Adam earned his master’s degree in theology last year and a master’s in divinity degree from the seminary in 2000. He was involved in Fuller’s Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts since then, Messick said.
The Seattle couple, Phyllis Macay, 59, and Bob Riggle, 67, had been on a world tour on their own yacht, the Gaia, but recently joined up with the Adams on the Quest. Macay, according to Furniture Today, was on sabbatical from her job as vice president of training development for Profitability Consulting Group, which specializes in working with furniture retailers. John Eggers, the company’s chief executive officer, told the publication that Macay had requested a sabbatical about three years ago to "go sailing for a year or two, and it shifted into three years and now this." Riggle was a retired veterinarian.
Both couples had been sailing with Blue Water Rallies, an organization that organizes long-distance group trips for yacht owners. Macay and Riggle had already traveled with the group around the world from 2007 to 2009 on the Gaia, according to a statement on the Blue Water Rallies website. The couple “enjoyed it so much that they came back to do it again as crew on various rally yachts,” the statement said.
The Quest was part of a group of ships that left Mumbai in early February, but it broke off on February 15 to head to Djibouti for a refueling stop.
“Ironically, after more than six years of roaming the globe together, they joined our rally for the added security we could offer through the Gulf of Aden,” Blue Water Rallies said in its statement. “Sadly, they did not get that far, as the pirate activity has spread out across the Indian Ocean at an alarming rate over the past few months.”
In the statement, the group said it was “stunned and devastated” by the four deaths.
Both couples had used websites to keep friends and family members up-to-date on their travels. In one of her final postings, Jean Adam said she was looking forward to the stop in Djibouti.
“Djibouti is a big refueling stop,” she wrote. “I have NO idea what will happen in these ports, but perhaps we'll do some local touring. Due north is the Red Sea where we plan to tuck in when winds turn to the north.”
Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox. Sign up for National Journal's morning alert, Wake-Up Call, and afternoon newsletter, The Edge. Subscribe here.
Leave A Comment