INTERNATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC ORGANISATION HYDROGRAPHIQUE
ORGANIZATION INTERNATIONALE
IHO File No. S1/0402
CIRCULAR LETTER 43/2018
26 July 2018
FORMER DIRECTOR KENNETH ‘KEN’ BARBOR
Dear Hydrographer,
1. It is with great sadness that the IHO Secretariat has to announce the death of Rear Admiral (Ret)
Kenneth "Ken" Barbor who passed away at his home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi (United States of America),
on 22 July 2018.
2. Ken Barbor was a member of the IHB Directing Committee from 2002 to 2007. He was the founding
Director of the Hydrographic Science Research Center at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM)
Department of Marine Science and held the position until he left to serve as an IHB Director, after which he
rejoined USM in his previous position.
3. An obituary, produced by Vice Admiral Alexandros Maratos, former President of the IHB Directing
Committee, is enclosed and it will also be published in the next issue of the International Hydrographic Review
(IHR).
4. The IHO Secretariat offers their most sincere condolences to his wife Leslie and family.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Mathias JONAS
Secretary-General
Encl: 1
Bathymetry - the Foundation for Sustainable Seas, Oceans and Waterways
Obituary for Rear Admiral Kenneth Barbor, USN
by Vice Admiral Alexandros Maratos,
President of the IHB Directing Committee (2002 – 2012)
In 2002 during the XVIth International Hydrographic Conference, I was elected
as the President of the IHB Directing Committee together with Ken Barbor and
Hugo Gorziglia for a five year period. I remember the three of us met for the first
time at the Bureau on the 21stAugust 2002, in order to be briefed and take on
board our duties.
Ken explained to us that he had arrived in Monaco after sailing the Atlantic Ocean
from the east coast of the United States in his small boat.
I was a bit curious about that trip and one afternoon the two of us were drinking
coffee in his office and we discussed some aspects of this trip. I was surprised by
his enthusiasm and I asked him whether he had had any fear of making the trip.
He responded by saying that if you have fear to achieve a goal then you will not
succeed. You have to prepare yourself in order to face all challenges of such a
trip. You have to respect the sea and find ways to compromise with the difficulties
that may arise. I asked him what somebody needed to know and do in order to
achieve such a trip. He said three things were very important. Firstly the need to
study carefully the area that you sail and decide on the optimum route that you
will follow, based on a variety of information that you need to collect and
evaluate. Secondly to choose the appropriate equipment to sail safely and be able
to communicate with other mariners or coastal stations whenever is needed.
Thirdly and most importantly choose experienced crew to assist you on the trip.
When I asked him if he had anybody onboard to help him, he looked at me and
smiled, took a sip of his coffee and said: of course, my wife Leslie, the best
mariner and lover of the sea. I could not have succeeded without her.
This was Ken. A true mariner, a true navigator but above all a true hydrographer.
This is the way that we will always remember him.
Ken, as he was so fond of the sea, it was not a surprise that he had managed to
study, practice and teach the three “marine academic sisters” as they are called.
Hydrography, oceanography and marine meteorology. Not forgetting that Ken,
before coming to the IHB, was the Commander of the US Naval Meteorology
and Oceanography Command and inaugural Director of the Southern Mississippi
Hydrographic Science Research Center. With his vast experience he came to the
Bureau to help the organization achieve and further its tasks and goals. I believe
that all of us who met and worked with Ken will agree that he succeeded. He was
always ready to provide good ideas on various hydrographic aspects and not only
co-operate and support Member and non-Member States, listen and provide
solutions to problems that arose, represent the organization on various
international and local activities to raise awareness of its role and importance.
But as a true mariner he was caring on issues concerning safety at sea, protection
of the marine environment and security.
Ken was a very pleasant, quiet, generous and cooperative person at the Bureau.
He used to say that if the Bureau is effective and efficient to conclude its task,
then the Organization will also be effective and efficient. For this reason we have
to work towards achieving this goal. He loved hydrography, he loved sailing, he
loved to be challenged on maritime issues.
He worked very hard for five years at the IHB and speaking on behalf of all of us
who worked with and who met Ken, I can safely say that he will be greatly missed
and we will always remember him with love, fondness and respect.
To his wife Leslie and relatives, our deepest condolences.
Dear Hydrographer,
Please find attached herewith :
CL 43/2018 : FORMER DIRECTOR KENNETH ‘KEN’ BARBOR.
Kind regards
Lorene Chavagnas
Office Assistant
International Hydrographic Organization
BP 445, 98011 Monaco
Tel : 00377 93 10 81 00
E-mail:
[email protected]