In Deep Water, A True Story of Sharks, Survival and Courage

by Michael Tougias

With the release of his newest book, I had the pleasure of asking author Michael Tougias a few questions about this tale of sudden and shared desperation, of shock and a will to live. Mr. Tougias recounts a harrowing and real story of three friends, a new boat on a bluebird day and everything falling apart. It’s a reality for some, especially for anyone who has a boat, who fishes or sails home waters where they feel safe and confident and excited to be on the water. Just a few miles into the Gulf of Mexico, everything goes very wrong very quickly for them and luckily, Mr. Tougias has collected their words and emotions to share with us. We can pack and plan or say we would have done something differenlty but sometimes, a situation will change in a heartbeat, which is how these fishermen went from laughing and chasing red snapper to clinging to a cooler with a few small bottles of water, fighting off torso-sized jellyfish and fearing circling shark shadows hunting beneath their feet.

I have also had the pleasure of reading and reviewing a few of Mr. Tougias’ books. They are all gripping and almost scary for the accuracy with which he writes about so many death defying adventures. Mr. Tougias is also a solid striper fisherman. How he gets on a boat after writing stories such as this, I do not know.

Questions and answers with Michael Tougias about sharks and survival

Q. How long do you research a story before you decide to write about it?  It doesn’t take me more than a month because I’m looking for three elements: it must be a multi-day survival ordeal, one that I could never survive, and are their surprises.

Q. Did your questioning the three survivors make them emotional? Were they emotional reliving their ordeal?  Surprisingly they were not emotional.  When I talked with Lu about the shark attack I kept asking are you ok reliving this?  And he said yes, “I just want it told accurately”

Q. How did the three men react when you contacted them about writing their story? Is that a mixed emotion situation? They were quite willing and extremely helpful. They just wanted the full story to be told.  I sent each of them some of my other books to show them the finished product.

Q. How long does it take you, generally, to write a book like In Deep Water? About 18 months if I really focus.  My mantra when writing is “make the story fast-paced, and no “filler.”

Q. I know you are a fisherman, do you think about stories like this when you go fishing?  After so many years of telling survior’s stories and the tales of those who did not make it, does that affect you when you climb over the gunwales? I have to admit that is true.  And I’ve made some mistakes on the ocean where I have felt real fear.  I never want to be in one of my own books.

Q. How complicated is it to get information from the government, like the Coast Guard, to do your homework? It gets harder every year with more hoops to jump through. But once that is done the men and women of the Coast Guard are so professional and so glad that someone will describe the work they do in detail.

Q. Is that research more difficult with the new administration? I’m not sure if it is the administration, but there are more sign-offs I must secure.

Q. Was there a point in this project where you were just amazed by their resilience, considering what they endured? Yes, being in the ocean at night would terrify me, but they kept their spirits up with a determination to make it to morning and then they would try to swim to an oil rig three miles away.  They knew there were sharks beneath them but they tried to block that out of their mind because it was a factor beyond their control.

Q. Do you stay in touch with people about whom you have written? I hear that most writers do not, but because they have opened their hearts to me I make a real effort to stay in touch through out the years.  Many have become dear friends.

Q. What is the next project, can you let us in on what your next book might be about? I’m taking some much needed time off because I’m 71 years old!  Lots of ideas for the future, so I’ll do  some sample chapters and then see which topic has the best feel.  I’ll trust my gut!

When you finish this book, save some time to read The Finest Hours: The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue. We could use some reminders these days not just of bravery, but of the heroic human spirit we might just all have in the right situation.

Mr. Tougias is a New York Times bestselling author and coauthor of over thirty books for adults and middle readers. His books include Fatal Forecast, The Finest Hours, which became a Disney movie, Ten Hours Until Dawn, Overboard!, A Storm Too Soon, So Close to Home, The Waters Between Us, Extreme Survival, King Phillip War, There’s A Porcupine In My Outhouse! (you must read this, it’s amazing) and The Power of Positive Fishing. He offers slide presentations and an inspiration program titled “Survival Lessons: Decision Making Under Pressure.”

 In Deep Water, A True Story of Sharks, Survival and Courage by Michael Tougias is available through St. Martin’s Press at your local book seller, who would love to have your business. 

Author Michael Tougias. Photo by Lindsey Potter