Tony Bullimore has Passed
We wake this morning to learn that Tony Bullimore has passed away from cancer, aged 79 years. He tugged at the heart strings of many Australians as we learned that his yacht had turned turtle in the Southern Ocean and that his nearest rescuer was 2,500 k away and would take four days sailing to reach home, if he could last.
He did and we all watched the footage of him swimming by his overturned yacht, him being dragged aboard a Zodiac and kissing his rescuer.
There was a collective warmth across the nation that our penny-pinching governments had done something generous and successful for a boat-person (they were mistreating refugees and still do). We kind of feel in love with Tony, so well prepared, professional, humble and appreciative. I recall seeing him reunited with his wife, not a fair-skinned English woman, but a dark skinned gregarious woman with a thick Caribbean accent. I remember thinking, "not what I expected", but hey that's cool, this guy just gets better.
In this story "http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-25/20-years-after-a-dramatic-mid-ocean-rescue2c-veteran-sailor2c/8303466" from last year TB talks about his lifelong love of sailing and his intent to pursue it till he "kicks the bucket". Apparently he was up until last year. Great bloke, fair winds Tony, considerations to his family.
He did and we all watched the footage of him swimming by his overturned yacht, him being dragged aboard a Zodiac and kissing his rescuer.
There was a collective warmth across the nation that our penny-pinching governments had done something generous and successful for a boat-person (they were mistreating refugees and still do). We kind of feel in love with Tony, so well prepared, professional, humble and appreciative. I recall seeing him reunited with his wife, not a fair-skinned English woman, but a dark skinned gregarious woman with a thick Caribbean accent. I remember thinking, "not what I expected", but hey that's cool, this guy just gets better.
In this story "http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-25/20-years-after-a-dramatic-mid-ocean-rescue2c-veteran-sailor2c/8303466" from last year TB talks about his lifelong love of sailing and his intent to pursue it till he "kicks the bucket". Apparently he was up until last year. Great bloke, fair winds Tony, considerations to his family.
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