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The voice that provided a lifeline to countless boaties throughout the South Pacific has been silenced.
But Barry Groom's tireless presence on the marine airwaves will not soon be forgotten.
The Cantabrian who mannedmarine radio for 34 years and helped in more than 300 rescues at sea was farewelled yesterday by 200 mourners at a service in Rangiora.
He died last week at his Waikuku Beach home, aged 76.
Speakers yesterday recalled a man who was a perfectionist, a hoarder, a kind man "with a short fuse" when things weren't going right.
Mr Groom set up his complex radio post at his home at his own expense. He volunteered his time from early mornings to late at night each day to provide advice, weather reports or whatever else was needed over the airwaves by those at sea.
"He was the voice of reason. The link, the lifeline that so many could rely on," North Canterbury community leader and friend Jo Kane said.
His dedication was such that he and wife Lynette never really took holidays.
"He never went anywhere without a radio. It is fitting that he is being sent off with a radio in his hand," Ms Kane said.
Mr Groom's service over the years resulted in many awards, including a Queen's Service Medal.
Among the many rescues in which he helped was that of Lyttelton yachtie Bruce Cox and partner Heloise Kortekaas, who were dramatically plucked from their dismasted 9.7m sloop Janette Gay about 750km northeast of the Chatham Islands in October, 2005.
Bound from Lyttelton to the Cook Islands, the pair encountered six storms which capsized their yacht, broke its mast, and left them fighting for their lives in huge swells.
During their ordeal, Mr Groom was getting about four hours sleep a night, tuning up and down the different radio frequencies.
Friend Terry Donaldson said: "He was part and parcel of so many rescues that we weren't aware of. It was the expertise and commitment that made Barry Groom a great man."
In his final months, Mr Groom was forced to scale back his radio operation because of a battle over money with Work and Income.
Because English-born Mr Groom was receiving a small private pension from the UK on top of his superannuation, Work and Income forced him and his wife to repay nearly $15,500 it said they owed. Ms Kane said it was sad Mr Groom had to spend so much of his last months fighting bureaucracy.
