The Passing of a 'Jester' . . .

[boatman61]

The occasional reality of what we do... and what can happen....

Fellow Jester Challengers will be deeply saddened by the news that Alan died yesterday on his return from the Azores in Argus.

We know little other than the following which was received this morning from his friend Dr James Newton.

Alan was getting in miles for the next Jester challenge and on a voyage back from Teircera his boat sank around 10 am on 26th October 2011 police have contacted next of kin. He was found dead in his life raft by the Portuguese navy having set off his spot tracking device. He was approx 80 miles from Portuguese coast near Porto. This information is submitted by his friend Dr Newton police incident number 579 of 26th refers. Falmouth Coastguard coordinated rescue . RIP


Later in the day (today) James Newton sent me this signal:

I did try and persuade him to leave the boat in the Azores even offering to pay for his flight home. The boat was only 22 feet with a low freeboard. The weather yesterday was severe gale. He knew the risk of sailing back at this time of the year. His intention was to bring the boat back to the UK via Coruna to enter the 2012 Jester. .... He was an experienced sailor and master marina and died in his 70's doing something he enjoyed.

While expressing our deepest condolences I have asked also to be kept informed of any more news if it should become available: such as how Argus sank and why Alan died. Tragically, there will be lessons for us to learn. He was not in the life raft long enough to suffer exposure....? Perhaps he was injured before Argus foundered...? How/why did she founder....? Did he have the correct survival equipment in his life raft....?

But...all that is unimportant for the moment: while Alan was not actually undertaking a Jester Challenge at the time he was one of us and we deeply mourn his passing at sea.

In sadness, Ewen

My deep and sincere condolences to family and friends....
Phil

[David_Old_Jersey]

Never been much good at writing words for this sorta stuff

But starting off that voyage in size of boat and time of year (with knowledge and experiance that less than ideal on both) probably meant he had some decent stories of past adventures to re-tell over a beer