“They were not risk-seekers,” said Vivian Callahan, who had sailed with the Adams as a crew member over the years. “They were very well aware of the dangers and I can’t imagine them straying from the rally unless conditions were very serious."

The Adams had been married about 15 years. They had both been married once before. He had a daughter, she had two sons.

Before their retirement, Mrs. Adam was a dentist in Marina Del Rey, a graduate of dental school at the University of California, Los Angeles. He worked as a film production manager, on such films as “The Goonies” and “Deliverance,” before leaving the business to attend divinity school; he received a master’s of divinity in 2000 and a master’s of theology in 2010.

Indeed, for the Adams, this was as much a voyage of faith as it was one of adventure. They would load the Quest up with tons of Bibles and distribute them as they traveled the world.

“They would stop in these small islands and connect with the church there, which were in isolated places and really welcomed them,” said Richard Peace, a professor of ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. “Scott would preach at times for them and being a doctoral student, he would teach in Bible colleges. This was really a major part of their travels.”

Still, friends said that the Adams were not on a mission of proselytization.

“They were very much in love and shared both a love of the sea and a love of God’s word,” Samantha Carlson, a fellow sailor, said in an e-mail to friends. She added: “They were NOT proselytizing or converting anyone.”