Friday evening December 8th, 2006 aboard the Barque Picton Castle:
Laura Gainey was washed off the deck by a rogue wave! Captain Moreland has commented on the Barque Picton Castle site in regards to the event. (Sorry, but they no longer have the link on their site to the specific event).
It's a very tragic event, but to the men and women who have sailed the seas it is a known risk they all take.
The endless motion of mighty ocean waves is not a force that can be tamed. The oceans power is what makes sailing a thrilling adventure, but the adventure can also become a nightmare.
To a courageous woman like Laura, adventures on the high seas is what they live for, and for some the waves become the caretaker of their soul.
The search continued, but survival beyond the initial 36 hours due to hypothermia left little hope to find her. Unfortunately the odds are that Laura has most likely perished at sea.
They did find several garments of clothing, but sadly there was no sign of the young female sailor.