Anyone who has watched Castaway should have a soft spot for those classic survival tales of man versus ocean. One can’t help but root for the underdog, especially one who befriends a volleyball named ‘Wilson’.

This fascination with such tales of survival against the odds is exactly why Louis Jordan, a man who went missing for over two months off the US coast, hit international headlines when he was rescued last Thursday from his capsized sailboat. Intrigue quickly turned to suspicion though, as sceptics began to examine his story piece by piece. Mashable has this:

[Jordan claims] he survived by eating pancakes, drinking rainwater and catching fish. He also said he rationed his food, water and energy, but lost 50 pounds after running out of tinned food…

…authorities who saw Jordan after the rescue said he seemed to be in surprisingly good condition for someone who was at sea for 66 days.

“My initial impression of him was he was in pretty good health,” [said] Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyle McCollum, who had first contact with Jordan…

Authorities have now begun examining his bank account to check for withdrawals, as well as assessing his credit card and bank statements for any suspicious activities.

So how exactly did Jordan manage to battle the elements with such success and stop his spirits from flagging? Mashable again:

…he kept up his morale through prayer and by reading the Bible. In his interview, he invoked the religious text to deflect criticism from detractors: “I don’t mind being criticized. To paraphrase the Bible: Fools hate to be criticized, but wise men love to be criticized [sic].”

Oh, he quoted the Bible. Well, I guess he must be telling the truth then.

[source:mashable]