Samuel Gibson, second from left

We were very saddened to hear about the passing of Samuel Gibson earlier this week. Samuel was born with a rare condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disorder that makes for brittle bones that fracture easily, however this did not stop him from being an inspirational speaker, a World traveller, Adventurer, Entrepreneur, Husband, and father to two gorgeous little girls.

We were privileged to meet him last year when he and four Sailors with disabilities from the Hawkes Bay, made history by successfully crossing Cook Strait in single handed, 3.6m, Hansa Access Liberty Dinghies from Picton Marina right over to Mana Marina.

The example that they all showed us last year in achieving the Cook Strait sail was just fantastic – inspiring and uplifting.

You can see the crossing from Samuel’s perspective here, in this brilliant go-pro video on which he recorded the journey from start to finish.

Our condolences are with his family and friends at this sad time.