Lynx Mourns Death Of Crew Member Aboard Tall Ship

The crew of the tall ship Lynx is mourning the death of one of its own this week.

Don Johnson, 60, was found unresponsive Wednesday morning in his bunk aboard the vessel, a replica of a schooner from the War of 1812, which spends the summer in Nantucket Harbor.

Lynx captain Don Peacock said Thursday that Johnson had died of a heart attack.

Johnson, who hailed from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., had joined the crew of the Lynx just two weeks before his death to serve as a mechanical engineer for the vessel, responsible for its propulsion, electrical, and generator systems.

“He was a gentle guy,” Peacock told the Current. “He never went to shore. He was very comfortable in his Lynx surroundings. He primarily just dug in with his work. He had a 25-year career in traditional sailing as an engineer with extensive experience, including trans-Atlantic experience.”

Johnson leaves behind his wife, Robin.

On Wednesday, Johnson was discovered unresponsive in his bunk by Captain Sean Canniff, who immediately notified Coast Guard Station Brant Point.

The Coast Guard crew removed Johnson from the ship, but he was pronounced dead at Station Brant Point. In the aftermath, the Nantucket Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police removed the crew of the Lynx from the vessel to conduct a standard investigation, which confirmed no foul play, drug use, or weapons were involved in Johnson’s death, Peacock said.

While the Lynx was out of service on Wednesday, Peacock said the Nantucket community sprang into action to support his crew.

“The crew has received great warmth and support from the Egan Maritime Institute, which reached out to the Beachside hotel to provide accommodations and relief from being on the ship,” Peacock said. “The Lemon Press restaurant also supported us with food.”

As the crew returned to the ship on Thursday, they honored Johnson with the traditional eight rings of the Lynx’s bell.

During its annual stay in Nantucket Harbor from May through September, the Lynx partners with the Egan Maritime Institute to provide island students and residents with the opportunity to sail aboard the tall ship and learn about the history of the maritime challenges during the War of 1812.

The Lynx was the largest shipbuilding project ever undertaken by Rockport Marine in Rockport, Maine. It was completed in July 2001.