CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Nathan Ryan’s life was never the same after Sept. 13, 2011.
That was the day his father died, just shy of Nathan's 21st birthday,
His dad, Bill, had been sitting in the Charlottetown Yacht Club when he overheard some other members saying they were waiting for a ride to their moored boat.
Always looking to lend a hand, Bill offered to take them in his 25-foot sailboat, the Lunasea.
When they arrived at the moored boat, Bill jumped off first, slipped and fell into deep water, hitting his head as he went.
Though the people he ferried tried to save him with a life-ring, no one knew how to swim and Bill lost his life.
It took a long time for Nathan to come to terms with the accident, but the fact Bill died offering help, for no reason other than he was there, made things the smallest bit easier, he said.
“That’s one piece I can actually be at peace with because at least he died doing something he loved – helping other people.”
In the aftermath, Nathan struggled. He lost his job and was forced to sell the boat.
Now, eight years later and with a computer systems information diploma under his belt, he works for the government of P.E.I. and is ready to buy the Lunasea back. He just needs some help.
Nathan found the boat purely by chance as he browsed boat randomly on Kijiji to kill time on his lunch break on Aug. 14.
He recognized the boat immediately, he said.
“It was the same trailer and he made the cushions, so I knew right away that that was the boat. I was floored.”
Bill had bought the boat as a way to bond with his son, but Nathan was terrified, so Bill signed him into the junior sailing program at the Charlottetown Yacht Club.
After his first few sailings, Nathan fell in love.
“When sailing, it’s not the same as a fishing boat with the roaring motor, you know. There’s something poetic about it, where just the only thing guiding you is nature itself: the wind and the waves and just you and the open water.”
After finding the boat online, Nathan thought about what to do, until he said, “screw it,” and reached out to the seller.
Nathan told him his story and the seller agreed to hold the boat. Later that day Nathan set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the $2,800 price tag, he said.
“It’s not really in the cards for me to have $3,000 to throw around.”
It has only been a few days and he has already passed 25 per cent of his goal. If he exceeds it, the extra money will go toward the junior sailing program at the Charlottetown Yacht Club.
If Nathan gets the boat he plans to make sure it’s in tip-top shape over the winter and have it sea-worthy for next year.
“And give it it’s old name back.”
Click here for Nathan's GoFundMe page
