Bev and I have just returned from an emotional weekend where we supported Alistair's wife Helen, his mother Anne, two sisters Rose and Mia and her husband, in scattering Alistair's ashes in The Solent. Dave Ardron arranged for a pal to provide a 37ft yacht to make the trip.

The weather was flat calm which was a shame - it would have been good to show them some Fastnet conditions - but probably for the best! At East Knoll channel marker Dave read the poem 'I Must Go Down to The Sea Again' after which Helen and Mia put Alistair's ashes into the water in a package designed specially to float for a minute then break up and submerge. A couple of minutes of quiet reflection followed. After this we did the decent thing and completely emptied a bottle of Alistair's favourite rum, Diplomatico, he would have liked this at 0830 hrs!! 

It was a difficult task but we were man and women enough in his memory. After this we played a sea shanty which DA had made for the event.  Then followed a selection from the hundreds of stories Dave and I shared with Alistair in our numerous sailing adventures to the delight of his family. Of course we had to finish the committal with a rousing version of The Lobster Song. His sister Mia and her husband are both vicars but joined in wholeheartedly with taking manful sized servings of Diplomatico and singing the bawdy Lobster Song. 

On return to Hamble mooring we had a drink in The RAF Yacht Club bar where we presented Helen with a framed chart of the Solent with the spot Alistair was put into the water (East Knoll). As I say, all very emotional, but we also had a fun time celebrating his life and sailing adventures.