awaits Velasco at home: “I never imagined that surviving ten days of hunger and thirst would turn out to be so profitable” (105). He makes a small fortune appearing in ads or lending his name to products. The Colombian economy was fairly robust in the 1950s, with large growth in the coffee sector but also in domestic production; this is why Velasco found much work in advertising watches and shoes, for example. However, he didn’t receive solely commercial accolades; he was also personally decorated by the President of Colombia and was granted the rank of cadet in the navy, which changed his mind from leaving the navy; after seeing The Caine Mutiny, Velasco had wanted to quit, and after being stranded at sea, one might have expected his decision was firm.

The very last line of the book brings up a puzzle. Shortly after praising the ingenuity and daring of the El Tiempo reporter, Velasco admits that he would have told the reporter everything, had he been sure he was a reporter, “Because, in fact, I had already been given permission that day to tell my story” (105). However, the question is which version of his story he had permission to tell. Velasco does not discuss having been coached during his stay in the hospital, but it is clear from the Prologue that two versions of the story existed—the official, government-backed story, and the one printed by El Espectador that led to Velasco’s and Marquez’s ostracization.