I think everybody who sails has vividly imagined some variation of this nightmare: you leave a crew member alone on deck for a while to catch some sleep below, and when you come back on deck you find your crew is missing. Disappeared, with no clue what happened to them. So it was in reality for poor Pete Hill, who departed Durban, South Africa, bound for Madagascar on Thursday with his wife Carly aboard their 33-foot junk-rigged wood-epoxy catamaran Oryx. Hill reportedly went below for a nap at some point on Friday afternoon, while the boat was still just 6 miles off the South African coast, and when he awoke Carly was gone. After a fruitless two-day search by South African authorities, Carly Hill, age 58, is now presumed to be dead.
Pete Hill, now age 65, has been a full-time live-aboard bluewater cruiser for all his adult life and has long been an avid proponent of junk rigs. He built his latest boat, a modified KD 860 design by Bernd Kohler, with Carly’s help in England during 2012 and since then the two of them have cruised in the boat across the Atlantic to Brazil via the Canaries and Cape Verdes and from there to South Africa.
Carly, a native of South Africa, had chronicled their adventures on both her Facebook page and on her blog.
Oryx was hauled out in South Africa for a refit, her first since being launched in 2012, whereupon it was discovered that one keel, unbeknownst to Pete and Carly, had gone missing
Pete works on fabricating a new keel
Carly works at sprucing up the interior
Pete first gained notoriety as a cruiser sailing his junk-rigged Jay Benford-designed dory Badger with his then-wife Annie Hill during the 1980s and early 1990s. Annie’s most excellent book, Voyaging On A Small Income (1993), laid out the essentials of their low-budget cruising lifestyle and philosophy and is considered a classic by cruising literature cognoscenti. Pete and Annie went their separate ways after Pete started in on his next self-built boat, the biplane-rigged catamaran China Moon, and the couple divorced in 2001.
Badger under sail
China Moon under sail, with Pete Hill at the helm
Oryx, like China Moon, carries a biplane junk rig and is seen here with Carly on the helm and Pete on deck
Another view of Oryx under sail. Pete seems to have developed his own unique variation of a junk rig
I’ve never met Pete Hill, but I have long admired him, and my heart goes out to him now. And also to Carly’s family. What an awful tragedy.
We have to assume, of course, that Carly somehow fell overboard, and I know there are many out there right now who are clucking their tongues thinking she should have been clipped in wearing a harness. But we’ll never know if that really would have made a difference here. So let’s save the should-you-constantly-wear-a-harness debate for another time and focus instead on simply honoring the loss of Carly.
UPDATE, June 25: Noonsite, which republished the post above, has received a statement from Pete Hill regarding the loss of his wife:
I am very sorry to have to tell you that on Friday 19th June Carly was lost at sea.
We set sail from Durban on the Thursday towards Madagascar and by Friday morning we were about 50 miles NE of Durban. After breakfast together I turned in at 8 o’clock to catch up on my sleep and woke again at 10 o’clock.
The sailor’s worst nightmare, Carly was no longer on board.
The wind was blowing westerly at 10 to 12 knots with a moderate sea on a clear sunny day and Oryx was sailing at about 5.5 knots under the self-steering. I dropped the sails and tried an all ships mayday on the VHF, but with no replies and no ships in sight. We were 6.5 miles off the coast and had no mobile phone reception.
The Navionics tablet app had been running our course so I decided to run back along our track under engine to try and find her. I searched until I arrived back at our pre 0800 position and then went inshore to call for help by telephone. I contacted the NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) who started to organise an air and sea search. I went back out and started a zig-zag search back along our track. A couple of hours later 3 helicopters arrived and started a search pattern and shortly afterwards 2 NSRI rescue boats arrived from Durban. I later found out that there was also a light aircraft searching at a higher altitude (with thermal imaging and surface radar).
At last light the search was called off for the night and I went inshore to anchor for the night.
The next morning I went back out to the track and continued the search heading SW and was shortly joined by the two NSRI boats. They had to return to Durban at noon because of low fuel while I continued the search until the sun set, when I sailed back to Durban.
The NSRI coordinated the search using unprecedented resources in a very efficient manner, but we failed to find Carly.
The only small consolation is that in the last few weeks Carly has spent a lot of time with her daughter Irene and more recently with her son Dylan, who lives in Durban, and especially, much time with her delightful 3 year old granddaughter Hannah.
Pete Hill
Deepest condolences to Pete and Carly’s families in their time of grieving.
So sorry to hear of this tragic loss…condolences to Pete and families.
Carly, I’m still pulling for you lady. Show up.
So sad to read this tragic news, my thoughts and prayers go out to Pete in this difficult time.
My prayers to you and your families.
I just can’t imagine the pain. Soooooo sorry.
Condolences to Pete & Carly’s family
Lets hope for a miracle, that’s all we can hope for. What was the weather at the time? Condolences to Pete & Carly’s families.
I had read her book, ‘Voyaging On A Small Income’, and the plain talk way that it is written makes you feel like you were getting advise from a friend. I am sorry for Pete’s loss. My wife and I live and cruise together on a catamaran, and being just the two of us alone at sea, I believe, makes us closer than the average couple. Sadly I can imagine how alone he now must feel.
Prayers to Carly, Pete and their family and friends.
My condolences to you Pete. May God be with you and with Carly where ever her body may be and bring her to a place that you maybe able to see her and put your mind at rest. A true nightmare come to life. And I am saddened by it deeply. I pray hope and wish for a miracle for you and your family Pete. Be strong Captain! Regards Laura
So deeply sorry and prayers to everyone who loves her and him.
Good winds to where you are. And may God give all the comfort to your family.
I bought the plans for the Badger and began building it but ran out of determination.
My condolences to you Pete.
Deeply sad !
Why is this article almost entirely about Pete and not Carly? So weird.
@Christian: I’m sorry, but I know very little about Carly. Now doesn’t seem a good time to pester her family with questions. Got tired of that ghoulish game when I worked for a daily newspaper. I wrote about Pete because I know who he is, have always admired him, and now feel very bad for him. When I learn more about Carly, I’ll be sure to share it. Thanks for your comment.
You are thinking of his first wife Annie Hill.
Man oh man what a tragic loss. Condolences to Pete and families
Incredibly saddened by this news. Was our biggest nightmare which thankfully never eventuated. RIP Carley. Deepest condolences Pete.
Great sorrow for your loss, Pete. Rest in peace Carly.
Thoughts are with you Peter…
My deepest sympathy, Peter. I’m so sorry for your loss. Prayers.
Peter am so sorry for your loss. Have not seen you in a long time. You were at Old Bay Marina in Jones Creek MD. Loved the China Moon. All the best to you and Carly’s family. God Speed my friend.
Je ne peux imaginer la douleur que pete est sa famille mes je me joins à leurs deuils. Mes sincères condoléances
So sorry Pete.
Pete I can’t imagine how you must feel. My heart goes out to you and Carly’s family. I don’t know if you read these comments but if you do, remember happier times and the friends who are thinking of you now.
Eish, bro! Condolences, rePete.