‘He’s a very special human being’: Mother’s relief after Sydney sailor Tim Shaddock rescued

The mother of a rescued Sydney sailor who survived adrift for two months on a diet of raw fish and rain water says she “can’t wait” to see her son, and that his first stop will be the barber following his wild ordeal.

The mother of a rescued Aussie sailor who survived adrift for two months on a diet of raw fish and rain water says she “can’t wait” to see her son, and that his first stop will be the barber following his wild ordeal.

Tim Shaddock, originally from Sydney’s lower north shore, was plucked from the sea off the coast of Mexico by a fishing trawler late last week, two months after his vessel was struck by severe weather causing him to drift off course and behind schedule.

Looking like Chuck Noland – Tom Hank’s character in the blockbuster Castaway – the amateur sailor survived for months floating off the coast of Mexico on a diet of raw fish and sheltering from the sun under a canopy on his catamaran alongside his dog Bella.

Seriously malnourished, gaunt, bearded and his skin badly weathered Mr Shaddock was, with Bella, on route back to the Mexican mainland last night, receiving medical treatment from a doctor on board the tuna trawler.

Footage from the rescue shows Mr Shaddock introducing himself and telling sailors aboard the trawler his name and that he was from Australia.

Sydney man Tim Shaddock and his dog Bella were picked up by a tuna trawler off the coast of Mexico, after being spotted by a helicopter accompanying the ship. Picture: Nine News

“I’ve just got fishing gear, survival gear,” he said.

“I’ve been through a very difficult ordeal at sea and I’m just needing rest and good food because I’ve been alone at sea for a long time … I have not had enough food for a long time. … I have very good medicine, I’m being looked after very well.”

His mother, Jan Shaddock, told the Daily Telegraph she found out about her son’s rescue in recent days after he was picked up.

“We’ve known for a couple of days – we’ve known (since) he was safely on board the trawler,” she said.

“He sent a voice message through the captain … He was elated he was safe.”

Amateur sailor Tim Shaddock survived three months drifting off the coast of Mexico by eating raw fish and sheltering under a canopy on a catamaran alongside his pet dog Bella. Picture: Nine News.

She attended church on Sunday to thank God her son had been saved.

“I’ve just been to church this morning to give my thanks,” she said.

It’s understood Mr Shaddock escaped major illness or injury, with his mother saying he was “fine” and receiving good care from his rescuers.

“He’s in good hands and that’s all we want,” she said.

Mrs Shaddock paid tribute to her son following his ordeal, saying “he’s a very special human being”.

While saying she “can’t wait” to see her son, she ruled out ordering him from attempting any other major voyages.

“You can’t live their lives for them,” she said.

She hoped he would soon return to Australia, even joking that a haircut and a beard trim would be a priority for her son.

Sydney man Tim Shaddock and his dog Bella were picked up by a tuna trawler off the coast of Mexico, after being spotted by a helicopter accompanying the ship. Picture: Nine News

“(His) first stop (will be) the barber,” she said.

Mr Shaddock had first set off on his catamaran with Bella in April from La Paz in Mexico bound for French Polynesia, more than 5000 kilometres away across the Pacific Ocean.

But, only one month into the journey, Mr Shaddock ran into a fierce storm, which caused his vessel’s electronics to malfunction.

He then survived the next two months adrift in the sea by eating raw fish and drinking rain water.

He also took refuge from the fierce sun by hiding under a canopy on his small vessel.

It was not until he was spotted by a helicopter accompanying the fishing trawler that he was rescued, with the pilots sending the ship to intercept him.

Mr Shaddock’s ordeal comes a week after another Australian sailor, Queenslander Xavier Doerr, had to be rescued from the Great Australian Bight after his solo-voyage was derailed by wild weather.

Mr Doerr activated his emergency beacon after his vessel was swamped in eight-metre swells, with a bulk carrier ship rescuing the 22-year-old from the stricken boat.

Originally published as ‘He’s a very special human being’: Mother’s relief after Sydney sailor Tim Shaddock rescued