In the early days of March 1993, 32-year-old Gregory R. Schwindt, a man whose life was deeply intertwined with the sea, was at the helm of the F/V Lady of Good Voyage. A resident of Bellingham, Washington, Gregory had been a commercial fisherman since he was 16, a passion that led him to co-own the 86-foot trawler. His life was one of seasonal rhythms, spending winters navigating the challenging waters of the Bering Sea and summers salmon fishing in Bristol Bay.
Back on shore, he was a husband and a cherished member of his community, known for his love of the outdoors and the time he spent with family and friends. Alongside him on the Lady of Good Voyage were three other crew members: 37-year-old Jeremy 'Jay' Scott-Hunter, also from Bellingham, and two men from Oregon, Larry Hoover of Newport and Eddie Hoover of Portland.
The vessel departed from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, on March 7, 1993, to fish for cod. The following day, March 8th, Gregory made several routine radio calls, reporting that the vessel was loaded with their catch and they were planning to return to Dutch Harbor that evening. The weather at the time was reported as relatively calm, with 10 to 15-knot winds and seas of three to six feet, not considered unusually hazardous for an experienced crew in the Bering Sea. However, that afternoon, a satellite detected an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon signal from the Lady of Good Voyage, indicating the vessel was in distress northwest of Unimak Island. This would be the last communication from the ship.
An urgent marine broadcast was issued, and a large-scale search and rescue operation was launched. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Sherman, along with at least a dozen other fishing vessels in the area, immediately responded to the alert, combing the frigid waters of the Bering Sea. Despite their extensive efforts, the search yielded no signs of the four crewmen. All that was ever found of the Lady of Good Voyage was a scattering of debris: an oil slick, the EPIRB that had sent the distress signal, a crushed life ring, and an empty, damaged life raft. The vessel itself, along with its dedicated crew, had vanished without a trace, leaving behind a painful void and a sea of unanswered questions for their families and the tight-knit fishing community.
The sudden and perplexing disappearance of the Lady of Good Voyage sent ripples of grief through the communities of Bellingham, Newport, and Portland. A memorial service was held in Bellingham to honor the lives of Gregory Schwindt and his crew, a testament to the deep connections forged by those who make their living on the unpredictable waters of the North Pacific. The lack of survivors or a wreckage has made a definitive conclusion about the vessel's fate impossible, leaving the families to grapple with the ambiguity of their loss. The case remains open with the Alaska State Troopers, a somber reminder of the inherent dangers of the sea and the four fishermen who were lost to its depths in the early spring of 1993. The story of Gregory Schwindt and his crew is one of dedication, the perils of a life at sea, and the enduring mystery of a vessel that sailed over the horizon and never returned.Last Seen: Mar 9, 1993
