Aquila Lost Near New Caledonia

We sorry to report that another singlehanded cruiser has lost his boat. This one, in the South Pacific. Although full details are yet unknown, we received word this morning that retired school teacher Michael Rafferty recently lost his San Diego-based Islander Freeport 36 Aquila roughly 80 miles west of the New Caledonia island group.

In an email sent to a cruising friend this morning, Rafferty explained, "She sank in about one hour. I lost everything but the clothes I now wear, my passport, Merchant Marine ID card, a flashlight, and my hearing aids." Although the solo sailor did not explain the cause of the sinking, he did clarify that he was uninjured: "I am perfectly fine." Rafferty was rescued by a French Canadian boat named Azzar, and rode aboard her to Australia. "In a very few days," he says, "I will fly to Thailand to start over. So, as Robert Hunter wrote, ‘There’s nothing left to do but smile.’"

Rafferty is a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain, who had sailed south with the ’09 Baja Ha-Ha fleet — his was one of two Islander Freeport 36s last year. He then singlehanded to the South Pacific with the Pacific Puddle Jump migration last spring.