 The final chapter begins with the men 's resolution to abandon the floundering dinghy they have occupied for thirty hours and to swim ashore . As they begin the long swim to the beach , Billie the oiler , the strongest of the four , swims ahead of the others ; the captain advances towards the shore while still holding onto the boat , and the cook uses a surviving oar . The correspondent is trapped by a local current , but is eventually able to swim on . After three of the men safely reach the shore and are met by a group of rescuers , they find Billie dead , his body washed up on the beach . 
