75 year old Edward sailing single-handed on his H28 Ketch 'Spirit of Rema' (had built it himself) left Cape-Town on the 26th Dec 2012 to sail 'straight across' the Indian Ocean to Australia.

He had previously sailed from his home in New Zealand in 2008, to visit many of his old friends back in the UK. Sailing around the UK meeting up with old Scouting colleagues from the past, he overwintered in 2010 at Stornaway where he became something of a local celebrity, having two awards set up by the local sailing club in recognition of his outstanding prowess as a sailor. The two awards, 'The Edward Anker Award' and the 'Spirit of Rema Award' are annual events for exceptional seamanship in the club. Such was the admiration felt by those he came in contact with. In their words "He contributed much to the local sailing community around the harbour". Spent some time on the lifeboat pontoon at Stornaway whilst doing repairs to his rigging over the winter months. In the words of Murdo Cox of the Stornaway Lifeboat "This man knows what he is doing, he is very calm and wandered about his boat as if it was a calm day" Eddie was catching a tow rope having to shift anchorage in a storm

He was a quiet unassuming individual, very independent a unique one-off guy who made friends wherever he dropped anchor and one who will be sadly missed by his many friends throughout the world who were fortunate to have known him.

Any donations made in his memory to be restricted to the Stornaway Lifeboat Station.