Tag Archives: F/V Sea Rogue

Trawler tragedy survivor’s poetic tribute to skipper lost at sea

It has been a decade since Michael Williams collapsed on a beach naked, sunburnt and exhausted after a 10-hour swim from a sinking prawn trawler. He managed to help guide rescuers to his crewmate John “JJ” Jarrett, who was eventually saved after more than 30 hours clinging to a red plastic tub off the coast of Byron Bay in northern New South Wales. But the boat’s skipper, Alan “Charlie” Picton, was never found. To mark the 10-year anniversary, Mr Williams has released a book of poetry called Sea Rogue (also the name of the sunken trawler), which tells the story of the tragedy and pays tribute to his crewmates. >click to read<12:14

“A privilege to grow old”: Trawler survivor writes book

Ten years after the Sea Rogue prawn trawler sunk, survivor Michael Williams said it is a privilege to get to grow old. Mr Williams has announced that he is releasing a spoken-word poetry book about the tragic events that unfolded, beginning on February 27, 2008.  That fateful day, Mr Williams swam for 10 hours and more than 16kms, after the prawn trawler sunk when its net was caught on the below reef.  Mr Williams told The Daily Examiner in 2014 that crew members John Jarratt (JJ), Alan “Charlie” Picton and himself all had to swiftly escape out of the cabin window. All they had was a red tub to cling onto. >click to read<15:51