Six of the men took to the open sea in a 12-foot lifeboat in a daring attempt to reach far-distant Kodiak Island and arrange for a rescue. They set out into vast Shelikof Strait—one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the North Pacific. These brave mariners, given up for lost, were finally rescued more than two months later. The incident is particularly unique in that a compelling photographic record of the wreck and the stranded party's travails were made at the time. John E. Thwaites, an amateur photographer and the ship's mail clerk, took more than 50 high-quality images of the stranded steamship shrouded in ice, the frostbitten men with burlap wrapped around their feet, and the barren, treeless lagoon. These stark pictures vividly illustrate the desperation felt by the stranded passengers and crew during their ordeal when temperatures dropped as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. After 29 days, they were rescued by the steamship Author Steve K. Lloyd personally investigated the wild, storm-swept beach where wreckage from the remains visible today. Lloyd brings to life a riveting tale of hardy seafaring men who survived hunger and despair against incredible odds.