Has anyone seen or heard from the S/Y 'Colros'?

Re: David and the S/Y \'Colros\'

Dear Keith, Brendan, Tome, Matt, Cobra and all our friends at YBW,

Thank you for keeping this thread sticky for another week. I'm not ready to let go of you all yet, as the Forum has not only been a source of emotional support at an awful time but also a place where I can refer family and friends for updates (so many people are concerned about David - many of whom I'll never even meet!)

It would be an understatement to say those closest to him are devastated by what's happened. Still holding onto a last vestige of hope...

Barbara x
 
Re: David and the S/Y \'Colros\'

Dear Barbara

We're all with you and family, as you will know

I should apologise to Matt as I gave the impression that he was rushing things along - he wasn't and you'll know that already

We all await news of David

Tom x
 
Re: David and the S/Y \'Colros\'

Matt is big enough to cope. Barbara and family need support, and while we can do little, we can support the efforts of those here by keeping it sticky a while longer.
 
Re: colros ...

Maybe just maybe he’s drifting along jury rigged …but in no particular danger.

Lets keep the lamp burning in the window a little longer.

……..
 
Re: colros ...

Re drifting across, I think that we should still definitely consider this as a possibility.

I received communication today from World Cruising, the Organisers of the ARC rally, re one of the yachts in the last ARC.

I had written to them asking for an update re the S/Y 'Compromise', the Nicholson 32 who was abandoned about a week (I think) after the start of the race.
It seems like nobody has seen Compromise since she was abandoned, hence it would be fairly safe to assume that she is still floating (I am sure that when she was abandoned they closed all hatches etc to make her as seaworthy as possible), and drifting across, but has not reached the new world yet.

World Cruising also informed me that another abandoned yacht, the S/Y 'Arnold' (a Bavaria 36 - I think she lost her rudder?) was found off Anguilla on the 6th March.
She was abandoned at 19.42N, 34.46W (approx 600 miles WNW of the Cabo Verde islands) on 10 December. Hence she drifted approximately 1,700 miles in 3 months, at a rate of approx 20 miles per day.
In view of this report, and reports of other vessels who have drifted across, usually averaging 20 - 25 miles per day, it is possible that Colros could be doing the same, if (say) she lost her rig after she reached the easterly trades.
 
Re: colros ...

Presumably with someone on board interrupting the drift of the boat, it could be doing a very strange course which might even have slowed progress initially as person tried to make for nearest land and "missed."
The drift pattern of an empty boat like those above might be quite different. I hope this is a helpful comment.
I am sailing to the Channel Islands in May, I will keep a look out. I know it's an improbably long, long shot, but you never know, and every little helps.
 
Re: Has anyone seen or heard from the S/Y \'Colros\'?

We are friends of David from Suffolk. My husband is a boatbuilder in the same village as David lived and went with David on his first sail from Southwold. He thought Colyros sailed well and was very seaworthy. We have been reading all your messages and its been good to hear all your opinions. One feels so helpless not being able to do anything but wait but we have not given up on the old bugger by any means.
 
Re: Has anyone seen or heard from the S/Y \'Colros\'?

Marion, lets all keep collective fingers and toes crossed, and hope that Colros does turn up on this side of the Atlantic soon.

My 'drifting across' theory mentioned above is a long shot, but I do think it is plausible, and we know that David set off with an enormous supply of provisions, and everybody has acknowledged that Colros is a very seaworthy craft, so there is quite a good chance that he is still out there somewhere.
 
Re: Has anyone seen or heard from the S/Y \'Colros\'?

Marion, so nice to see your posting here and I'm happy to hear you, Anthony and others still feel there's a chance. It's emotionally impossible to feel closure without evidence to the contrary. There's nothing I'd like more than to see David's face reading this Forum when he realizes what a famous "old bugger" he's become!

Thanks for all the support,
Barbara x
 
Does anyone speak German??

I have found this - I have no idea if its useful, so apologies in advance if I am not adding any value.

Sonntag, 25. Februar 2007 / 21:00:00
Lt.navtex msg v. 21dez07 vermisst:
sv colros ,sloop , 8m ,1 person
ssr 122221.
von uk. nach madeira,dann weiter nach trinidad
SAR navtex v. 24 Feb 10:45 uhr:
Wird immer noch vermisst.
Heute per Email bekommen, DF8JO

The whole transcript which is long is
HERE
 
Re: Does anyone speak German??

Apparently this is just a report that Colros is missing, and translates as follows:
Sunday 25th Feb. 2007
Navtex message - missing since 21st December 2007
S/V COLROS, sloop, 8m, 1 person
"SSR 122221" is Colros' registration number with the Small Ships Register.
from UK to Madeira, then on to Trinidad
SAR (?) Navtex on 24th February 10.45 (possibly) UTC
still missing
Received via E-mail, DF8JO (German amateur radio callsign)

But as Martin points out, at least the word is spreading, so no matter whereever David or Colros might turn up, someone is bound to see them.
 
Re: colros ...

Dear Keith and all Forumites,

Another week has passed and no news from David, so perhaps it's time to de-sticky this thread. I know it'll stay in the Forum Archive and will pop to the top again if anyone posts, so it's not as if we're deleting it, and if anyone hears anything at all, we'll let you know, I promise!

Thank you, Everyone (over 12,000 hits now), for reading, sympathising, posting and supporting all of us who love David and miss him so much. This has been one of the most moving experiences of my life and I know I speak for all David's family and friends when I say we owe you a huge debt of gratitude for helping to ease the pain and trying to shed some light on his disappearance. For some of you this entailed a great deal of work, time and effort, and I want you to know that your kindness made a huge difference to us. Nothing that you did was wasted on us - it was the difference between struggling to understand something that was impossible to grasp and knowing that people are humane and caring enough to reach out to strangers and help. Not to have closure is very hard to bear and is an ongoing, humbling lesson in acceptance. But I can only reiterate that, IF we have lost David to the sea (I realize there's still a chance even now that he could pop up like a beautiful cork!), few humans are blessed to leave at a moment of supreme happiness and fulfillment. I am awed and comforted by that fact.

I'm re-reading The Long Way. It helps me understand David's passion, choices, and the reason you've all chosen the sea. I will go sailing one day too, so I can really understand.

Love,
Barbara x
 
Re: colros ...

Barbara

You're a very brave woman in accepting that perhaps he has gone. I hope that remembering all the good times that you shared with him will bring a smile to your face.

Warm regards

John
 
Re: colros ...

So well put Barbara. Amidst the pain, I too have been inspired and humbled by the compassion of strangers and would like to add my thanks.
Linda xx
 
Re: colros ...

Barbara,
I've followed this thread with the same sense of helplessness that most of the thousands of other participants must also feel. However, before you de-sticky the thread, I'd like to contribute the following: It may be of little comfort, but a sailor I met in Luperon, D.R., set off from there for the UK and it was five months later that he was eventually sighted off Wales and towed in. He was dismasted quite early in his journey and mainly drifted thereafter with a rudimentary jury rig. I know it's in the opposite direction with different winds and tides, but I don't think it's time to abandon hope yet.
In the winter months the trades are quite northerly and if he was keeping to the east whilst getting south he might be at sea a lot longer than we might expect.
Hang in there.
 
Re: colros ...

Dear Barbara and all of David's family and friends,

Our thoughts are with you all.

I never knew David, in the same way I have never met many of my fellow forumites on here, but I feel a comradeship with you all, and to lose one of us to the sea I'm sure makes us all sit quietly and spare a thought for those left behind.

Barbara, IF we have lost David to the sea, I am sure it was, as you say, at a very happy time in his life.

The strength you have shown is an example to us all.

I would like to, with your permission, propose a day in the future, to be named by you and your's, for a

'THREAD OF REMEMBERENCE' for David. Something that can be kept and read by all.

I am touched by the 'community spirit' that has been shown by all with regard to this sad episode.

And if David does appear in some far off land with a smile, and a tale, he will have a hell of a read and could see, although he was out of sight he was never out of our thoughts.

God bless you Barbara, and please do send our wishes to all of David's family and friends.

Al & Tina,
and all the staff of AT Sailing Ltd.
X
 
Re: colros ...

Dear Barbara , as others have already said , this is most definately not the easiest thing to come to terms with and I wish you and all the other freinds and family fair winds . Personally I don't think it's time yet to de-sticky this thread because there is always the chance of a nice surprise coming over the horizon , but the choice is yours , and if you do decide that it's time , then I hope Keith will follow Al Jones' suggestion so we never forget . Or maybe a Colros memories forum in place of one of the de-active forums .
Kind regards and best wishes to all of you and I'll have a dram for David on Saturday evening at 21-00 Hrs should anyone feel inclined to join me in an online drink
 
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