Letters Volume XXX, Number 8, March 2011
(206) 789-7350, fax (206) 789-6392 Website:
http://www.48north.com
Michael Collins & Richard Hazelton email:
richard@48north.com
Associate Editor/Race/Current Events: Karen Higginson
email:
karen@48north.com email:
michael@48north.com
Classifieds/Display Advertising Cai Weir
Culinary Cruiser: Amanda Swan Neal Published monthly by Boundless
Enterprises, Inc, 6327 Seaview Ave. N.W., Seattle, WA 98107, (206) 789-7350/ Fax (206) 789-6392. Printed in Seattle, WA USA. Dealers paying UPS charges for delivery may charge a nominal reimbursement fee. 48° North encourages letters, photographs,
manuscripts, burgees and bribes. Manuscripts should be related to boating issues, instruction, or experiences. Materials should be typed, double spaced and marked with name, address and phone number, or all the above on a CD or email. Photos may be hardcopies or electronic, color or black & white. We are not responsible for unsolicited materials. Articles express the authors thoughts and may not reflect the opinions of the magazine. Allow eight to ten weeks for response. Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden except by permission from the editor.
Subscription Rates: U.S. one year - $25 - 3rd Class
(3rd Class is not automatically forwarded) 1st Class in U.S. - $35 U.S Funds Canada Printed Matter - $35 U.S. Funds Over-Seas Foreign Air Mail - $65 U.S. Funds
bookkeeper@48north.com Contributing Editors
email:
cai@48north.com Bookkeeper
Advertising Director Michael Collins
Managing Editor Richard Hazelton
Moments before I began this on February 22, the news came out
that the four Americans; Phyllis Macay, 59, her partner, Bob Riggle, 67, both from Seattle, and Scott Adam and his wife, Jean, of Marina del Rey, aboard the yacht Quest, had been killed by Somali pirates in the waters between Yemen and northern Somalia. Everyone had been anxiously following this story as it unfolded and hoped for a result without loss of life. Unfortunately, that was not to be. At the time of this writing, events are still evolving rapidly as this appalling scenario continues. By the time you read this, no doubt many, many more details will have come to light, so I won’t speculate. Already, there is much discussion as to why this happened and choices made. While that is certainly debatable, the sadness in the sailing community over the loss of fellow sailors is not. With a seemingly limitless supply of tragic news stories every
day, it is easy to become calloused, even blase´, about horrific events happening all over the world. This hijacking and murder involving two Seattle sailors certainly takes it off of the tube and into the heart. Before Bob Riggle and his sailing partner Phyllis Macay left on their three year voyage, Bob’s J-109, Gaia was well known on Puget Sound. They had left Gaia in the Philippines to help the Adams sail their yacht, Quest. Cruisers tend to have a “no borders” view of the world, to view
the earth as one, living entity. Bob Riggle gave us a glimpse of his vision when he wrote us a letter a few years back, in response to seeing his boat’s name, Gaia, in the magazine.
“So, hoping that I may in some small way contribute to an increase
in human awareness of our planet and its place in the Universe, I thought Gaia would be a fitting name for an offshore sailboat. For the hull graphic, the large dot on the “i” is actually the image of Earth from a photo taken by the Apollo 17 astronauts on Dec. 7, 1972 as they left earth orbit en route to the Moon. Usually, when asked at the dock or out on the racecourse, ‘What does Gaia mean?’ I just say, ‘Earth Goddess’.”
Another very fitting translation of Gaia is the Greek goddess
who “drew the living world forth from chaos.” Hopefully, this terrible incident will further Bob’s vision and be a driving force in subduing the chaos and insanity that’s occurring in the waters off of Africa. This piece has basically been a breaking news story, which is
difficult for a monthly magazine. On a more personal note, we know Phyllis and Bob touched the lives of many in the Northwest. If you’d like to share your favorite memories of these two extraordinary people, please send stories and pictures to
richard@48north.com
Publishers
6327 Seaview Ave. N.W., Seattle, WA 98107
Sailors Murdered by Somali Pirates
Editor 48° NORTH, MARCH 2011 PAGE 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82