It is a race between the endurance of frightened, chilled, drowning people, and the stupid lack of presence of mind of those on shore.

All the inmates of the boat got hold of something, and for a minute all their heads were out of water.

Their eyes were so near to the water, that not even the most self-possessed of them could see what exertions were being made by people on shore to help them.

Thus they clung a minute, no one saying anything, when Jane Downing, who held to the rigging at some distance from the boat, paralyzed by fear, let go, and slowly sank out of sight, saying never a word as she went down, but looking with beseeching eyes at the rest, who turned away as the water closed over her, and held on more tenaciously than ever, and wondered whether help ever would reach them.
And this was only at the close of the first minute.

There were twenty-nine other minutes before help came..