A grieving fishing community gathered at the Oistins jetty on Thursday to honour two men still missing at sea, as families sought closure after more than two months of uncertainty and an extensive but unsuccessful search.
The salt spray and crashing of waves set a poignant tone for a sombre service to honour Othniel Harewood and Zhi Cai Su.
The two men have been missing at sea for over two months, and while search efforts have yet to yield a recovery, the memorial service served as a necessary step towards closure for a community defined by its relationship with the unpredictable Atlantic.
The ceremony was marked by spiritual reflection and the traditions of the sea. Attendees joined in a rendition of the hymn “Lead us, Heavenly Father, lead us,” before listening to scripture about the wonders and perils of the deep.
In a moving tribute to the “sons of the sea”, family members and fellow mariners cast floral wreaths and loose petals into the water, a symbolic gesture of letting go and honouring the final voyage of the missing men.
Officiating minister Reverend Ricardo Alleyne spoke to the unique character required to work the waves, describing the missing men as individuals of immense courage and perseverance. He noted that it takes a special kind of person to put to sea, often with only the stars for guidance and God as their master, to provide for their families and the nation.
“We gather to honour these two sons of the sea who have completed their last voyage,” Reverend Alleyne said, adding that while the loss has brought great grief to the “face of all sins”, the community must celebrate the spirit of those who provide for the plates of Barbados.
Karusha Savoury, Othniel Harewood’s second daughter, expressed her gratitude for the national effort and the support of the Fisherfolk Association. She described the difficulty of the past few months, explaining that while her family tends to grieve internally, the coordinated efforts of the Coast Guard – which included drone searches and regional alerts – provided a sense of peace.
Karusha Savoury, daughter of missing fisherman Othneil Harewood.
“I never thought that I would have a memorial service for my father in this way,” Savoury said. “But the service was very well planned, and I really appreciate what the fisherfolks [have] done and what the ministry has done to put this together to honour my father.”
Regarding the long search, she said: “I’m satisfied he’s at peace, and as I say, God is in charge, not me. Whatever is God’s will is God’s will. I can’t say that I like fighting towards it, but after this period of time, whatever God does is what God does.”
Despite the sombre nature of the memorial, a flicker of hope remains within the fishing industry. Neil “Cougar” Bourne, President of the Oistins Fisherfolk Association, emphasised that in the world of fishing, the true celebration is always the safe return home rather than the catch itself.
Neil _Cougar_ Bourne President of the Oistins Fisherfolk Association.
He noted that the interlocking nature of the Caribbean islands means survival is always possible, even after a long period of silence.
“The theory about fishing… they don’t celebrate the catch of a fisherman, they celebrate a safe return home to his family, and that is the main thing,” Bourne explained.
He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the ocean but held onto the resilience of the men he represents. “I do see fishermen go to survival mode. We have boats gone from here end up in Puerto Rico. We have boats in the Honduras… every fisherman, once he hasn’t sunk, I think he has a chance of surviving.”
As the flowers drifted away from the jetty, the overwhelming sentiment of the moment was that whether the men return or have found their eternal home, they remained “special people” whose courage is woven into the fabric of the Barbadian identity.
For the families, the service provided a “sign of release” allowing them to navigate their grief as their hopes for the two fishermen’s return appear also to drift away.
(RR)
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