Today we were meant to race to the Farlonnes on Rhumb Boogie but as the boat had jobs that needed doing we didn’t go out to the ocean. Instead we worked on the boat and went for a short sail in the bay to check rig tune and all the other things we had done. It was a beautiful day at Southampton with 12 knots of wind and after going upwind we turned and hoisted the kite gybing a few times before heading back in.

When I was on my way home I got a phone call from some friends asking me if had gone out as they were concerned. They knew one of the kids on the boat who set off his EPIRB. The reports started to come in about an accident at the Farlonnes. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/14/BA0O1O3H5G.DTL The accident is tragic and there are at least two people I know well who were on the boat.

While on the downer my sister in law informed me that the divemaster (Ryan) we went diving with in Bermuda on the wreck a month ago lost his life diving this week in Bermuda. Such a friendly great guy.

Getting off your couch is risky and living life to the full is rewarding so we will all continue to go sailing and diving. However, stay safe out there everyone and sometimes make the hard decision to turn around or maybe ease up a little like I did on Aconcaqua. Some things are not worth your life. There are so very many great things to look forward to doing and you need to grow old to see your kids or nieces and nephews grow up.

11:30pm update…. the guys I knew on the boat didn’t make it. Very very hard to comprehend at the moment. One of them I sailed with in the great lakes doing the mac races it was a great summer I also sailed with him a lot on the Farr 40. RIP..

This is a picture taken of the boat in the accident. It was taken on their way out the bridge by sailing photographer Peter Lyons. peterlyonsphoto.com