R.I.P.
Jackamy
Paul & Derry Harper
Sun 27 Feb 2011 00:26
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Sunday 27th February
A memorial ceremony was
held today in the Sultanate of Oman to celebrate the lives of
Scott, Jean, Bob and Phyllis who lost their lives whilst being held hostage
aboard the yacht Quest. An American priest from the capital city,
Muscat, officiated at the service. Also in attendance were the US
Ambassador to Oman, senior officers from the coalition forces in the area, the
Minister of Tourism for Salalah plus all the participants of the
rally.
Understandably, it was a
very sad occasion with prayers for the friends we have lost but there were also
many anecdotes and recollections of good times that we had spent together. With
a slideshow of photos, all those memories came flooding back and we smiled
through the tears.
Scott and Jean joined the
rally in Phuket, Thailand. We only new them for a short time and were still
getting to know them.
Phyllis had sailed with us since
Gibraltar and completed her circumnavigation in Panama - she enjoyed it so much,
she was going round again. Why not! Always the life and soul of the party she
was a fantastic person to have around. Someone said at the memorial, 'Phyllis
was the Blue Water Rally'.
The day that Bob arrived in the
Marquesas is crystal clear in my mind. He had come in search of Phyllis and when
he failed to find her ashore he set off looking for her in the bay. Perched
at the front of a one man dinghy, he was driven around the bay by
a man he had just met. With just a one litre fuel can,
they motored around the 40 or more boats, Phyllis was on the last but
one boat! Bob was a man of very few words but he had a huge
heart.
They will both be sorely missed!
Our thoughts go out to their families!
 1st July 2010, Nuku Beach,
Tonga
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