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Appreciation For Michael Heath By Katharine Bevan


Picture of 'Michael Heath' provided by Katharine Bevan

I first met Mike in 2006 in Vassiliki, arguably Mike's favourite place. We had a fantastic weeks sailing. In the afternoons when the wind goes cross-shore and stronger, I would go out with Mike, him at the helm and me on the trapeze. He was a brilliant sailor. At the end of the week, on race day, Mike and I dressed as pirates and competed as a team. Obviously the aim was not to win, just to have a laugh, Mike had made a list of pirating phrases we had to get in all day, and of course he did with great verve and enthusiasm.

This was the beginning of a firm, all too short, friendship, which was often centred around meeting up in the evenings, to enjoy great food and wine in various different locations. Whatever we did, the evenings inevitably ended with uncontrollable laughing usually at something fairly ridiculous.

Mike was worried that we would forget him, and had beautiful bracelets made for several of his close friends inscribed with "ne m'oubliez" - don't forget me. I will remember Mike, not how he was in his last months, but in Vassiliki in the sun, proud, holding his race day trophy, looking back at me with that broad beaming smile of his.

Added on: 15 August 2010