I thought a lot about the next contribution to this forum. I struggled with the question if this is the right place for this kind of message. Well for now, I think it is, considering the fact that in the past I reported about the good times we had with Sean and Blue Magic.
Requiem for a friend
Sometimes you meet people for the first time in a businesslike way. That’s how I met Sean Berkeley, two years ago. He sold big game fishing trips and I bought myself a day fishing aboard his ship Blue Magic. Me, being a Dutch sea fishing addict, with only a little experience in fishing the Tropics. Sean, the Pro in big game fishing, winner of several tournaments all over the Caribbean and used to catching Marlin, Tuna and all the other big fishes.
Right from that very first time we went offshore we found out that we shared the same thoughts about fishing, boating, taking care of gear and boat and so on. We developed a kind of friendship first based on fishing and later on personal grounds. Although, I was always his customer, he never gave me the feeling, I was buying his services. He became a personal friend, who happens to make a living out of sports fishing.
Last time we were in Tobago, April last, we fished the Tobago Game Fishing Tournament and spent a lot of time aboard Blue Magic. We had some good nights, eating, drinking, liming, at our apartment. Sean played with our little boy Sam, hugged Lia as she was a relative. We already made plans for next year to go out and hunt down some big Marlin at the height of the fishing season. Sean threaded us very gently while making up the balance for our trips. We didn’t even pay in cash, some of my fishing gear did settle the score. He didn’t want to take money of friends, was all he said. He waved us off while saying , ‘until next time, soon’.
After we left Tobago, Sean fished some tournaments in Barbados. St. Lucia and Tobago. He called us every week to tell about his fishing trips. How his 6 year old son caught his first Wahoo. About breaking a rod and still get the fish in the boat. The last time we called was on a Saturday night just before the Regatta. He made me a promise. I would definitely catch my first Marlin, next time. No matter how long it will take to find one. We had some fun on the phone and said goodbye. A goodbye for ever…..
Early morning, on the 11th of May, while driving home from the Crown Point area, Sean probably fell asleep, hit a tree and went over the side in a ravine. He died on the spot, at the age of 33, leaving behind his wife Martina, and his children Dominic and Christina.
Steve Pitts told us, by e-mail, the next day about the death of Sean. I, We, were totally shocked. Like a brick hit the back of my head. We had to do something. But what can you do, being in Holland with all the obligations you got in your normal busy life. We called an other friend on the Island, Barry St. George, one of Sean closest friends, handing him our condolences, asking him to bring our condolences to the family, and to see if we could do anything to help. We had some pictures and film with images of Sean. They needed them at the wake, the night before the burial.
The wake was one to be remembered. So was the funeral. To honour Sean, his friends threw a big party on Saturday night I the way Sean would have wanted it. That night Lia and I watched our video’s, looked at our pictures and had a few drinks with Sean in mind.
I thought a lot about Sean, these last weeks. Tobago, for me, will never be the same again without him. At first I told Lia, that I don’t want to go to Tobago anymore. In the meanwhile that has changed and we will go back as planned, only this time to visit his grave and pay our respects.
Sean’s boat, Blue Magic, is no longer moored in Scaraborough harbour. It’s now for sale in Trinidad. The main investor in the boat wants to sell it. Most of the guys that could skipper it, don’t want to. Just because of to the fact that they could never do it in the way Sean did it.
We were told by Barry that all of Sean’s relatives and friends are supporting Martina and helping out with the kids.
Everyone that knew him is missing him. Tobago has lost one of his finest man.
With respect,
Toine & Lia van Ierland
Rossum
The Netherlands
Tobago News article:
Sean Dominic Berkeley will be missed Friday, May 27th 2005
Sean Dominic Berkeley was the ultimate seaman. However, at the height of his achievement on the waters of the Caribbean Sea and in the midst of the annual Angostura Tobago Sailing Week, his life of 33 years on earth ended in a fatal motorcar accident in the wee hours of last week Wednesday.
Sean lived for the sea and his fellow sea colleagues remembered this when he died. A member of the well-respected Berkeley family of Scarborough, Sean grew up near the Scarborough waterfront and began his sea adventures by fishing and diving for conch on the rocks and reefs around Scarborough and eventually, all over Tobago.
Sean has left his wife Martina and two children, Dominic and Christina, to mourn his passing. He graduated into one of Tobago's finest seamen. As captain of the Blue Magic boat, he was a big winner in game fishing tournaments throughout the Caribbean and his room is adorned with a bountiful of trophies, which signifies his many tournament victories in game fishing. He recorded several catches of over 500 pounds.
Sean Berkeley was a huge name in Caribbean game fishing contests where he won Best Boat, Best Angler, Best Tag and Release Angler and Biggest Fish in a number of Caribbean islands.
Sean was a very loving human being and was one whom his friends could have depended on. He saved a number of lives of individuals who found themselves in difficulty in the sea. And one of his most heroic deeds was when he rescued six divers during the night. He was also responsible for the rescue of a Brazilian swimmer at Pigeon Point.
The entire sidewalks of Upper Scarborough were lit with candles and seamen and women from all over Tobago and Trinidad attended his 'wake' on the Scarborough waterfront. It was an unconventional wake. Seafood was readily available, while the seamen made sure that there was more than enough drinks for the large turnout, that came to show their appreciation for the departed 'brother'. It was a wonderful night as the sound system started playing gospel music, before the conscious styled music took center stage, while slides of his life's achievement were shown on a big screen on the waterfront.
Sean's popularity was evident on the day of the funeral. A massive traffic pile-up from the Victory Church at Sangster's Hill was evident. The approach to the public cemetery at Bacolet was jammed with hundreds who came to pay their last respects to Sean Berkeley, Gone but not forgotten.