He was one of 29 people who took refuge in a single lifeboat with a small amount of water or food. They drifted for 42 days and traveled nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) southwest before they were found and rescued off the coast of Brazil. The men collected rain water when they could and sometimes drank only 4 imperial fluid ounces (110 mL) per day and had only a small amount of biscuits and bakers chocolate for food. LoPresti was credited with having saved the men's lives after he caught the only real food they had during their entire ordeal after he noticed dolphins that were swimming around their boat on one occasion. He improvised a weapon by lashing a sheath knife to a boat hook, he plunged into the ocean, caught a 35-pound (16 kg) dolphin and they hauled it into the boat. They then drank its blood and cooked the meat in a metal bucket with rags and kerosene.