Nick Ward, a survivor of the famous Fastnet Race Disaster, retold his story at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth for the first time since the ill-fated event happened in 1979.

Going under the spotlight for the very first time in 28 years, Nick's emotional talk at the Museum not only pulled in an understandably attentive audience and was a complete sell-out but it could have sold more than double the available seats.

The Fastnet race of 1979 began in perfect weather conditions, but within 48 hours was struck by the deadliest storm in the history of modern sailing. By the time the storm had passed it had mercilessly taken the lives of fifteen sailors. Abandoned and left for dead by his crewmates, Nick was almost the sixteenth, and was the last to be rescued.

It had been Nick's childhood ambition to sail in the Fastnet race, so being invited to join the crew on the yacht Grimalkin was a dream come true. But the dream turned to a nightmare when, in the midst of colossal waves and unremitting winds, Grimalkin was capsized again and again.

The mast broke off, the skipper was lost overboard, and after hours of exhausting struggle three of the crew abandoned the boat for the life raft. Nick and his fellow crewmember Gerry, both injured and unconscious, were left on the fated yacht in the middle of the Irish Sea. Both were presumed dead. Gerry died a few hours later, and Nick was left to face the storm alone.

Unable to speak about the traumatic experience before, Nick shared his moving and inspirational account of survival in his autobiography earlier this year and again during a sell-out talk.

He will be returning to Falmouth next month to take part in the Oyster Festival's Fact & Fiction evening on Saturday October 20.