Inspiration

This blog entry is dedicated to the memory of Kevin’s father Frank Penney who has been the main inspiration behind our trip and who lost his fight against cancer last night at 4am.

Frank was diagnosed with liver and lung cancer over a year ago only a few months short of retirement, having had barely a day of sickness his entire working life. It came as a shock to everyone in someone so fit and healthy and made us both think about the preciousness of life and the vital importance to make the most of each moment we have. Kevin had also lost his mother Brenda when she was only 39 years old due to a heart condition, so this news was really the final push to for us to start making definite plans.

Frank showed the steely determination for which he (and his sons) are known and put up a fight not expected in any of the textbooks. He received chemotherapy to reduce the tumours but we were told they could not be treated, but he continued on with life even taking a holiday to Cyprus with his partner Rose. However, recently he was diagnosed with further tumours in his brain which caused quite a rapid deterioration in his condition despite his continued fight. The last three weeks Frank was between hospital and his home and had an opportunity to finalise his affairs and say his goodbyes. It was through one night at home which Kevin spent with him that they talked through the details of our trip in the early hours, showing him pictures of the boat and reading the details of the ocean currents and trade winds from the Atlantic Islands Pilot guide. He was amused with our choice of boat name – Invincible – he & Kevin are both keen historians, particularly military. The boat name came to Kevin the day we walked down the jetty to hand over the keys to our previous beloved boat which had given us our first taste of adventure. It was a very emotional day, on which later in our favourite restaurant we got engaged.

The day after next, Frank could not be woken and was taken back to Wigan General Hospital by ambulance. Kevin was with Frank later after he had regained consciousness and the consultant came round to see him and ask him if he could remember coming round in the ambulance. Frank’s response was that he thought he had been sailing across the Atlantic, this was a special moment to us and brings tears to my eyes even now as I write this to think that he will be with us in spirit on our trip and that perhaps the thought of it gave him some relief and comfort.

Our boat name was dedicated to Frank, to a love of history and we think gives a touch of irony too on a 36 footer! Frank asked about it again on another recent visit but had remembered it as Indefatigable, which again seemed entirely apt as Frank continued to fight through the terrible pain of his condition. So we decided that had better be the name of our tender, I hope that Zodiac and Honda will live up to the name!

Frank Penney
25/09/1941 – 17/08/2007
May he rest in peace