Tribute to Captain Oldrich Mazurek on the anniversary of his tragic death

24.JUN.11

Suddenly, and without warning, one from the old guard of Czech yachtsmen, Oldrich Mazurek, left us. He left the world as a real sailor and captain by tragic death while trying to save, without success, his two reckless cruise members from drowning. His destiny has not become the depth of the dark sea, but the unsalted water – a shifty vortex of the falls of Trinity Falls at the island St. Vincent in the Caribbean Sea, which he visited many times and knew the region well. Here, his old and beautiful boat VERONIKA, rebuilt by himself, has waited for him – a captain. For almost 10 years, the boat was in the port in Otley Hall Bay being prepared for the last stage of sailing around the world. The boat has also ended a journey, as did the captain of the boat, at the same island, on June 29, 2010.

Olda was born 29th of November, 1948 in Staré Mesto. He was a Renaissance man, a man of many professions and interests. During his successful professional journey as a dancer (for example in the world-known dancing group Laterna Magica), he graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in Prague, but he was simultaneously a reputable professional photographer, a brave traveler and especially an excellent sailor with a respect for the sea, which is really rare nowadays. His greatest passion and love was the sea.

He started at the beginning of the 80th in Poland, where went through a really tough training of sailors and later went to the Mediterranean region. At the end, he fell into love with Caribbean sea and his real home became the Lesser Antilles, where he sailed in 1991 with his beautiful boat Veronika (type Baltik, 33 feet, e.g. 9,9 metres), and anchored in the home place at the island Palm Island near to his real friend and traveler John Caldwell, in the real paradise of the southern Grenadines, which he started to visit regularly for couple months every year.

Olda was and is also now a popular person in all the Windward Islands and has been called the Santa Claus of Caribbean due to his habit of always bringing small presents to his friends. He was everywhere and his soul felt at home there. There was not a bay, where he would not be familiar, or where he would not have friends among the owners of hotels or the poor fishermen, or even the shark on the reef of Sandy Island, which really liked him. In 1998, he became familiar as the popular, entertaining, and respected professional charter captain who paid for the disobedience of the two of his cruise members.

He worked especially at the catamarans, which are ideal for the Caribbean region, but he was also attached to the boats, where he served as a captain of the satisfied clientele, which really enjoyed the trips with him. As a certified yachting instructor of the Ministry of Transportation of Czech Republic he also offered his experience to the beginning yachtsmen, and one of the first was his son Richard who is today an excellent charter captain sailing across the world, and who also never forgets his second home in Caribbean, where he first cruised with his father Oldo and grew up with him to become a new captain. Olda is well known and has many friends all over the world. People loved him and cannot forget him. He was remembered for the last time by his friends and thousands of people in the Church of Holly Mary Winning in Prague at Malá Strana and later in the Sailor’ s Pub at the Císarská Louka. He found his final rest at home in Staré Mesto, 26th of July, 2010. Let the memory of Olda to accompany us across the all oceans and seas of the world.

He jumped into water to save his drowning passengers

The Trinity Falls are situated at Walliabou river, at the Leeward side of the island St. Vincent. It is a beautiful region full of natural wonders. In this remote area is the virgin rain forest with the rivers and springs and the rocky and mountainous terrain. The Trinity Falls has been called due to the three descents and they belong to the splendid natural beauty. Despite a warning by the captain Olda Mazurek who guided the boat Tequila, the 71-year-old reckless member of the cruise went to swim to the falls. There is a strong vortex under the fall, which cannot be mastered even by the best swimmer. The woman encountered problems and her husband (70 years old) tried to save her. At the same time, captain of the boat Oldrich Mazurek offered his help. He offered all of his effort to save the members of this cruise, but the cruel natural element won despite his attempts. The falls finally returned three dead bodies.

It happened on June 29, 2010 at 12:30 p.m. A captain – a hero will never see his yacht called “Tequilla”, he never will make his loved ones and closest ones happy. The unhappiness was even more cruel because at the same time, carnival was taking place in St. Vincent. The sadness has spread out everywhere because Olda was very valued and loved in many places he visited. The cruise and his son Richard were not left abandoned in unhappiness and by themselves, because many local people offered support and help. A person who helped most was his personal friend Dennis Ambrose, the Governmental Representative for Carnival and also Minister Dr. Jerrol Thompson.

Richard Mazurek
www.caribsurf.cz