FH - I think the story about Ara's descent to get VMC beneath says more about his lack of IMC IFR experience than anything - making an uncontrolled (by radar or ATC) descent overwater isn't a clever move, especially if you have a normal instrument approach available at your destination.
Was he a hardened 'cloud-dodger' who only talked a good IMC flight? Was he actually fearful of IMC and would try anything to avoid it?