On October 16, 1988, a boat named “The Patanela” set sail from Freemantle, Australia for a month-long voyage to Airlie Beach, on the other side of the country. On board the 63-foot schooner was Alan Nicol, the wealthy businessman who owned the boat. Nicol was accompanied by an experienced skipper, 52-year-old Ken Jones, as well as Jones’ 50-year-old wife Noreen and their daughter, Ronnalee. Nicol also hired two crew members for the voyage, 21-year-old Michael Calvin and 23-year-old John Blissett. The boat never made it to it’s destination, and was never seen again.