REMEMBERING FISHERMEN

Treasure Beach Forum: TB Runnin's: REMEMBERING FISHERMEN
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Earl on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 11:08 pm: Edit Post

The note being taken of the 25th anniversary of the loss of one of our fishing crews to the sea, on another post, reminds me of something I've been meaning to propose: How about the establishment of a monument/ memorial to recall all those relatives and friends who have been lost to the sea over the years?
This is actually a very long list of valuable people who have been lost, yet there is nothing to commemorate their time with us.
The story of our fishermen and the sea is an important part of the history of Treasure Beach, which, I believe, should be highlighted.
It could also serve as a reminder of the importance of improving and observing safety and security measures at sea.
How about it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By tone on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 03:25 pm: Edit Post

This is a beautiful idea. Definitely has my vote.
T.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chuck-O on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 03:58 pm: Edit Post

Earl you are a genius.....I second your proposal.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By tivertonhouse on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 09:25 am: Edit Post

Focus everyone in community, including the younger generation, on it by sponsoring a
contest to submit designs for it -- for creation
by a local artist to be selected as well by
the fishers and townspeople's vote from a shortlist. This might well publicize it beyond the community into The Gleaner, The Observer and tv/radio news and draw additional funding for emergency and other gear to the existing contingency fund for fishers.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Frenchman /Canada on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 09:48 am: Edit Post

Earl this is a wondeful idea, we should also list the names of all those who was lost at sea, along with their pictures on this site.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ce Ce on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 03:08 pm: Edit Post

"OK EARL GET THE BALL ROLLING" I KNOW THIS IS A SUBJECT CLOSE TO YOUR HEART BECAUSE OF YOUR FATHER ALSO.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By STB on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 04:37 pm: Edit Post

I agree with Earl there are so many young men who risk their lives to provide for their families and we really do need to commerate their bravery. Allan Moxam,Paul,Maxie and the list goes on.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By STB on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 04:38 pm: Edit Post

We should also remember the history of snow boy


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rebecca on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 06:07 pm: Edit Post

Sounds like a plan to me, Earl!! Great idea!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Earl on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 11:10 pm: Edit Post

Missing at sea: A tragic legacy
published: Sunday | October 10, 2004


Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer

ONE MONTH after Hurricane Ivan's visit, two young fishermen are still missing, their boat savagely snapped from its moorings and cast onto the high seas.

Extensive searches in Jamaican waters and in the vicinity of the Caymanas and Cuba have not yielded any sighting of the missing boat.

Hursley Moxam and Rohan 'Junior' Rexburn, were aboard the Ocean Queen, an 80-ft boat, anchored off the coast of Black River during the approach of Hurricane Ivan, on September 10. Nearby, Hursley's father, Clarence 'Moses' Moxam, and two crew members were also battling to keep a second boat, Miss Rita, under control but to no avail.

After three days on the turbulent seas, Moses and his crew were sighted and lifted off the deck of the Miss Rita by a Jamaica Defence Force rescue team, off Cayman Brac. Now he worries daily about his 26-year-old son, anxious for word or even the slightest hint that he might be alive.

FAMILIAR EXPERIENCE

For Moses, this is an experience with which he and his family in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, are all too familiar.

On July 2, 1963, when he was only 12, Moses lost his father, Oliver Moxam, who perished along with 39 other men aboard the Snowboy.

The boat, en route from Kingston to the Pedro Cays, reportedly capsized and rapidly sank to the ocean floor, leaving many south coast families and the entire nation in mourning.

That settled it for young Moses. With his mother, Doris, left to fend for him and his 10 siblings, he decided that he had to find a way to help the family, and the only option was in the sea in the wake of his father.

"I didn't have a choice. My mother had no one to turn to and I had to help her and the other children," he reminisced.

For young fishermen life is full of hard knocks, and Moses grew up quickly. Nine years later, he was in charge of his own boat, operating from a Honduran cay, when he and a young cousin, Crosby, were caught in a hurricane.

"That morning when we woke up to go to sea there was no sight of the hurricane. The forecasters said it had moved away, so all the fishermen went out," he recalled.

Then the sky suddenly got black and they knew they were in deep trouble. Things only got worse when the boat developed engine trouble.

Having lost engine power, the two young fishermen were unable to resist the now boisterous waves and winds. Their canoe was sent crashing against the reefs and broke in two.

STILL EMOTIONAL

In desperation, Moses and Crosby did their best to secure themselves in the stern section of the boat and hope for the best. Fatigue eventually set in and they drifted off to sleep.

When Moses woke up, he was alone. Somehow, Crosby had slipped off the shattered remnant of their boat never to be seen again.

"I felt like I was going crazy when I found out that he was not there with me," Moses recalled, his voice still emotional more than 30 years later.

Later that day he spotted a "Man-O-War" bird, which gave him hope that land may not be too far off. At sundown he reached a sandbar.

From there he caught sight of coconut trees swaying in the breeze on a nearby cay. Eventually he made it across to the cay, which had been abandoned. But there was some sustenance to be found for the starving seafarer.

"I drank about 18 coconuts and sucked three bird eggs. Then I found a drum half full of water left by Jamaican fishermen who had been there previously, so I was okay for the time being," he explained.

After four days on the cay he was rescued by the crew of the Honduran boat, Miss Lisa, skippered by "Captain Rofee".

On board, he had his many wounds treated and bound up, before being transferred to another boat, The Hornet, owned by another Jamaican, Byron Hill, the man who, ironically, had owned The Snowboy, on which his father, Oliver Moxam, perished a decade earlier.

POLITICAL INSTABILITY

Fast forward to 1979, and Moses is again in trouble at sea.

By then, he had been living and fishing in Nicaragua for sometime, having met a local girl and started a family. But with the political instability caused by the bloody overthrow of President Anastasio Somoza Debayle by the advancing Sandinistas, he headed out to sea once again with his young family, the oldest of the three children being only three and a half.

His intended destination, he revealed, was a nearby island. But once again the elements intervened and his boat was cast adrift.

After battling the elements for hours as he sought to keep control of the boat, Moses fell exhausted into the bottom of the vessel. His two-year-old son, Hursley, anxious for his father, fetched a cup of water and poured it on his face, pleading, "Please Daddy, don't die!"

The family survived and eventually made it to Costa Rica where they stayed for one year before returning to Jamaica.

Today, Moses waits anxiously for word of that son, Hursley, who is facing his own battles at sea.

NOT GIVING UP

Another son, Kern, recently returned from Cuba where he carried out his own search for his brother, with assistance from Cuban fishermen.

"We went far out and visited all the Cuban Cays and did not find them," Kern told The Sunday Gleaner disconsolately.

But he is not giving up hope of finding his brother and his crewmate.

"The Cubans suggested that the currents would have taken the boat into the Gulf of Mexico, so that's where I'm heading next," he reported.

It's a hope shared by Moses.

"I know he's alive. He's a good skipper and he will be doing everything to survive," asserted the colourful seaman who, more than most, knows about surviving at sea.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glasceta Honeyghan on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 07:38 am: Edit Post

I personally knew several of those fishermen that were gone at sea. Here's A poem I wrote as tribute to those fearless men:

OUT TO SEA
(Tribute To The Fishermen Who Lost Their Lives At Sea)

With the great glory of dawn,
They breathed the sweet sea air,
Bowing to the ocean in her splendor,
That beckoned four seasoned fishermen,
Sallying on proud waves
Out to sea.

They rode the waves, the great sea
Outstretched beneath them,
Their souls riding on glory
Out to sea.

In the high sun they beheld
Their fish-pots full and ready
Out to sea.

Unpredictable, the day so calm, so cool
Turned with deceitful wiles;
Under dark clouds and the cunning high tide
They saw Misfortune, felt the foe,
Grew timid, and said,
“The weather turned around on us.”
But there was no turning back for the men
Out to sea.

Their voices whispered to the
Flying birds, the sky, and the sea,
And the song of the four drowned fishermen
Sang in the sun;
And the village heaved a cry
At the great curse of the sea.

~Glasceta Honeyghan,2006~


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Billys Bay Girl on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 09:41 am: Edit Post

Earl, thank you for bringing forth this magnificent idea. You mentioned a monument, could that be in the form of a memorial wall, where the names of those loved ones lost at sea would be inscribed. In addtion, I suggest the commencement of an annual event to remember, reflect, and promote sea safety etc.

Every lives in Treasure Beach has been touched by loosing a loved one. Fishing is the lifeline of this remarkable community, more attention should be geared towards the promotion of awareness in relation to safety whilst on the waters. Awareness promotion in this area will assist in the enhancement of the fishing industry in Treasure Beach.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Earl on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 02:13 pm: Edit Post

Billys Bay Girl:
A memorial wall is certainly one simple idea that could be pursued. It's something I have considered, but would not wish to prescribe. One of the challenges with such cooperative projects, of course, is that they can get bogged down for lenghty periods without consensus being achieved. Nevertheless, it is well worth doing and doing well.
I do not propose to take this on as MY idea. Community groups, such as the Treasure Beach Foundation, or the fishermen's cooperatives would be the appropriate organs for this,with some outside assistance.
As for an annual commemoration exercise - again this is something that could be considered, although some might consider that a bit too often, from an organisational perspective.
One of the memories that sadden me most, by the way, is that related, in part, to the Snow Boy commemoration we had on the 25th anniversary of that tragic event. We organised a memorial service, mounted an exhibition on safety and security at sea, and brought down experts from Fisheries, the Coast Guard and other agencies to give talks on those issues.
Among those in attendance was one of my favourite cousins, who, one month later, left for sea and, tragically, never returned!
To this day, I wonder whether there was something said that evening, which, might have helped him and his crewmates, but which they missed.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By TBNet on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 05:05 pm: Edit Post

FYI: Rebecca and I are working on something for an online memorial here.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Earl on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 06:20 pm: Edit Post

Good to hear about that, TBNet.
Positive start.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Shirley and Lloyd on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 09:59 pm: Edit Post

Earl your brother Lloyd and I second that idea. There should be a special tribute along with their pictures on this web site. Treasure beach had lost so many many wonderful men at sea.
Snow Boy was a prime example. One good thing that happening now most of the fishermen have cell phone to take to sea with them incase something happen they can always call for help.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rebecca on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 09:42 am: Edit Post

Actually Shirley, there is something in the works, thanks to your brother Earl.

We will keep you posted on the progess.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Williams on Monday, February 06, 2006 - 08:00 pm: Edit Post

Great job Earl, I lost my good friend moncrieff about 30yrs ago, he use to live up by Short Hill, I know that you all know him.
I would love to help with this effort


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sonia,John, Monica and Lyle on Monday, February 06, 2006 - 11:43 pm: Edit Post

Rebecca what a great idea of having an online memorial for those brave fisherman who lost their lives at sea on Snow Boy, my father Haldon Hill was one of them. Looking forward to see how it all comes together.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kory South on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 05:59 pm: Edit Post

I to agree that Earl has come up with a brilliant Idea with the monument,I will do my best to work on this idea and see how funds can be raised to make this a reality, as Earl has said it is a very important part of the history of the entire area.I want everyone to understand that this event is not just a dance, and that alot of time and energy has been put into it by alot of different people , we are going to have a program , it is going to be respectful, and it will be a night to remember and honor our fellow seamen, fathers ,sons brothers , cousins ,uncles ect.ect. We have in mind to light a candle as each name is read,and also release butterflies, and we want to pull this off in a sort of religious fashion.Us coordinators fully understand the importance of such an event,as we are fishermen ourselves, and what it means to everybody.
Sincerely Kory South and many local contributors to the event.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By TBNet on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 06:57 pm: Edit Post

As many of you know, today, Saturday the 11th, there was a memorial in Treasure Beach for Fishermen lost at sea.

We have been compiling a list of names on this site of the deceased and will be posting an online memorial to them in the next few days.

What we need though is some help from you to get all of them (72 currently) posted. If you'd like to help out, please send an email to us at webmaster@treasurebeach.net . It will basically be making new threads in this discussion board. Nothing hard, just a bit time consuming.

-TBNet