TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Mike Kneafsey

I do not believe his wife Jennifer is on here so I thought I would share her post here for all the long time TTOLers,

Mike was an OG member I think from like from 2000 and was one of a kind in all the right ways. Truly one of the funniest and most amazing people I have ever met, sail on sailor!

from Jennifer via Facebook:

Lilly and I are heartbroken to share that Mike passed away early this morning, surrounded by family at KU Medical Center. We exhausted every medical option available, and Mike battled until the end.
Your heartfelt messages have kept us company during our long hospital stay. Thank you for supporting us in a million different ways big and small during the last three and a half years, and during the days ahead.
We will celebrate Mike’s life this fall, according to the instructions he has left. In lieu of flowers, Mike requested that donations be made to the Tulsa Rowing Club at www.tulsarowingclub.org or Cango Wildlife Ranch in Oudtshoorn, South Africa, where our adopted cheetah, O’Malley, lives. https://cango.activitar.com/products?g=donations (donations are in South African Rand--$100R = about $5 US dollars)
We’d love it if you’d share a story here about Mike. Lilly and I are so proud of Mike and grateful to be a Kneafsey.
Mike's Facebook page

So many great, funny, wonderful times with Kneafsey.sailing the islands...enjoying beach bars,Foxy's catfight.Mike leaves a lovely trail to follow in his wake..Time to put on Jimmy Buffett's "Bubbles Up" and sing along out loud...

OMG, so sorry to hear this news. I met Mike years ago while I was sailing with Bill Hartzman. We Trade with him for some Piton beer a couple of times. Great guy. Fair winds Mike.

I really hate to hear this. I loved talking to Mike about the BVI and the charterboat industry.
G

Mike was so full of life, even and especially in the last 3.5 years. His sense of humor was as strong and mischievous as ever. It hasn’t fully registered for me that he’s gone. I first met him on the docks in 2002 while he was washing Aristocat between charters. Ten months later I bought her from him. He was a great BVI mentor for me, and whenever we were down at the same time, we always rendezvoused somewhere. I’ll always remember a down island trip we took on Sanctuary in May/June, 2008 with Mike, Jennifer, a three-year old Lilly and Malcolm. That’s one of many memories, all of which put a smile on my face.

He was so fortunate to have Jenn by his side. My thoughts go out to her and Lilly. There will never be another Captain Mike.❤️

We ran into Mike in the Bight when we were on a charter. Gave us a tour of his boat. He was also an early source of advice for our BVI plans.

Thank you Laura for posting,
As a long time member here, I recall reading Mike's many posts when he had the charter boat. I never met him in person, but he lined me up with a boat to charter from an individual which I always appreciated. I recall when his daughter was born and he began (slowly) phasing out of the charter business. A really nice person who will be missed.
Fred

Laura, thanks for sharing with us. Although I never met Mike I remember his helpful posts many years ago

So sorry to hear this. I only actually met him a couple of times but we exchanged many private messages regarding chartering and the 'joys' of charter boat ownership. The one time he came aboard Jeannius he had 'boat rat' Lily with him when she was maybe 3 or 4 and they clearly had a great relationship. So sad another long time TTOLer has gone.

So sorry to hear the passing of Mike.

This is very sad. Mike was a great guy!

This is "Jessica", also an OG. I lived in Tulsa with Mike & Jenn and also spent heaps of time with him on island. I reached out to Manpot on Facebook after Mike passed to see if anyone would like to get together to toast Mike while I'm on island this 10/27-11/6, but I don't believe he checks those messages so I rejoined TT. Hope everyone is well, and would love to connect with whomever might be around, those dates. Crazy how long it has been...I remember watching Walker & Nancy building on Anegada, when Manpot had his favorite vintage car shipped to the island, having a Ting on the lanai at Lavenda Breeze, Elvet from Elm Beach Suites being the captain of a boat of 8 of us gals and having a day stop at Willy T to share some of Richard Branson's 50th birthday cake with him, etc. Much of my young adult life!! Cannot wait to be back.

Again, let me know if anyone wants to get together to toast to Mike...He'd approve!

Never met Mike. But followed his post on here. We will be on island 10/30 to 11/10.

I'm hoping to be on Tortola from about the middle of Nov to the end of Jan/ear.y Feb. I would love to get together with any who remember Mike and would like to toast him.He is sorely missed..

I'm so sorry I will just miss you. Let me know if you have a get together and I'll pass it on to Jenn and Lily. It would fill their hearts!

Hey Mal - we are coming 11/5-13 with Captain Andy - lemme know if we'll see ya!

Let me say Mike was one of the first of this crew I met - on a week sail with JD Leipold. Mike and Hartzman had dinner with us at the old Marina Cay. Still remember him coming into that anchorage under spinnaker! Dropped it, coasted to a ball, and raised his arms as a winner! Great memory.