Issue date
At noon on February 4, three teams and two individuals set off from a dock in Napier for a mission. Their mission was to celebrate and honour the life of fellow Sailability Hawke's Bay sailor Samuel Gibson by sharing memories and making new ones, while also sailing 24 hours straight.
One of the most memorable moments of Cook Strait was Sam having toilet trouble. To avoid a repeat occurrence, the individual sailors docked every two hours to refuel and deal with their bodily ablutions. It was during these pit stops that the teams exchanged their sailors, sometimes relieving those who were ready to hit the hay.
(Photo: Simon Cartwright Photography)
Napier really turned on the weather for the event, and many wondered if Samuel had had a nice chat with Mother Nature. In saying this, there were times when a little tow or nudge from the support boat was necessary as the wind was nowhere to be found.
Samuel was born with a severe, genetic brittle bone condition but it didn't stop him seeking adventures. He was used to doing things his own way, especially when his disability meant the normal solutions weren't practical for him.
The idea for this event came about after a number of Sailability clubs considered participating in another 24-hour event in Auckland. However, when it was discovered that disabled sailors would have to jump through extra hoops, not required by the non-disabled teams, the participation in that particular event was canned, although the idea of a 24-hour sail still appealed to many, including Samuel.
Samuel was a longtime member of Sailability Hawke's Bay and was keen for any sailing adventure. After he passed away in 2016, it was important his fellow sailors had the opportunity to remember Sailor Sam and to show their support for his family. Samuel's family generously agreed that a 24-hour sail could be held to honour Samuel and to raise funds for the Samuel Gibson Memorial Trust. Samuel's family were heavily involved with this event, much to the delight of Samuel's fellow sailors.
Those involved with the event would like to thank all of the local sponsors who provided spot prizes to the participants and volunteers. These spot prizes were given out on the Friday evening when everyone got together to socialise and decorate the boats in a fun way, which would have been undoubtedly appreciated by Samuel. No doubt, Samuel would have loved seeing his youngest daughter coaxing her grandad to put on a Hawaiian skirt.
If you were wondering, the mission was completed, and was followed by an enormous sleep for many of the participants and volunteers. Not only was the mission a success but more than $2000 was also raised for the Samuel Gibson Trust.
To learn more about the trust, see here
(Photo: Simon Cartwright Photography)
