William and Simone Butler were a married Miami couple who survived 66 days in a tiny life raft after their yacht sank in the Pacific Ocean in 1989. According to the Butlers, whales repeatedly struck their 38-foot sailboat, Siboney, about 1,200 nautical miles west-southwest of Panama. Consequently, they escaped with only a small supply of food, bottled water, fishing gear and a manual desalination pump.
The couple entered the raft on June 15 and remained adrift until a Costa Rican patrol boat rescued them on August 19. During that time, they endured hunger, storms, sharks, raft damage and repeated disappointment when passing ships failed to notice them. Ultimately, both survived an ordeal that became one of the most remarkable sea-survival stories of the late 20th century.
William and Simone Butler Quick Facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who were William and Simone Butler? | A married sailing couple from Miami |
| What other names appear in records? | William was known as Bill, while Simone also appears as Simonne |
| What was their yacht called? | Siboney |
| How large was the yacht? | About 38 feet, although some reports rounded it to 40 feet |
| When did the yacht sink? | June 15, 1989 |
| Where did it sink? | About 1,200 nautical miles west-southwest of Panama |
| How long were they adrift? | 66 days |
| What did they use for shelter? | A small covered inflatable coastal life raft |
| What did they eat? | Stored provisions at first, followed by turtle and raw fish |
| What did they drink? | Bottled water and water made with a manual desalinator |
| When were they rescued? | August 19, 1989 |
| Who rescued them? | The crew of the Costa Rican patrol boat Punta Burica |
Who Were William and Simone Butler?
William A. Butler, commonly called Bill, was an experienced sailor and electrical engineer. He was born in Havana, Cuba, in September 1929 and began sailing as a child. Later, his career with General Electric took him to several countries, including the Philippines and Venezuela.
Simonne Butler grew up in Europe and later lived in Venezuela. A detailed 1993 Miami New Times profile reported that she worked as a translator and interpreter and spoke five languages. Moreover, both she and William spoke Spanish, which helped them communicate in Costa Rica after their rescue.
The pair met in Caracas during the 1970s. Both had been married before, and they married each other in 1983. Subsequently, they built a shared life in Miami and prepared for an ambitious sailing voyage.
Their personalities and expectations differed, however. William dreamed of sailing around the world, while later accounts suggest that Simonne did not share his enthusiasm to the same degree. That difference would become more visible after the voyage turned into a survival crisis.
Why Is Her Name Spelled Simone and Simonne?
Both spellings refer to the same person. Many 1989 news reports called her Simone Butler, which is why that form remains common in searches. However, William’s book publisher and later profiles use Simonne Butler with two n’s.
Therefore, readers may encounter William and Simone Butler, Bill and Simonne Butler, or William and Simonne Butler. The variation does not refer to different couples. This article uses Simonne in the narrative while preserving the popular keyword in headings and metadata.
The Voyage Before the Disaster
William and Simonne left Miami aboard Siboney on April 14, 1989. The vessel was a 38-foot sailing cutter, although newspapers sometimes rounded its length to 40 feet.
The couple crossed the Panama Canal on May 23. Afterward, they entered the Pacific and headed toward Hawaii as part of William’s plan to continue around the world.
At first, the Pacific crossing followed the rhythm of a long offshore voyage. Nevertheless, the couple was moving through an enormous and remote stretch of ocean. Help could be days away even under favorable conditions.
William and Simone Butler’s 1989 Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 14, 1989 | William and Simonne left Miami aboard Siboney |
| May 23, 1989 | They crossed the Panama Canal and continued into the Pacific |
| June 15, 1989 | Whales struck the hull, and Siboney sank |
| July 4, 1989 | With stored food nearly gone, they caught a turtle |
| Late July 1989 | Radio reception suggested they were drifting closer to Central America |
| August 19, 1989 | The Costa Rican patrol boat Punta Burica rescued them |
| August 1989 | They received hospital care in Golfito and later reunited with relatives |
| 1991 | The couple separated, according to later reporting |
| 1992 | William remarried after the divorce |
| 2005 | A McGraw Hill edition of 66 Days Adrift was published |
| June 1, 2024 | William died at his home in Miami |
What Happened to the Siboney?
On the night of June 15, William and Simonne were roughly 1,200 nautical miles west-southwest of Panama. According to their account, a group of whales began striking the sailboat’s hull.
The collisions opened the hull and allowed water to enter. William transmitted several Mayday calls, but no response came. Meanwhile, the couple tried to retrieve survival gear before the boat disappeared beneath them.
Reports differ slightly on the timing. Some say Siboney sank in about 15 minutes, while a later account describes roughly 30 minutes from the first impacts to the final loss. Either way, the couple had very little time to make decisions.
They climbed into a six-foot covered life raft intended for coastal emergencies rather than long-distance ocean survival. Afterward, they cut free from the sinking yacht and watched the home and vessel they knew disappear.
Were the Whales Orcas?
The whale species was never conclusively identified. Therefore, articles should not confidently say that orcas or killer whales sank Siboney.
The official publisher description for William’s book calls the animals pilot whales. In contrast, some contemporary experts considered sperm whales a possibility. More recent retellings have sometimes used the term orcas, but those accounts do not provide biological confirmation.
It is also difficult to establish the animals’ intent. The Butlers experienced repeated impacts and understandably described the encounter as an attack. However, no independent observer could determine why the whales behaved that way.
Consequently, the most accurate wording is simple: according to William and Simonne, a group of whales repeatedly struck the yacht until its damaged hull could no longer remain afloat.
The story should not make ordinary whale encounters sound predictably aggressive. Current NOAA guidance for operating around whales advises boaters to slow down, post a lookout and proceed cautiously when whales are nearby.
What Did the Butlers Save From the Yacht?
The couple retrieved whatever they could while Siboney was sinking. Exact inventories vary across reports. However, the supplies generally included:
- Several cans of food
- Crackers and peanut butter
- Bottled water
- A manual reverse-osmosis desalination pump
- Fishing line and hooks
- Flares, a flashlight and a whistle
- A knife and raft-repair equipment
- Blankets and limited clothing
- A compass and portable radio
These items did not make the raft comfortable. Nevertheless, several became essential to survival. The watermaker, fishing gear and repair kit were especially important after the original provisions ran low.
The couple also had an emergency radio beacon, but it did not generate a usable rescue location. That equipment belonged to an earlier technological era. Therefore, its failure should not be confused with the capabilities of registered modern 406 MHz emergency beacons, which transmit digital distress alerts through satellites and may include GPS coordinates.
How Did William and Simone Butler Find Drinking Water?
The Butlers initially had bottled water. However, that supply could not last for more than two months in tropical conditions.
Their manual desalinator became a lifeline. The pump used reverse osmosis to remove enough salt from seawater to produce drinkable water. Although operating it required effort, it gave the couple a continuing source of hydration.
This detail matters because some summaries say they drank seawater. In reality, they drank desalinated water. NOAA explains why drinking seawater is dangerous: human kidneys cannot remove its salt without using more water than the person consumed.
Therefore, the Butlers’ experience should never encourage anyone to drink untreated ocean water. Their survival depended on purification equipment, not tolerance for saltwater.
What Did They Eat During 66 Days Adrift?
At first, William and Simonne rationed canned food, crackers and peanut butter. However, their packaged supplies dwindled during the first several weeks.
On July 4, they caught a turtle that provided emergency food and bait. Afterward, William caught fish with line, hooks and sometimes his hands. Raw fish then became their primary food source.
Simonne reportedly struggled with the diet, so William cut the fish into smaller pieces. Nevertheless, both ate enough to continue functioning while their bodies lost substantial weight.
This was an extreme emergency diet, not ordinary food-safety guidance. Raw seafood can carry parasites and harmful microorganisms. Therefore, readers should not treat their improvised diet as a recommended survival plan when safer food is available.
What Was Life Like Inside the Raft?
The covered raft measured roughly 42 inches wide by 66 inches long inside. Consequently, the couple had almost no space to stand, stretch or change position.
William developed sores from spending long periods on his back or knees. Meanwhile, saltwater, sunlight and repeated soaking damaged their clothing and the raft’s canopy.
Storms repeatedly filled the raft with water. In addition, sharks gathered around it and sometimes bumped the inflatable structure. The couple used paddles to push animals away and relied on repair materials when the raft suffered damage.
Their mental strain was equally severe. They could see passing vessels, yet their flares, whistle and improvised signals failed to attract attention. A large ship could disappear over the horizon within minutes, leaving the couple alone again.
Still, they created routines. William kept notes and estimated their movement. Simonne listened to radio stations when reception allowed, and she prayed with a rosary she had saved from the yacht.
Faith became central to how they understood the ordeal. Later, both spoke about praying to Nuestra Senora de los Angeles, Costa Rica’s patron saint. Their spiritual interpretation deserves respect, although it remains a personal account of how they maintained hope.
Why Did Passing Ships Fail to Rescue Them?
The Butlers later estimated that dozens of vessels passed within sight. However, a small orange raft was extremely difficult to spot against a vast, moving ocean.
Some ships may have been too far away. Others may have relied on radar without maintaining a lookout capable of seeing two people close to the waterline. Moreover, the couple had only a limited number of flares.
Their relatives contacted authorities after communications stopped. Nevertheless, the Pacific search area was too large without a reliable last position or active beacon signal. A search across thousands of square miles could not be effectively targeted.
Modern planning reduces some of that uncertainty. The U.S. Coast Guard recommends that boaters file a detailed float plan with a trusted person who can report an overdue vessel and provide its route, description and passenger information.
How Were William and Simone Butler Rescued?
On August 19, the crew of the Costa Rican patrol boat Punta Burica saw the raft near Golfito. The patrol vessel had reportedly been searching for a missing shrimp boat. Instead, it found William and Simonne about 13 miles from the Costa Rican coast.
By then, currents had carried the raft approximately 1,150 miles back toward Central America. Therefore, the couple finished relatively close to land despite beginning the ordeal far out in the Pacific.
Both survivors had lost more than 50 pounds. However, they were alive, conscious and able to communicate. The crew took them to a hospital in Golfito, where they began recovering from dehydration, malnutrition, sores and prolonged exposure.
After five days of hospital care, they traveled to San Jose and reunited with their children and grandchildren. Before returning to Miami, they also visited the shrine of Nuestra Senora de los Angeles to give thanks.
Did William and Simone Butler Set a Survival Record?
Their 66-day ordeal was extraordinary, but it was not the longest documented survival in an inflatable raft. Other sailors had remained adrift for longer periods before 1989.
Therefore, the Butlers’ story is best understood through its conditions rather than a record claim. Two people survived in a small coastal raft after a rapid sinking, with no successful distress transmission and little initial food.
Moreover, the couple did not simply wait for rescue. They made water, caught food, repaired the raft, signaled to ships and maintained enough structure to endure more than nine weeks at sea.
The Book 66 Days Adrift
William later told the story in 66 Days Adrift: A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Open Sea. McGraw Hill lists a 2005 edition with 288 pages and says William based the narrative on log entries he kept during the ordeal.
The book describes the sinking, the couple’s struggle for food and water, their conflicts and their faith. As a result, it remains the most detailed first-person narrative connected with the event.
However, readers should understand whose perspective it represents. Simonne later told Miami New Times that parts of William’s manuscript did not accurately reflect her feelings. She believed the account portrayed her as weaker and more despairing than she remembered herself.
Therefore, the book is valuable primary evidence, but it is William’s version of a shared experience. Simonne’s objections remind readers that two people can survive the same disaster and interpret it differently.
Did the Ordeal End Their Marriage?
William and Simonne separated around 1991 and later divorced. William remarried in 1992.
It would be too simple, however, to say that 66 days at sea alone caused the breakup. The couple already approached the voyage with different expectations. In addition, the ordeal exposed tensions involving the trip, family, trust and the way their story would be told.
William himself resisted reducing the divorce to one event. Simonne, meanwhile, described discoveries and emotional changes that occurred while they were confined together on the raft.
Consequently, the survival story did not end with rescue. It altered their public identities and forced each person to decide what the experience meant afterward.
What Happened to William and Simone Butler Later?
William initially wondered whether he could return to the sea. However, about a year later, he sailed again and rediscovered his love of boating.
He eventually acquired another vessel and continued maritime adventures. According to William Butler’s obituary, he completed three transatlantic voyages, rounded Cape Horn and logged more than 74,000 nautical miles during his life.
William died at his Miami home on June 1, 2024. He was 94 and in his 95th year.
Simonne kept a much lower public profile after the divorce. Recent reports say she died before William, but a dependable public obituary with an exact date was not located. Therefore, responsible accounts should not invent a date, age or later biography for her.
Practical Lessons for Modern Sailors
The Butlers’ ordeal occurred in 1989, so equipment and search technology have changed substantially. Nevertheless, several broad lessons remain useful.
First, offshore crews need layered emergency systems. A registered 406 MHz EPIRB, accessible life raft, VHF and satellite communications, signaling devices, repair equipment, water-production capability and protective clothing serve different purposes. No single item can cover every emergency.
Second, emergency gear must be easy to reach during a rapid sinking. The Butlers had only minutes to retrieve supplies. Therefore, sailors should organize ditch bags and essential equipment before departure rather than during a crisis.
Third, shore contacts need a route and check-in plan. A float plan can narrow the likely search area when a vessel becomes overdue.
Finally, whale encounters require caution, not panic or pursuit. Boaters should slow down, keep watch, follow local distance rules and allow the animals room to move. Modern safety guidance cannot explain exactly what happened to Siboney, but it can reduce the risk of dangerous vessel-animal collisions today.
Frequently Asked Questions About William and Simone Butler
1. Who were William and Simone Butler?
William “Bill” Butler and Simonne Butler were a married Miami sailing couple. In addition, William was an experienced sailor and engineer, while Simonne had worked as a translator and interpreter.
2. How long were William and Simone Butler lost at sea?
They spent 66 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, they entered the raft on June 15, 1989, and were rescued on August 19.
3. What was the name of their yacht?
Their yacht was named Siboney. Although some reports call it a 40-foot boat, more detailed sources describe it as a 38-foot sailing cutter.
4. Why did the Siboney sink?
According to the Butlers, whales repeatedly struck the hull until water entered and the yacht sank. However, no independent observer witnessed the encounter.
5. Were the whales that sank the yacht orcas?
The species was never conclusively confirmed. While some later retellings say orcas, other sources identify pilot whales or suggest sperm whales; therefore, “whales” is the most accurate term.
6. What did William and Simone Butler eat?
They first ate carefully rationed canned food, crackers and peanut butter. Later, however, they survived mainly on turtle and raw fish caught from the raft.
7. How did the Butlers get drinking water?
They used bottled water at first and then operated a manual reverse-osmosis desalinator. Consequently, they drank purified water rather than untreated seawater.
8. Who rescued William and Simone Butler?
The crew of the Costa Rican patrol boat Punta Burica rescued them near Golfito. Moreover, the boat found them only about 13 miles from shore.
9. Did William and Simone Butler stay married?
No. They separated around 1991 and later divorced; however, neither person’s account supports blaming the breakup on one simple cause.
10. What book tells their survival story?
William Butler wrote 66 Days Adrift: A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Open Sea. Nevertheless, Simonne later disputed aspects of how the manuscript portrayed her experience.
Conclusion
William and Simone Butler survived one of the most compelling modern stories of life adrift at sea. After whales damaged Siboney in June 1989, the couple spent 66 days in a tiny inflatable raft before a Costa Rican patrol crew found them.
Their survival depended on preparation, improvisation and endurance. In particular, the manual desalinator, fishing equipment and raft-repair supplies helped them remain alive after their original provisions disappeared.
However, the story also contains uncertainty. The whale species remains unconfirmed, the couple later disagreed about the written account, and their marriage ended after the rescue. Therefore, the fullest version includes both their remarkable survival and the complicated human aftermath.
Ultimately, the Butlers’ experience remains a cautionary sea story rather than a simple adventure tale. It shows how quickly a voyage can become an emergency and how equipment, knowledge, hope and chance can shape survival.
