If there is a sky, no doubt Rufo will be there... where he will have been given a huge embrace by Josemanu, Tacos, Olávarri, his cousin Churuca and so many others who have left us very often... without the ability to reasonably assume it... the good people of the Maritime, who have achieved and continue to do it with the new generations that this entity is the cathedral of the Spanish candle... as is the case of football their brother club, the Athletic

It has gone to sail forever Rafa Arbaiza, one of the historical of the Royal Maritime Club of the Abra-Real Sporting Club, a great port captain, an excellent navigator and especially a loving friend.

He was unable to attend with much regret last Friday to the opening, at a bank in the port of the Maritime, of a plaque in tribute to his cousin, also recently deceased Jorge Churuca, like him, another person who loved the sea.

Every time "Rufo" Rafa Arbaiza spoke of his Club, of the races, of the companions of a thousand adventures, he demonstrated his enormous passion for the sea. There were many names of historical crew members, of ships that remained in their privileged memory, after witnessing the infinity of races of past decades.

The late former Commodore and former Port Captain of the Royal Abra Maritime Club - Real Sporting Club is forever an important part of the history of this institution of Las Arenas. It leaves an excellent memory for everyone who met him.

He said he learned to swim because he was about to drown one day and was sailing almost since he was weaned. In the old Aitona. "I've spent most of my life between the boatman and my house. And when you could come to the Maritime, here it was," he recalled in one of his last interviews. He used to go in proel, in foquero, with the quoted Jorge Churruca, with Juan Olábarri, with Alfonso Chapa...

It started with the 'Viking', around the year 1960, with which it went out for walks in the Abra. With that boat 'Rufo' won the I Trophy Eskarra with Paco Crooke, Álvaro 'the Doctor' Bernar and Javier Cerero 'Pituso', at that time when it was sailed with wool sweater, panto pants and poo boots. He also recalled that he used to sail in the 'Paloma VI', "which was by Luis Vallejo, Luis Zubiría and Tomás Zubiria, all good friends of mine," he listed with an incredible retentiva. Until his last days he spoke of the 'Zul' of the Count of Zubiría, the 'Gota-Mar' of Juan Manuel Alonso- Allende, the 'Lar', the 'Cantarepe' of the 'Mizar', the 'Carmen', the 'Lucas'...

He loved his Club: "On a sentimental level, the Club has been and is magnificent. My whole environment, from any time, we've been people to live this Club a lot. My house has been very close. I was 18, in 1955. I also became a partner of the Sporting because my friends Alvaro Bernar, 'Pituso', the real twins of Asúa, Luis Vallejo, the toughest guy I've ever seen on board," he said. He entered the Board of Directors with Jorge Churruca, who made him comfortable after replacing Asensio Martínez Asúa. After the years, as President Juan Luis Wicke, he was appointed Captain of the Port, in a captains that was located where the School of Vela José Luis de Ugarte is now. "Rufo" was one of the precursors of the massive and well-known Regata del Gallo, as well as a jury of many races he enjoyed with the amount of anecdotes. The bonhomy of Don Rafael Arbaiza, who was also a great hockey player on skates and billiards in the 'Chapó' mode, is present in every space in his Club, where he came to grow these untold friendships lately. Always talking about the sea, that place where it felt so comfortable.