Loved ones take Blake's body home

By AINSLEY THOMSON and NZPA

The body of slain New Zealand yachtsman Sir Peter Blake returned to his home town of Emsworth, in England, yesterday.

Sir Peter, aged 53, was shot dead by river pirates on his yacht Seamaster at the mouth of the Amazon River last week.

His body arrived at Heathrow Airport yesterday morning from Sao Paulo, Brazil, on board a British Airways airliner.

It was met by his wife Lady Pippa Blake and Blakexpeditions friends and colleagues, Alan Sefton and Scott Chapman.

Seamaster crew Don Robertson, Charlie Dymock and Robin Allen accompanied the body from Macapa, where Sir Peter was killed.

Mr Chapman said Lady Blake, her daughter Sarah Jane, 18, and son James, 14, were bearing up as well as could be expected. They appreciated the flood of good wishes from New Zealand, he said.

Funeral directors from Emsworth, on the South England coast, had transported his body home, Mr Chapman said.

Sir Peter would remain at the funeral parlour until his funeral service at St Thomas A Beckett Church, and burial, in Emsworth early on Saturday morning (NZ time).

The Herald continues to be flooded with messages suggesting ways to honour Sir Peter's legacy. To date 432 suggestions have been received.

The idea of renaming the Viaduct Basin and erecting a statue is still the overwhelming choice.

George Klein had a new suggestion for a name - "Blake's Dream."

Cherry Rose, a New Zealander living in Melbourne, would like a website set up for New Zealanders living overseas. "I'm angered that I can't get any coverage of this from the Australian media, so the internet is my only connection to home news and events. One way I think we could honour Sir Peter Blake is to set up a web page where Kiwis from all over the world can email and leave messages for his family."

Mike Saija from the US believes a postage stamp should be designed in Sir Peter's honour. "Or a series of stamps showing him doing what he liked the most."

Bill Wilson, from Conifer Grove, would like to see Rangitoto Island become a memorial to Sir Peter. "Maybe with a statue or beacon on top and with a museum."

Warren and Pat Slater from Warkworth believe a suitable tribute would be to build a large statue on the cliffs of North Head. "From this position he would command the respect he justly deserves from the many mariners who enter and leave our beautiful harbour for many years to come."

The Auckland City Council, working with the Prime Minister's Office and the Department of Internal Affairs, is organising a memorial service for Sir Peter.

No date has yet been set and it is expected the arrangements will not be finalised until next week.

Mayor John Banks said the Blake family would decide what form the service would take and where and when it would be held.

A book of condolences is available at the concierge desk on the ground floor of the Civic Building, 1 Greys Avenue, Auckland City. The book is available from 7.30 am to 5 pm on weekdays until Friday, December 21, after which it will be sent to Sir Peter's family.

Full coverage:

Peter Blake, 1948-2001

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