Lin & Larry Pardey sailing Seraffyn Photo: Facebook

Lin and Larry Pardey met in 1965. Lin was 21. Larry was 26. He was a sailor and shipwright and was beginning to build a 24′ engineless Lyle Hess designed cutter, to be named Seraffyn, in which he planned on sailing the world. Lin offered to help. They married in 1968.

In their 52 year marriage, they would sail over 200,000 miles together, circumnavigating the world both east-about and west-about. They would also write 12 books on their voyages, as well as on seamanship, and boat construction. With their mantra, “Go Small, Go Simple, Go Now,” they inspired an entire generation of cruising sailors.

Sadly, in recent years Larry has suffered from Parkinson’s and Parkinsonian dementia. He died last night. Lin posted this message on Facebook this morning.

“We were put on this earth to help each other.” A few weeks ago, I was on the phone with Mike Anderson, who once asked Larry for a hand on a boat restoration project. I’d asked Mike. “When you think of Larry, what is the first thing that comes to mind?” He hadn’t hesitated, “It was the answer he gave when I tried to thank him.” Last night, Larry died peacefully at the rest home where he has been carried for over the past year since suffering a major stroke. He is now at peace after several years of suffering from Parkinson’s and Parkinsonian dementia. His memory will always be with me not only because he was a wonderful partner, lover and husband but also because, if anyone can be said to have gained the most from the generous help he was always ready to offer, it was me. With the current Covid-19 preventing international travel, he will be cremated tomorrow after a quiet ceremony. A celebration of his life will bring as many of his friends together as possible at the end of October. Should you like to help keep his memory alive, you can make a small donation to help maintain and expand the Larry Pardey Memorial Observatory at the childrens camp here at Kawau Island.