Two stalwarts of the marine surveying profession pass away
Caroline Rostant by her sister, Fiona Roffey
News has reached IIMS of the death of two members - Caroline Rostant and Tony McGrail – both big characters and personalities, both of whom will be missed. (More detailed obituaries for Caroline and Tony can be found in the Report Magazine.)
Caroline Rostant was a DipMarSur, SuppIIMS, AffIMarEST - ISM Code Internal Auditor; ISM Code Designated Person; Designated Person Ashore and QMII.
Caroline branched out on her own in 2007, and eventually founded her own Company, Pivot Media Caribbean, in 2011, recently renamed Rostant Maritime Services. As a one- woman operator she provided consultancy work to the Maritime Industry in Trinidad and Tobago.
Caroline has been acknowledged by her industry peers as the consummate professional in her field and shared her wealth of specialist maritime knowledge willingly to fellow colleagues across the maritime industry in Trinidad and Tobago but did not limit herself to her native country.
Despite her petite physique and being a lady surveyor, Caroline could walk into any room and achieve the desired outcomes even under toughest circumstances gaining the respect from CEOs, maritime professionals and staff alike. Colleagues who have worked with Caroline have expressed their admiration of her ability to partner with and respect people from all walks of life.
Introduced to the sea by her father from an early age, Caroline was a competent sailor, and could also cook a feast at the drop of a hat. She was an excellent organizer, adventurer, free spirit, an avid reader, very artistic and creative and a generous person. It would be fair to say that anyone who had the honour of coming into contact with Caroline, both personally and professionally, is a better person for it.
Caroline is survived by her husband Graham and her two sons Nicholas and Alec. Tony McGrail FIIMS by his friend Keith Willis MIIMS
I first met Tony in 2002 at Sunseeker in Poole where I was a warranty engineer at the time, just transferred back to Poole from Mallorca. It was a chance meeting between us, and it was Tony’s infectiously ‘happy to meet you’, openness and charisma that got us talking. I was not happy with my lot that day, a trade-in vessel with heaps of issues and no time to fix them because the Surveyor was due to arrive - yes you guessed it, Tony. Well we got on like a house on fire and we laughed and chatted as we both worked on the same vessel.
I was intrigued as to how people started a career in surveying so being a blunt person, I asked Tony how one gets into surveying, not really expecting him to be so positive about my question. But he told me the process and said that I really should consider taking up marine surveying as a career; so after work we had a beer on Poole Quay and talked it through. His honesty and enthusiasm for the IIMS as the only group of surveyors worth joining was infectious and here, 17 years later, I am following a career I love having met some great people on the way thanks to Tony.
Tony was a constant, always positive, even about things he wasn’t positive about and I suspect that like me, a lot of the IIMS members welcomed the sight of his face at meetings and events as you were always guaranteed some humour and a good chat. In this industry we all tend to work as individuals, but Tony was always there on the phone if you needed him. I gave up trying to email him many years ago!
My last meeting with Tony recently was at the same yard where we met 17 years ago, and despite being obviously not well and very candid about his condition, the mischievous twinkle was still there. We had a laugh over a snack and cuppa at Asda. I had no idea that would be the last time I would see Tony, but his character, humour and enthusiasm will remain strong in my memory for ever.
The Institute has a lot to thank Tony for and I have a lot to thank Tony for! Once met never forgotten.
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