Man died getting fish for funeral
Family say he was experienced boatie who misjudged wave on Manukau Bar
An Auckland man was heading out to get fish for a relative’s funeral when his boat flipped while negotiating the notorious Manukau Bar. Joe Williams was a well-respected and certified fisherman but his uncle and family spokesman, Charlie Borrell, says it appears as though a misjudgment of a wave has cost the father of three his life.
Borrell, whose son Augustine was murdered in 2007, told the Herald it had been a year of tragedy for the Williams family after losing their son earlier this year before Borrell’s brother, Rev Manihi Tereora, died this month.
It was for Tereora’s funeral that Williams, together with two of his younger cousins, decided to go out on a sunny Saturday morning to get fish to help feed mourners. But they didn’t make it out.
Borrell said it appeared a simple mistake saw Williams’ boat get flipped by a wave.
“They just turned the boat at the wrong time and the boat then went on an angle where the wave was able to flip it over, so they misjudged the wave as it came through at that particular time and before they knew it they were upside down.”
However, he said the family said they were just happy that they didn’t lose more lives as the two survivors were stranded in the water until they were rescued by Pukekohe fisherman Murray Kayes.
Kayes liaised with emergency services as he loaded his boat with the two survivors and Williams before driving the boat to Little Huia to meet emergency crews.
Borrell said they were appreciative of the efforts in rescuing the trio.
He said his nephew was an enthusiastic and experienced fisherman and was equipped with his skipper’s certificate.
“However, in this case there was just some poor judgment . . . out there on the bar is a notorious place in the Manukau, and he’s been out there many times, but you’ve got to be on top of things and in that case they made some wrong judgment at the wrong time.
“They all had lifejackets but they were all caught real quick.”
He said Williams was a “wonderful man” who would be dearly missed.
Borrell said at least with the passing of his brother, they had time to say goodbye.
However, Williams’ death had come as a complete shock and another shock for his own family after he and wife Martha lost their son earlier this year.
Williams, a grandfather of 11, was the weakest of the three boat occupants; he was five years into remission for cancer and also had a heart condition.
Other than fishing and family, playing darts with his mates at O¯ta¯huhu was his passion.
Joe Williams was to be farewelled by family in a private service last night at the Anglican Church in Ma¯ngere, before he is buried at the Ma¯ngere Lawn Cemetery this morning.
The two survivors were okay physically, but dealing with the mental trauma of what happened. “Mentally they’re still a little bit distraught and keep trying to look back at what they could have done differently.”
Borrell himself is no stranger to grief, having his 17-year-old son, Augustine, murdered at the hands of then 18-year-old Haiden Mark Davis.
Davis was on Monday released on parole after serving just over 10 years in prison for Augustine’s murder.
He was given a life sentence with the 10-year minimum term in 2009 after being found guilty of the Auckland Grammar School student’s death.
Borrell said Davis’ release came as a surprise but the family was in the middle of dealing with the two family deaths and just wanted to move on.