MEMB NewsER Obituary: Des Kearns MIIMS
News of the passing of Des Kearns MIIMS aged 80 has reached IIMS head office. A master mariner, Des was a man who lived a full life and, as he once said, he would have changed nothing. As well as being a respected marine surveyor he was a twice published author and was especially proud of those achievements.
Mike Schwarz, IIMS CEO, said, "Whilst I never met Des in person, we were in semi-regular email contact over many years. He was an ardent supporter of the Institute and had a fascinating back story to tell, some of which he shared with me. I featured Des as the subject of 'A Day in the Life of' in the June 2023 Report Magazine. When I asked him about his publishing exploits, this was his response."
"When I circumnavigated in our 30-foot sloop these were early ‘cruising’ days. The 30-foot yacht on which I sailed around Cape Horn had no roller furling, no anchor winch, no self- steering, no fridge, no toilet, no radio and no electronics. We had a sturdy watertight hull. Stout rig. Good sails. A place to cook, a place to navigate and a place to lie down. Good anchor gear when we got close to land. That experience opened up the world for me.
"When I arrived home, there was a book inside my head wanting to get out. I typed the manuscript on an old Olivetti typewriter – the one if you made a mistake, you had to redo the whole page. In November 1969, typewritten manuscript under my arm entitled, 'World Wanderer – 100,000 Miles Under Sail', I sheepishly entered the lobby of the Angus & Robertson publishing house on Sydney’s Castlereagh Street, an Australian flagship institution. I left the manuscript with a pleasant receptionist. Five days later I received an invitation to attend a meeting at the publishing house. My manuscript had been separated into sections along with photos, which now covered a polished table. I was in a state of shock because I was a 25-year-old youth off the streets but was treated with respect, politeness, courtesy and enthusiasm. The book quickly went into print. In 2019, forty-eight years later, my second book 'Beyond Boundaries' was published. The first half of 'Beyond Boundaries' details becoming a surveyor; the second half as a Noble Denton surveyor; then latterly returning to my roots as a yacht surveyor."
Des Kearns
Veteran surveyor, Mike Wall, who was a friend of Des paid this glowing tribute to him. "Des Kearns passed peacefully on the morning of 16 September 2024. He was 80 years old. He was a professional mariner, surveyor and author being well respected in our profession and the yachting industry. He was a modest man and quietly spoken but did not suffer fools gladly. He had been in bad health for some time, but it was Covid from which he never really recovered.
"Des was born in Australia on 4 August 1944. He was educated at Epping Boys High School in Sydney, King Edward VII Nautical College in London and the Pacific Marine Training Institute in Vancouver. It was his worldwide travels and circumnavigations from which he learned most.
"I first met Des 10 years ago. He had bought a couple of my books and was just finishing off his life story ‘Beyond Boundaries - A Lifetime of Adventures Beyond the Ordinary’. He was always prepared to talk to, and learn from others, asking for help with his layout and formatting. I attended the release of the book at the Royal Phuket Marina where we became instant friends, often spending long periods chatting on WhatsApp about our profession and experiences.
"Over the last several years we talked frequently as he was involved in two major yacht renovations, the last one ‘Cariad’ being completed around six months ago. The Cariad project was feted by many who visited the rebuild site in Satun, southern Thailand. Consequently, it was unsurprising that it won the Classic Rebuilt Yachts category award at the 2024 World Superyacht Awards in Venice in May this year for being ‘tremendously faithful to her original design’. Sadly, Des never got to receive the award as it went to the owner, Des being too ill to travel.
"So, what made his book and Des so special? As I said in my review then “Writers are called ‘word smiths’ and Des has perfected his craft – wielding his hammer skilfully to shape his words on a paper anvil.” His book is one which cannot be put down once you have started. His stories are interesting and exciting to read. One moment you will be gripping the edge of your seat and the next falling off it laughing. The range of emotions stirred up is wide with the last chapter leaving the reader in tears, as I am now - thinking of my old friend."
Mike Wall THE REPORT | DEC 2024 | ISSUE 110 | 31
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