Just found out about Chip's death. Very sad to hear.
I knew chip when we were both young lads. We used to go windsurfing together (
when the sport was still very much in its infancy) in the UK.
I lost touch with him when he moved to Australasia and always wondered what had happened to him?
Fwiw, the friends of my younger brother (
whom are more Chips age) are doing the '
Paddle Out' in his memory.
Fwiw, I have an endearing memory of the last time I was with Chip (
late 70's / early 80's?) when he gave me a lift in a small sports car (
I seem to recall that it was an MGB GT) wherein, having both climbed in, he (
as was usual for Chip!) pulled away with his foot hard down on the accelerator.
As we raced towards a T-junction (
at which we did not have the right of way), I rather assumed that Chip was going to stop; so it took me somewhat by surprise when we blasted clear across the junction.
Once on the other side Chip did eventually stop the vehicle, doing so by yanking on the handbrake, which struck me as a rather strange method of braking?!
What had happened was that, when Chip had got into the car, the shoelace of the trainer on his right foot had got stuck in the door (
albeit Chip didn't realise it), but leaving just enough slack in the lace to allow him to use the accelerator to it's full extent, but not enough slack to allow him to move that same foot over to the brake.
It was only pure luck that nothing had been coming on the main road that that junction intersected as, had there been, and at the rate we were going, we both would have bought it there and then!
Well you've gotta see the funny side !
RIP fella!