We buried a freind today

Raylah
Jeremy Elsom
Fri 4 Dec 2009 22:38
Richard would have been the same age as me if he had not died prematurely eleven years ago today.  He was my farming neighbour and my wife met his at playgroup when we had our children.  He was tall and thin but also strong and had a chiselled jaw and piercing eyes a bit like an eagle.  He was also very forthright and after giving you his strong opinion would stare hard at you challenging you to disagree,but with a grin on his face.  He was also a shooting,hunting and fishing type and very much a mans man. He was not therefore the sought of person I would normally become friends with but he had other more subtle qualities .I found that underneath he was quite sensitive and by continually taking the Mick out of him I could make him drop his defences .We sailed together with a group of other guys in Scotland for years and I remember long walks in the Hebrides with him where he would open up and speak of his family and his personal life.
 
Anyway eleven years ago to the day he died.  At my launch party for this trip, his wife came up to me and said would I scatter the last of his ashes in the Atlantic .What an honour. At 11.30 in the morning we assembled in the cockpit,David ,Simon and me who knew Richard well and Norman and Sara who had not met him.I said  some personal words ,some with difficulty  and at position 20.14N  32.24W we said goodbye to our friend,Richard rest in peace.