can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

American Spirit II - Day 284 Supplemental; Thank You Merlyn of Poole; Thursday, October 16, 2014



Date: Thursday, October 16, 2014

From: Brian Fox, American Spirit II

To: Jonathan Crowe, Merlyn of Poole; Sigi Hahn & Geoff Ascott-Evans

Topic: The 'Longest' Escort

On behalf of myself, Joel Heyne and Jeremy Nance I want to thank you for your incredible support in standing by to assist and escort us in our moment of greatest need and peril all the way to Mauritius; 1,481 miles over a period of 12 days. With our forestay breaking at 1:20 PM on October 5, you jibed over, sailed back to us and came up on our AIS at 10:13 PM that same day, 9 hours later. Such a welcome sight did ever we see!

With high winds and confused and at times mountainous seas, and especially during the first few days when the outcome of our misfortune was still in doubt, it was with great relief that we saw your vessel day and night, 24 hours a day, usually within 1 1/2 miles or closer of our position; always ready to assist should the mast come down, knowing that you might even have to gather us from the sea in difficult conditions if we had to leave the boat altogether.

The seamanship you exhibited and the trying conditions that you and your crew had to endure to 'sail slow' and stay with us does credit to those of us who sail the world's oceans. And your dogged, selfless commitment to help fellow sailors in need is one that years from now, when those of us in the World ARC 2014/15 talk and get together to relive one of our life's greatest adventures, the 'Escort of Merlyn of Poole of American Spirit II' across the Indian Ocean will be retold and never forgotten.

Thank you.

Previous | Next