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The following letter was written to Scott Simmons and his colleagues at Harbour Radio and copied to the Bermuda Sun.

Dear Sir,

On Sunday, November 15, I arrived in St. George's Bay about 2:30 pm, local, aboard my ketch, Annah Foster, which I single hand. I had encountered a hydraulic leak in my steering system, causing complete failure, approximately 180 nm SW of Bermuda at 11:00 am on November 13.

After attempting repairs in high winds and tossing seas for 36 hours, I finally rigged my emergency tiller, and motored, steering from the stern of my centre cockpit boat for 24 hours, towards Bermuda.

At the time of my approach, I had not had any rest for two and a half days. Unable to leave the stern, I could not use my primary VHF radios, nor see my Chartplotter, nor, for that matter, reach my engine throttle, and the seas and wind made it impossible to safely lash the tiller, and run forward.

I would like to commend to you, the gentlemen at Bermuda Radio, for their kindness, professionalism, and patience, in their dealing with me, an exhausted and confused single hander, that afternoon.

Even the word tenderness comes to mind. My handheld VHF did not have the power, when I first called in, for them to hear a word I was saying, but they patiently issued me instructions for the approach into St George's Bay.

I am ashamed that my radio protocol disappeared from my mind, and I spoke to them as if on a cell phone, failing repeated to terminate my transmissions with the requisite "Over."

I am amazed, and so grateful, looking back on that last hour of my trip, to have dealt with such wonderful, caring professionals.

I do not have the names of the gentlemen with whom I spoke, but I believe there was a shift change at that time, as I was smoothly passed from one man to another.

I climbed the hill to Fort George one day while out for a walk, to try to meet them and personally thank each, to shake their hands, and express my deep admiration and appreciation, but again, there was a shift change at that time, and my visit was too intrusive and had to be cut short.

I would like to commend these men to the people of Bermuda. They are probably too frequently unrecognized, as are the heroes who crew your rescue boats.

And, I would like to gratefully acknowledge the warm welcome and hospitality the good folks of St. George's gave me. I have made some wonderful new friends. I depart with regret, to continue my travels, and shall always look back on this time with a happy heart.

Dennis C. Doak

s/v Annah Foster,

St. George's Bay,

Bermuda.[[In-content Ad]]

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