High praise flows for beloved 'legend of the seas'

By BERNARD ORSMAN and JAMES GARDINER

Tributes have poured in from round the world for Sir Peter Blake.

The media, politicians, yachting identities, environmentalists and the public have praised the Auckland-born sailor.

Britain's Daily Telegraph called Blake a "meticulous planner and a gifted leader", the Washington Post, a "sailing great" and the BBC, a "legend of the seas".

Prime Minister Helen Clark described Sir Peter as a national hero, an inspiration to all New Zealanders and the "Hillary of the waters".

Sir Peter hosted the Prime Minister on board the yacht Seamaster on the Amazon three weeks ago. She said she was devastated by his slaying. The loss to the nation was "incalculable".

"It's absolutely shattering for New Zealand, it's shattering for me personally."

At Water Safe Auckland's annual meeting on the waterfront just before lunch, she was among many who shared a sense of personal loss.

Opposition leader Bill English said Sir Peter was a great ambassador for New Zealand and someone whose achievements New Zealanders followed with pride.

From Paris, a tearful Francine Cousteau, president of the Cousteau Society, said: "I can't accept it. It is so brutal. It is a shock. There are very few people like Peter on the planet."

Sir Peter was appointed in July as a goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Environment Program.

Before that, he headed the Cousteau Society, an environmental group founded in 1973 by undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau.

Comments from overseas and at home:

* Sir Edmund Hillary, explorer

"He was one of the great heroes of this country in my view. Not only because of his great sporting ability, but also his very strong beliefs as far as environmental things are concerned."

* Dennis Conner, America's Cup skipper

"He was a hero and role model for the NZ people and obviously a winner who was focused and accomplished his goals."

* Bruno Trouble, America's Cup organiser

". . . he went through life like lightning. Peter was an extraordinary leader of men. He had an amazing charisma."

* Sir Chay Blyth, British yachtsman

"From a small country like New Zealand, which had a small budget, he took on the might of American yachting, in America, and won, a remarkable achievement."

* Grant Dalton, yachtsman

"In the end New Zealand's lost a great man and many of us have lost a good friend and he will not be replaceable."

John Banks, Auckland Mayor

"Heaven will be enhanced with his presence."

Full coverage:

Peter Blake, 1948-2001

America's Cup news

Blakexpeditions