I was saddened to read in Sundays paper the passing of Henry Adam, better known as "Arry Driftwood" the author of a monthly column in the Afloat Magazine. Harry was a live aboard in Sydney and drowned last Wednesday while trying to board his yacht from his tender. What is particularly sad is he had just submitted an article to the publisher about his mate and boat next door neighbour Hans, who died the previous week in the same circumstance.

This is quite a common occurrence in Britain and seems to be on the increase here. For the next few months in particular with the Westerlies and cold water please take care.

Thanks Ramona. I missed that bit of news. Rogue's Yarn was a wonderfully written column in an excellent little publication. I would have liked to have met him. I'll miss the column and him.
http://www.onlinetributes.com.au/Henry_Adam/about/dn6d37grg1mp5x/
Thanks for the beer when I was down south. I hope to be back in the next month or two and will call.

crustysailor said...

That's pretty tragic it hear especially when the same incidence had just occurred previously.

I take it neither guys had a life jacket on? I don't know about everyone else, but I do wear mine all the time onboard when above deck. I suppose it would be easy not to though if you lived aboard all the time.

I don't know the exact circumstance in this case but what occurs in Britain is old codgers have a few beers then row out to their yacht. The accident occurs as they try to embark, either drift off in the current or can not climb into the dinghy or up the side of the yacht. Hypothermia accounts for most deaths in this case. Wearing life jackets does make recovering the bodies easier.