I had a problem believing this 1st person historical fiction. She, the narrator, sounded too proper and formal when describing the harshness of being lost at sea in a lifeboat. I was ready to suspend my disbelief, but most of it was just ridiculous--not in an over-the-top way, but like "really? That's all?" and the climax was stupid, and then there was a long anti-climax.
I would believe maybe one person jumping over, but over and over people just dove into the water and disappeared.