In August 1981, 21-year-old Tamara Ennis was on what should have been a simple boating trip off the coast of Ormond Beach, Florida, when disaster struck. She and three friends, Randy Cohen, Christy Wapniarski, and Daniel Perrin, were sailing just three miles from shore when their 17-foot catamaran suddenly sprang a leak and flipped over. With no life jackets, the four clung to the only remaining pontoon, left stranded in waters infested with sharks.
Tamara described a chilling silence among them as they awaited rescue that never came. She sensed that her friend Christy, who was unable to swim, had accepted her fate. Eventually, at dawn, Tamara led the group in an attempt to swim back to shore, reassuring Christy that the saltwater would help her stay afloat.
Tragically, about an hour into the swim, a shark attacked Christy. Tamara witnessed her friend’s desperate screams, calls for help to her boyfriend, and her final moments before sinking beneath the waves. Randy, unaware of the shark, initially thought Christy was drowning and tried to reach her.
Despite fear and exhaustion, Tamara chose to keep swimming, adopting the mindset of “thinking like a fish” to survive. After hours in the water, dodging further sharks and battling strong currents, she was finally spotted by a lifeguard and rescued. Randy and Daniel were also found, though Randy required urgent medical care. Sadly, Christy’s body was never recovered.
Tamara continues to work on boats but admits she will never enter dark water again. Her survival story is a testament to courage and determination even in the face of unimaginable horror.
