One of the last remaining Sark-built boats has tragically sunk, ending a legacy of island tours that has lasted for more than 40 years.
The Non Pareil was a wooden boat originally built in Sark more than four decades ago and was the pride and joy of the Guille family.
Morgan Guille says his 80-year-old father originally commissioned the boat for short trips around Sark’s dock and for fishing charters. It has since been used for sightseeing tours by the family’s business ‘Sark Boat Trips’.
Sadly her mooring broke on Sunday 25 September and she sunk near the lighthouse.
“Obviously everyone from Sark has been on it I'm sure,” said Morgan, “and a lot of people visiting the island.”
“She has been a regular around the island almost every day throughout the summer for the last 41 years,” he said.
Morgan has been able to scuba dive down to the wreck and retrieve the ship’s nameplate, and two coins that were embedded into the console that holdsentimental value for the family.
Pictured: Non Pareil has completed an estimated 6,000 trips around Sark.
The Non Pareil is now unrecoverable, with Morgan telling Express that if they tried to lift it the boat would simply fall to pieces.
The family remain heartbroken and say it’s too early to say what they will do next, but Morgan said the outpouring of support from the community has been uplifting.
“Everybody in the island stops us to give us a hug and cuddle and tell us a story about it or something,” he said.
“The whole island is really very sad to have lost her.”
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