Donald Crowhurst and the Teignmouth Electron is the saddest thing I have heard this week.
1968-1969 the Englishman who was nothing better than a weekend yachtsman entered, competed and cheated in the first ever single manned yachting race around the world. Instead of keeping to the race course, Crowhurst circled the Atlantic by the coast of Brazil and would radio back false reports of his location. Alone in the ocean Crowhurst steadily became unbalanced and his radioing and telegraphing became more and more confusing and erratic. He kept two ships logs, one fabricated and the other real.
Another competitior, having been informed of Crowhursts fake position, pushed his boat to the extremes to try and catch up to where he thought Crowhurst was. The boat later capsized and sank, and the man had to be rescued by the Navy.
Three weeks before his triumphant return to England was expected, the Teignmouth was found abandoned and floating in the Atlantic. It is assumed that Crowhurst comitted suicide by leaping into the sea. His ships log was full of rambling thoughts and disturbing imagery. It is assumed that at some point The Teignmouth today is decaying on a beach in the carribbean.
A rail off the Teignmouth hangs in the Upper Deck of Neptune Court in the National Maritime Museum. Carved upon it are the words "It is the Mercy", from one of Crowhurst's last entries. He wrote.. "Suddenly you realis what's done is done and the mistakes you made, stand forever. It is finished... it is is finished. It is the Mercy."
A reminder that anyone who crosses the sea puts himself at her mercy, and is their plaything.
