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

by Michael J. Tougias

The terrifying true story of a fight for survival for 28 hours in shark-infested waters.

October, 8, 2022.

Three friends are fishing for red snapper when their boat, tied to an oil rig, begins taking on water and sinks 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. Suddenly, the three men find themselves in a struggle for their lives. Their vessel succumbs to the building seas so quickly that the fisherman are unable send out a radio Mayday call, and their cell phones have no reception. They only have time to don their life jackets and hold onto a cooler as they are swept further out to sea.

They vow to stay together no matter what and must make several life or death decisions. Suffering from hypothermia and severe stings from giant jelly fish, the men desperately try to stay afloat as they realize there are circling sharks below.

In Deep Water is an hour by hour account of a desperate and determined struggle for survival, as well as the Coast Guard’s all-out effort to find the missing men. This fast-paced story has a number of surprising turns in both the survival ordeal and the rescue efforts. Based on interviews with the three survivors and the crew of the Jayhawk helicopter who rescue them, In Deep Water is a white-knuckle tale of bravery and brotherhood and a battle against the ocean's deadliest predators.

Genres: Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 23, 2026

About the author

True Survival, rescue and history is the topic of most of my books. that runs through most of my books. My latest book is with St. Martins Press and is titled In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival and Courage. Other nonfiction sea survival and rescue books include Overboard! A Storm Too Soon, Rescue of the Bounty, Fatal Forecast and Ten Hours Until Dawn.
Disney made a major motion picture of my book The Finest Hours: The Trues Story of the Coast Guard's Greatest Rescue (Disney kept the same title). The movie stars Chris Pine an Casey Affleck and is a fantastic film.
My co-written history books include So Clost To Home (about surviving a Uboat attack in the Gulf of Mexico), Above & Beyond (the untold story of the Cuban Missile Crisis) King Philip's War (Native Americans vs Colonists) Abandon Ship (wwii) and several more
Another adventure for me is publishing a funny family memoir with my daughter, called The Cringe Chronicles (Mortifying Misadventures with my Dad).
My friends were been asking if I'll write a sequel to There's a Porcupine in my Outhouse (2003 Outdoor Book of the Year) and I suprised them with another book of misadventures titled The Power of Positive Fishing: A Story of Friendship and the Quest for Happiness. Also in the same category is The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father and Outdoor Misadventures.

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy books about real people who are thrown into extraordinary circumstances. I often wonder while reading those books what I would do if I were in the shoes of the person and/or persons in that book. In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage, tells the real-life story of three friends whose boat, tied to an unmanned oil rig, sank 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. The three men were in the water for 28 hours!!!!! The men had to fight to survive against the waves, the cold, lack of water, and no one to call for help. Keep in mind, they were not the only ones in the water! Not only did they have to contend with jelly fish stings, nibbles from fish, and last but certainly not least, the circling sharks that kept getting closer and closer......

Not only was this book about the three men in the water, but it is also about those on the rescue team and their search for the men. How do you find people in the water when you don't know where they are? How do you search for those who never told friends, significant others, or family members what marina they left from? Here's some advice - always, and I mean always tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back!!!!!

This was fast paced and gripping book which had me turning the pages and wanting to know how (and if all) the men would be rescued. I had not heard of this incident, so this was all fresh news to me. The author spoke to everyone involved and put their tale down on paper. Readers will get insight into the minds of both the men in the water, those in the men's lives, and the rescuers who saved them. I could see their tale being made into a movie. This one was a nail biter. I can't imagine the fear the men must have felt, the desperation, the anxiety, the cold, the exhaustion. Then there is the fear and dread of their loved ones. The rescuers had their own tale to tell. How they managed to search and find the three men with little information to go on. The bravery, the determination, and the harrowing rescue.

I thought the author did a tremendous job of bringing this story to life. He did his research and it shows. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the pulse pounding moments which the author brought to life. The friendship of the men and their fight to stay alive was admirable. All involved were brave and put in situations which tested them in more ways than one. The tension in this book hit me like the waves hit the men. As I mentioned, I kept thinking about what I would do if I were in their shoes or shall I say life jackets.

A wonderfully written, well researched, gripping, harrowing, and anxiety provoking tale of survival which proved to be a fast and riveting read!

4.5 stars

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not heard about this survivor story before reading this book. What these three men experienced was absolutely horrifying, and I found myself holding my breath while reading. The author obviously thoroughly researched this and handled it with care and respect. I was fascinated by the background info on jellyfish and sharks. The knowledge about what was lurking beneath the surface was terrifying.

Overall Rating: 5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Deep Water by Michael J. Tougias is the gripping true story of three friends who survive the sinking of their boat and more than 28 hours in the Gulf. Tougias writes in the present tense which gives the narrative an urgent pace. The chapters devoted to shark behavior are not a distraction as they add color to the dire nature of what these men faced. This book will appeal to young adult and adult readers. Thank you to #stmartinspress and #netgalley for the opportunity to preview this book.