I nominate the above person for several categories; including Early Pioneer, Pioneer and Excelled at Sea, being that he dedicated over 58 years of his life to it. He began his seafaring career at the tender age of 17. Throughout his journey, be captained several ships; including the Jolly Roger, the Africola, Lady Patricia, Inagua Wave and the Island Supply. In 1925 he married his wife Eleanor Christaline Ebanks, aka 'Aunt Chrissie' and started a family. He fathered 3 children and then took the family with him to Belize, where he was trading. There he fathered 2 more children but made sure to bring us back to Cayman several times to know our grandparents. He worked hard and enjoyed his time at sea and returned to his beloved Cayman Islands in the 1970's. He became captain of the Kirk Pride, which was owned by Mr. Charles Kirkconnell and completed several missions until that unfortunate day in 1976. With inclement weather approaching, against his wishes the vessel was moored in the George Town Harbor. It began to crash against the dock and eventually sprung a leak. Several attempts were made to bail the vessel but to no avail. She began to drift out to sea and my father stayed onboard to make sure the entire crew was evacuated. There is a saying which goes; the Captain must go down with the ship. I understood just how much he loved what he did and cared about his crew and vessel, as I was called to the shores that day to convince him to abandon ship, as the Kirk Pride sunk to its final resting place some 800+ feet beneath the sea, on a rock ledge overlooking the abyss. That was an act of heroism in my eyes.

I nominate the above person for several categories; including Early Pioneer, Pioneer and Excelled at Sea, being that he dedicated over 58 years of his life to it. He began his seafaring career at the tender age of 17. Throughout his journey, be captained several ships; including the Jolly Roger, the Africola, Lady Patricia, Inagua Wave and the Island Supply. In 1925 he married his wife Eleanor Christaline Ebanks, aka 'Aunt Chrissie' and started a family. He fathered 3 children and then took the family with him to Belize, where he was trading. There he fathered 2 more children but made sure to bring us back to Cayman several times to know our grandparents. He worked hard and enjoyed his time at sea and returned to his beloved Cayman Islands in the 1970's. He became captain of the Kirk Pride, which was owned by Mr. Charles Kirkconnell and completed several missions until that unfortunate day in 1976. With inclement weather approaching, against his wishes the vessel was moored in the George Town Harbor. It began to crash against the dock and eventually sprung a leak. Several attempts were made to bail the vessel but to no avail. She began to drift out to sea and my father stayed onboard to make sure the entire crew was evacuated. There is a saying which goes; the Captain must go down with the ship. I understood just how much he loved what he did and cared about his crew and vessel, as I was called to the shores that day to convince him to abandon ship, as the Kirk Pride sunk to its final resting place some 800+ feet beneath the sea, on a rock ledge overlooking the abyss. That was an act of heroism in my eyes.