Pavel (Paul) Rybka, 72, of Citoliby, Czech Republic, peacefully passed away on Oct. 1. Paul was born in Divice, Czechoslovakia. He studied and graduated with a degree in industrial chemistry. Soon after, he was drafted and served honorably in the Czech Army.
In 1969 he left his home country and emigrated to Germany during the Soviet occupation. He resided and worked as a chemist in West Germany for Bayer Pharmaceutical Co. Later, he changed professions to become a welder and steel construction builder for various German companies and thus began what was to be many years of traveling the world. His first jobs took him to South Africa and South America.
In 1972, he took a one-year expedition through the Amazon jungle between Manaus and the Orinoco river in Venezuela. He lived in the wilderness, even suffering from a bout of malaria during part of the time. He lived on the products of the jungle, hunting, fishing, foraging and trading with the indigenous Caboclos.
In 1975, he went to work for a Scandinavian company in Mongstad, Norway, helping to build the first oil refinery in its country. From early childhood, his fascination for ships and travel led him on an adventurous journey to fulfill his dream. In 1977, he went to work for a Norwegian development company on the Ceylonese Karainagar Island, and later Slave Island at the Taos Boatyard in Colombo Sri Lanka. It was there he built his first sailboat, Sigiriya, and sailed through the Indian Ocean and around the Cape of Good Hope to Brazil and on to the Caribbean. In 1980, he departed Venezuela traveling and working small jobs throughout the Caribbean islands.
Eventually, he charted his course for harbor on St. Croix, U.S.V.I. (it was marked Alucroix on his map). He made landfall at Hovensa Oil
Refinery. He was later to say “Mr. Hess was kind enough to send two tug boats to tell me to “Get the hell out of here!” Thinking that St. Croix was a French island, I tried my best French to ascertain my landfall and was told “Tis St Croix mon!” I knew in an instant “Ah, is home!” In the years to follow, he lived and worked the marine industries of his beloved island.
He has now sailed away from this earth and is survived by his loving daughter, Jessica Rybka; former wife, Victoria (Hartman) Rybka; a brother, Frank (Fanda) Rybka; nieces and nephews; and the many friends he made along his life journey.
There will be small memorial gatherings on both St. Croix and in the Czech Republic at a later date with friends and family. Thank you to those who would like to make a memorial contribution to the sailing program at the Caribbean Centers for Boys & Girls VI (PayPal: CCBGVI/340-778-8990) in Paul’s memory.
The scriptures state the life of our years are 70 or 80 if one is especially strong. (Palms 90:10) May you cherish the memories of your loved one and find comfort in God’s word. (2 Corinthian 1:3).