Castaways Rescued After Writing In The Sand (PICTURES)

There was not much else they could do and the odds were not in their favor. They actually wrote a giant SOS in the sand in desperation, and it worked.

It happened down under in the U.S. territory of Guam. The alarm was first raised on Saturday when the men did not return back to port as scheduled. A three-hour-tour, I assume.

Australian and U.S. military aircraft found them on tiny Pikelot island, nearly 120 miles from their departure point. To see just how lost they really were, click the link to have a look at the pin I dropped on the map. These guys were WAY OUT THERE in the middle of nothing.

Pikelot Island is a rather small and uninhabited low coral atoll. It's less than half a mile long. Birds love the island and turtles love to nest there. This means the men would have a chance at fish and eggs to eat, maybe a bird if they could catch one. Fresh water to drink would only come with a passing shower. So there were some resources,  if they knew how to take advantage of them.

The men had missing for three days after their 20-foot skiff ran out of fuel and strayed off course. Running out of fuel can be a big problem for those not familiar with the air and wind currents. It's one thing when those elements are pushing the boat and  helping it along, but trying to power into those air and water currents can take a lot of fuel and can run a craft dry before it gets home. That is why careful planning is needed for every trip.

Rescuers report the men “in good condition."