Prince Albert Cocoview Philip Howard question

[TaiHei]

On the deck of Prince Albert, There is a stone with engraving:

Philip L Howard
1941 2006

How many have seen this?
Does anyone know the story behind it?

On another note:
What is the history of the Prince Albert?
I have heard it was abandoned in Roatan after bringing refugees in from Nicaragua. There was a bit of worry getting it to CoCoView and employed a very large shrimp boat to get in position. It was named after a friend who helped with the government regs to get it to cocoview. Can anyone confirm this?
Would like to know if this is true, hear so many stories these days

Also, what was the original name and life from laying the keel to leaving Nicaragua?

 

[diversteve]

From Subway Watersports website:

Along the south shore, the Prince Albert was the first Roatan wreck intentionally sunk for scuba diving. The tanker, owned by a group of Nicaraguans, left Nicaragua with a cargo of war refugees, headed for Roatan. After escaping its war-ravaged country and delivering the refugees, the ship remained in French Harbour, where it was stripped of valuables and left, partially submerged.

Bill Evans, owner of Coco View Resort, saw an opportunity to remove a hazard and gain a wreck for the benefit of his diving guests. Securing government approval proved difficult for Evans, but not impossible with assistance from local businessman Albert Jackson. Evans hired clean-up and welding crews and set about the task of preparing it for sinking.

Three weeks later, a local shrimp boat towed the tanker to Coco View. The sea was rough, and during the effort to transfer lines, they snapped and the ship ended up on the reef. Efforts over several weeks to release it were unsuccessful, and resulted in severe damage to the shrimp boat.

Finally, in January 1985, a new steel-hulled shrimp boat owned by Jerry Hynds was commissioned for the task, and the ship was successfully pulled off the reef. A joint effort between the shrimp boats and the Coco View fleet tied the bow into the wind, then pumped water in until it sank. Soon after, a Coco View guest suggested that Evans name the ship Prince Albert, in appreciation of the assistance Mr. Jackson provided.

Nineteen years later, the 140’ tanker is in remarkably good shape, sitting upright in 65 feet of water. It has significant coral growth. Eagle rays frequent the wreck, a resident moray stands guard near the stern, and arrow crabs and seahorses share space along the deck.

 

[Doc]

The video link below incorporates some original footage from the Sinking of the Prince Albert on February 11, 1985. The original VHS was a surprise gift to Bill Evans from Dick Fera who was working on the island at the time erecting windmills for pumping water in remote villages. There is a short memorial at the end following the production credits. This also tells you how to get a high resolution copy of the DVD by making a voluntary contribution to the orphans of Roatan.

http://www.roatan.com/downloads/princealbert.wmv

It was named after Albert Jackson who was the heavily connected creator of the resort "across the channel", FIBR. The name, "Prince Albert" is possibly a veiled joke that harks to a Bart Simpson prank phone call, "You got Prince Albert in a can...?". The word "Can" being naval slang for a powered steel vessel.

She actually resides in 40' at the bow, sloping down to 65fsw at the rudder stem. Being so shallow and protected, she is bathed in Sunlight many hours a day, so the marine growth is spectacular. She tops out in 22fsw. The Eel as referenced likes to lie amidships port (look under the valve's 14" wheel) and can be seen transiting to the DC3 wreck where he enjoys the darkness of the fuselage's head.

Bill "Speedy" Evans (founder of CCV) orchestrated the placing of the ship which he would explain in absolute seriousness that it wound up lying 2' too far West. You had to know him. Here's a glimpse: Bill Evans, a life well lived Read more about this fascinating dive industry visionary at http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/ccv/vpost?id=1087331

Phil "Boots" Howard was like many CCV repeat customers, only more so.

He passed away only a few days into his annual four week visit to the resort. Phil most certainly holds the record for “most dives at CoCo View Resort” with over 1700 meticulously logged dives at the resort. His enthusiasm and love of diving made him a joy to CCV staff and fellow guests alike. He was an avid underwater photographer and often carried as many as five Nikon cameras in his luggage on his annual visits. Phil would share his images in a weekly slide show upstairs in the clubhouse and the room was often packed with fellow divers.

Phil was lovingly known to many as the man who NEVER took off his diveskin. He would suit up first thing in the morning before breakfast, and you might see him preparing for a night dive many hours later, still in his wetsuit and ready to go. When on land he wore simple lace up work boots, hence the monicker "Boots".

Long ago Phil requested to have his ashes spread over the wreck of the Prince Albert. This wish was fulfilled by his family, his buddies, and all of the staff CoCo View.

Many others of our fellow dive buddies have asked for this disposition and final resting place.

 

[UTLgirl]

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f356/Utlgirl1/UL Chatboard/phil1.gif

Well, if I did it right..... this is a photo of Phil
Originally copied from CocoChat. Photo posted by Spiderwebb

If you've ever stayed in Room #14 at CCV, you've stayed in 'Phil's' room. Mr. Bill even gave him her own personal key... not that he ever used it.

I can still hear him stomping around in his Red Wing boots over my head.
S.A.M.

 

[Hawk]

Erin, that pic was taken on our first trip to CoCoView by Connie (spiderwebb). Boy do we have some "better" pictures than that.

I have enjoyed so many dives with Phil, many of them on the very wreck mentioned here. Each time I go I give a friendly little wave of the water to rinse off the crud from the marker on the PA. Each time I wonder if I am doing the right thing since Phil himself was not quite the pollished type.

Rest in peace my old friend.

Later, Hawk.

 

[Doc]

Mr.Bill

Doc Radawski, CCV's first DM- he has returned in 2008

The DC3 Aircraft

The Prince Albert

You can see her shadow->

The Mr. Bud

... and Phil "Boots" Howard

 

[craracer]

.

 

[UTLgirl]

OMG Doc! To see Caribbean Air again!
boy does THAT bring back some memories

Would you believe we still have a pink Caribbean Air hat hanging up... as well as one of the sea plane patches?

Hawk, yep, have a few of those photos myself from 9 years. Sadly most can't be posted in public as he always seems to be telling me I'm #1 in them
Sure do miss him.

 

[sololady]

Many others of our fellow dive buddies have asked for this disposition and final resting place.[/quote]
So thinking ahead, my understanding is that one can't be cremated in Honduras. Did they have to ship his remains back to the states and then the cremains back for disposition?

 

[UTLgirl]

Yes, his cremains were brought back down from the US for his final dive.

To my knowledge (and I haven't been on the mainland much lately so this could be out of date) there is still no cremation facility in Honduras. Even if there were, the ability of a non-citizen/non-resident to use them would be doubtful.

Check with your Embassy for regulations, but typically if you pass in a country other than your own, while not a citizen/resident of that country, the remains must be returned to your country of nationality. Additionally, if you pass violently, or from unknown causes (no prior medical history on record), an autopsey is usually manadatory before the remians are shipped.

If you're a resident of the country/Ex-Pat, you have a bit more leeway, but it's best to have your final wishes in writing legally both in your home country, and in your adopted country.