Antarctic adventurer Busby Noble has died.
Busby Noble died aged 62.
Busby Noble’s friend Massie mentioned that, Noble was diagnosed with cancer before his demise.
Busby Noble, who lived in Ōtara, travelled to Antarctica on the yacht Nilaya in early 2012 and planted the Mana Party flag in the polar ice.
At the time of his voyage, his identity was largely a mystery to the world outside Nilaya and he was widely believed to be a stowaway.
However, the truth about his voyage, and the seeds of that journey, later emerged.
After Antarctica, Nilaya sailed east to Chile and the men on board were arrested. Noble was confined to the boat but ten days on, the men were freed.
Busby Noble arrived in Norway in May 2012 and became a celebrity in the country. His and Nilaya’s exploits were later celebrated in a Norwegian TV show.
Busby Noble was returned to in Ōtara in 2013.
“As far as I’m concerned, this is my passport,” he said at the time, pointing to himself. “I was not kidnapped or a victim. I went with some knowledge of what my duties were.”
And he joked: “I don’t realise what famous-osity means.”
There is no information about Busby Noble’s wife or kids.