Vale Monte

[GordMay]

Deepest sympathies, and condolences to Jen, and all who knew & loved Monte.

[boatman61]

Damn that's a blow... and a reminder that today is all we really have and everything else but a memory..

I met Rob and Jen in Bari, Italy when I collected Sephina for delivery to its new owner.. not often I meet someone as skinny as me..
A really nice guy with a great sense of humour and a thirst for fun and adventure.. a kindred spirit..

I for one will definitely miss him on here.. even more so as I was hoping to run into him again in a few weeks.
Jen.. my sincere sympathies and sorrow at this news and as stated by others.. if I can be of any help to you in the future let me know.

[Prairie Chicken]

This is very sad news. Although I never med Monte I knew him as one of the 'good' guys. His genuine & beneficial posts will be missed.

My condolences to Jenn & others so tragically affected by his passing.

[katsumi]

Very sorry and shocked to hear. I always enjoyed reading anything Monte would post. Our condolences to Jen and family. He will be missed here that is for sure.

[a64pilot]

I'm at a complete loss, don't know what to say.
I hope Jen is with people that can help.
Was this out of the blue, unexpected, or were they able to prepare a little? He does look too young, and very fit in the picture.

[Mike OReilly]

Sad news indeed. Like most here, I only knew Monte through his posts. He always seemed like a nice, reasonable guy who spoke about what he knew. But most importantly of all, he lived the way too many of us only dream about.

He appears way too young to be gone so soon, but death comes to all of us, and can come at any time -- regardless of age. His life is a reminder (at least to me) of not waiting too long. He and his wife were/are out there. They are living a life worth living.

It's small consolation to Jen and the family right now, but from this distance it appears Monte lived a good life. I raise my glass to you

[Wendi]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'm at a complete loss, don't know what to say.
I hope Jen is with people that can help.
Was this out of the blue, unexpected, or were they able to prepare a little? He does look too young, and very fit in the picture.

He had a heart attack. Jen said that she tried to save him, but couldn't. There is a service being held next week, also a group planning a paddle out before the service, in Australia. Check th fb page for details. The fb page is SV Sephina.

[Time2Go]

Sad and stunning news indeed
I never met Monte in person but always enjoyed his contributions
to us all. Just recently he responded to a post of mine
regarding Bay Of Biscay, Unselfishly sharing his experiences with a way more novice sailor. Everybody has a list of people they
would like to meet up with someday because they just have a good feeling
about the person, Monte was on mine.
Heartfelt condolences to all his family

[wrwakefield]

This is sad and stunning news. Though our interactions were few, and limited to this forum, Monte couldn't help but reveal himself as a consummate gentleman, sailor, and generous friend to all who dared.

Jen, please accept these condolences from a stranger who was also touched.

Adieu, Monte. You will be missed.

Bill

[Tayana42]

Jen, I'm very sorry to learn of your loss. Monte gave so freely of himself to others on this forum. Even now he gives us all the reminder that life is sweet when we pursue our dream but there is no guarantee of a tomorrow. So the best we can do is take time to see the beauty around us each day. I believe Monte did see the beauty.


S/V B'Shert

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Sad news indeed. Like most here, I only knew Monte through his posts. He always seemed like a nice, reasonable guy who spoke about what he knew. But most importantly of all, he lived the way too many of us only dream about.

He appears way too young to be gone so soon, but death comes to all of us, and can come at any time -- regardless of age. His life is a reminder (at least to me) of not waiting too long. He and his wife were/are out there. They are living a life worth living.

It's small consolation to Jen and the family right now, but from this distance it appears Monte lived a good life. I raise my glass to you

^^^^^^^

Hard for me to say it any better. I too knew little about Monte but appreciated and often learned from his posts, and of course knew of his full-time commitment to the cruising lifestyle and extensive experience. Not long ago it seems it was a very informative seamanship/navigation thread involving the proper interpretation & application of the often confusing COLREGS. Thanks to Monte, Jackdale, Dockhead and several others, the discussion contributed some needed fine points to my understanding, and I'm sure many others. It's that combination of knowledge and actual experience, along with a willingness & patience to share, that makes CF so valuable. Monte will definitely be missed around here.

[Polux]

Life is such a precious and fragile thing and even so news like this comes quite unexpectedly, in a shocking way and remind us all of our mortality.

Didn't know Monte personally but I appreciated his participation on the forums and he was one of the people around that I would like to know (and to sail with). My deepest condolences to his wife.

[Cheechako]

Wow. So sorry to all his friends and family.

[Hud3]

How unbearably sad for Jen, and what a terrible loss for all of us on CF. I always enjoyed Monte's posts, and respected him for the knowledge he freely shared.

I can truly feel Jen's pain. My wife died of a sudden heart attack 11 months ago here at home. I tried to save her, just as Jen did with Monte. I couldn't.

There's a passage I just read in a novel by John Irving that struck a chord with me.

When someone you love dies, and you're not expecting it, you don't lose her all at once; you lose her in pieces over a long time—the way the mail stops coming, and her scent fades from the pillows and even from the clothes in her closet and drawers. Gradually, you accumulate the parts of her that are gone. Just when the day comes—when there's a particular missing part that overwhelms you with the feeling that she's gone, forever—there comes another day, and another specifically missing part.

He got it right. The sudden loss of a loved one is a very hard thing to accept, a very hard thing to deal with. You keep living it over and over. Jen, I hope you can work your way through the waves of grief that you'll experience and find peace.

[zeehag]

wow. dayumm. r i p .
jenn celebrate his life.
is a sad time for those surviving the individual who dies.
final stage of life isnt spozed to come until old and feeble.
he was LIVING his life.