Tamara Ennis’s life changed forever in August 1981 when a sailing trip off Ormond Beach, Florida, went horribly wrong. The catamaran she was on began leaking and capsized, leaving four friends clinging to a single pontoon in shark-infested water.
With no life jackets, the group faced a terrifying wait for rescue that never came. Tamara noticed one friend, Christy, was preparing to accept her fate. At dawn, the group tried swimming to shore, but Christy was attacked and killed by a shark during the swim.
Tamara survived by keeping calm and swimming expertly to avoid predators and rip currents. Her rescue came after hours at sea while her friends faced devastating injuries. This tragedy underscores the importance of safety equipment and awareness when boating in shark habitats.
