In August 1987, Eugene Achong was lost at sea for five days, on the sixth day when land was sighted, a shoal of porpoises suddenly appeared and accompanied his yacht "Panache" to the island of St Vincent. Strangely enough, when Eugene's ashes were being taken on board the vessel "Shogun" to be scattered in the first bocas last Saturday, a shoal of dolphins accompanied the yacht and swam around until the ashes had been disposed of.
For forty-six years I was his macumere and he was my compere - the patois style of address for a man and woman who had stood as godparents for an infant was the way Eugene Achong would address me from the day in July 1955 that we baptised Derek Telfer. Yet it was only at his Funeral Mass on June 7, that I realised this most laid- back man who had always spoken with a slow drawl was indeed a man of many parts who according to eulogist Alex Chapman "lived a full and very active life."
Eugene was the eldest child of the former Mayor of Port of Spain, Dr Tito Achong. He was married to Vere for 39 years during which time they adopted their son, Marc Peter. His greatest passion in life was in the sport of sailing, and said the second eulogist, that intrepid sailor, Harold La Borde "Eugene has been sailing for some 50 years and has sailed to and from Grenada more than anyone we know."
At the last count five years ago, Eugene had indicated to Alex, his schoolmate from Form 2A at St Mary's College around 1939 until the day of his demise on June 3rd, 2001, that he had made the journey to Grenada on about thirty occasions with a crew of at least two but never more than five on the open sea using only 'dead reckoning navigation.' And even when gravely ill last year, Eugene made what he knew could be his final journey, with Bert Bodden, to Grenada.
Lenville Marshall told the interesting story of being lost at sea with Eugene in August 1987 on board "Panache", one of four boats he had owned in his lifetime, while on their way to the Grenada Carnival. Because of very rough weather at night through the bocas, Eugene and his crew of four sailed off course. For five days the vessel drifted helplessly. On the fifth afternoon, the sea became very rough and it was feared that the yacht would not survive the heavy battering. Says Marshall, "I handed out life jackets, keeping two for myself. By this time there was hardly any conversation amongst us. I prayed steadfastly and suggested to Eugene that we change course which he did after some hesitation. After so many days of frustration and fears, things appeared more favourable."
And just as the shoal of dolphins accompanied "Shogun", the boat carrying Eugene's ashes last Saturday, on that day 14 years ago, a shoal of porpoises appeared in the dark of night on either side of "Panache", swam with the yacht for at least 45 minutes and then disappeared. By this time a vessel's lights had been sighted and gradually the real, (and not imaginary as had been the case for the past five days) lights of the island of St Vincent.
Eugene Achong and his two friends, Len Marshall and Dr Avid Carmichael, could be said to have been the second group to organise the now very popular Carnival all-inclusive fetes. It is believed that Arthur Goddard could have been first.
A good cook, Eugene was a regular contributor to the original "Men Who Cook" , for 13 years. Here again, another strange happening, the function took place last Saturday night, two days after his cremation. Eugene started his career in 1947 in the Auditor General's Department in the Treasury Building, and worked for forty years in the Government Service, retiring in 1987 as a Budget Analyst in the Ministry of Finance. He was a masquerader and few knew that he was a judge for the National Carnival Committee for individual competitors, from the judges booth at the entrance to the drag, with fellow judge Knolly Henderson who also recently passed away.
Eugene Allan Achong - 10 October 1927 - June 3, 2001