Endurance Award for cruising sailors, new worldwide award for 2014

by Daria Blackwell, Ocean Cruising Club on 7 Mar 2014 The Ocean Cruising Club (The OCC) announced the recipients of the OCC Awards for 2013 at the London Boat Show in January. Subsequent to that, a US group of OCC members who had instituted a regional trophy called The Endurance Award some years back approached the Committee about opening the award to all members of OCC.

The Award was enthusiastically endorsed and the first winner under the new rules was announced: Colin Jarman of s/v May Morning.

The Endurance Award is linked to the achievements of Sir Ernest Shackelton who, despite incredible challenges, never gave up on Antarctic exploration or on his crew. It is awarded 'To a member who demonstrates indomitable spirit and perseverance in the face of adversity'.

The first recipient was Jocelyn Hellstrom, who was the inspiration for the award. She and Erik brought Havsvind to the Chesapeake. Anne Hallett first suggested that the OCC try to recognize her incredible story - a circumnavigator with her first husband, she was struck with lung cancer, had a lung removed, recovered and resumed offshore sailing with Erik, her second husband.

The second awardee was Rebecca Shaw, a very experienced offshore sailor who nearly died in an auto accident in Greece during a Mediterranean cruise, and recovered to resume sailing despite her injuries.

The third recipient was Wolfgang Reuter, also a lifelong offshore sailor who was hospitalized in critical condition with congestive heart failure, hung on despite all odds, and bought a new boat, fitted it out so that he could do kidney dialysis aboard, and resumed sailing.

Ironically, Fred Hallett who initiated the prize was the fourth awardee, who considers himself the least heroic. He fell off a ladder while trimming tree branches, landed on a concrete driveway, broke his femur and permanently damaged his left shoulder. The femur did not heal correctly, had to be removed and replaced together with a metal hip joint. Fred has resumed sailing with some added boat gadgets to compensate for things he can no longer do.

The Endurance Award:

Colin Jarman s/v May Morning

While battling cancer and enduring multiple surgeries and chemotherapy, Colin bent publication deadlines to get the OCC Newsletter out without fail. Having just purchased 20-ft fixer-upper May Morning, he also battled the frustration of being unable to start the work on her she so badly needed. However, determined not to let things get the better of him, in the words of his nominator 'it’s Colin’s love of being out sailing and the support of his wife Mary that has kept him going steadfastly forward.' Dedication and determination have been instrumental both in his recovery and in his restoration project. Colin has been an inspiration to the members of the OCC.
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This is the final list of OCC Award Winners (announced January 2014 and revised 28 February 2014) Awards will be presented at the OCC Annual Awards Ceremony on board HQS Wellington in London on Saturday 12th April 2013
In Brief:
? The Barton Cup Jeanne Socrates
? OCC Award of Merit (2) Herb Hilgenberg, Laura Dekker
? OCC Award Anne Hammick
? The Vasey Vase Jarlath Cunnane
? The Rose Medal Paul Heiney
? The Rambler Medal Richard Hudson
? The Jester Medal (2) Ewen Southby-Tailyour, Trevor Leek
? The Australian Trophy Ian & Jo Johnstone, with children Gill and Keely
? Geoff Pack Memorial Award Skip Novak
? The David Wallis Trophy Chris Wilkie & Margaret Beasley
? The Water Music Trophy Duncan & Ria Briggs
? The Qualifier’s Mug Emma Buckels
? The Port Officer Medal (5) Derrick Allen, Sam Crowley, Dick Davidson, Alfredo Lagos, Ian Nicolson
? The Endurance Award Colin Jarman
? OCC Seamanship Award Dan Alonso


About the Ocean Cruising Club:
The Ocean Cruising Club exists to encourage long-distance sailing in small boats. A Full Member of the OCC must have completed a non-stop port-to-port ocean passage, where the distance between the two ports is not less than 1,000 nautical miles as measured by the shortest practical Great Circle route, as skipper or member of the crew in a vessel of not more than 70ft LOA; associate members are committed to the achievement of that goal. For more information on the Ocean Cruising Club, go to their website.