By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

ANDY Moxey set out on a routine fishing trip with friends, but the sea he loved so much became the backdrop of tragedy, claiming his life when their boat capsized off North Andros.  

Candice McPhee, Moxey’s sister, said he had visited her home on Saturday, asking for spare cash to buy drinking water, crackers, and other supplies for the trip. He told her about his plans to go fishing in the Berry Islands later that day.

Moxey, 46, was expected to return by Sunday evening or Monday morning. However, the journey ended in tragedy, with him and his partners fighting for their lives at sea. 

Moxey and two friends, aged 52 and 44, left Morgan’s Bluff for the Berry Islands on Saturday. Around 6pm, the boat experienced mechanical issues, began taking on water, and eventually capsized miles off Morgan’s Bluff. The vessel drifted to a nearby cay, where the group spent the night.

Police were alerted to the incident on Sunday around 2pm after the 52-year-old swam ashore at Pleasant Harbour to seek help. With assistance from civilians, authorities retrieved the two remaining men. Moxey was pronounced dead at the clinic. The 44-year-old, who was semi-conscious, was airlifted to New Providence for further treatment.

Mrs McPhee said her husband received a call about the boating accident. She said her husband was hesitant to give her the devastating news because of her close-knit relationship with her brother.

“I was reading his facial expression, and I could see something was wrong,” she said. “But he didn’t want to say anything to me.”

Eventually, she, her husband, and other relatives went to the beach near Morgan’s Bluff, where the boat was being retrieved. Mrs McPhee said she realised it was her brother when officials carried him to shore, allowing her to see his face up close.

She said she would deeply miss their conversations.

 Moxey, a carpenter, lived with his brother and uncle in Nicholls Town. His sister said he was beloved in the North Andros community, particularly by children, for being fun. He was also known for being someone who would ensure the children had manners and respect.

 He never married or had children.

 His niece, Asia Adderley, who resides in New Providence, fondly recalled their bond and said this holiday season would not be the same without her uncle.

 The family noted that Moxey would have turned 47 on Christmas Eve, a birthday he shared with his late mother, who passed away three years ago.