An alcoholic St. George's man could have drowned while suffering from delusions, an inquest heard yesterday.

Retired Corporation worker Mr. Stanley Eugene Fray, 66, was found floating in 20 feet of water in the town's harbour, near the Caribbean Lounge.

Police believe he may have been suffering from the "DTs'', a form of delirium which can affect heavy drinkers.

His common-law wife had previously seen him splashing around in the water, apparently believing he was stopping a boat sinking.

Mr. Fray had lived in an apartment on Water Street for about 15 years. He had seven children from a marriage which ended in divorce. When he died he was in a 40-year relationship with Ms Edith Dill.

He had been an alcoholic for several years, the inquest heard. On April 22, two days before he was found dead, he went to see Dr. Henry Subair to complain of vomiting.

Mr. Fray agreed to go to Alcoholism Services, which he had attended before. A close friend of the couple, Ms Hazel Crane, said that about a week before his death Mr. Fray had been acting strangely.

On the evening of April 23 Ms Crane saw Mr. Fray at his home with friends. He talked "nonsense'' to her, she said in a statement read to the hearing.

"I've never heard him talk like that. But I don't think he was drunk.'' He was taking medication, she said. But he didn't seem ill or depressed.

She had learned from Ms Dill that Mr. Fray had been behaving strangely.

"She saw him down in the water down near the Caribbean Lounge. He was actually in the water splashing around.

"When she asked what he was doing he told her his boat was sinking and he was trying to pull it in. He was trying to bail the water out, so he said.

"Edith says there was nothing there. He was just imagining it all.'' One of the friends at Mr. Fray's house that night was labourer Mr. Herman Richardson, of Shinbone Alley, a workmate.

He told the hearing he saw Mr. Fray drink a couple of beers. He was not drunk or depressed, he said.

The next day, Lawrence Marine president Mr. William Lawrence was working on Market Wharf when he saw a body about six feet down in the water.

He alerted marine Policeman P.c. Lawrence Fox, who pulled it to the surface with a boat hook.

The fully-clothed body was recognised by Mr. Lawrence as that of Mr. Fray.

Investigating officer P.c. Timothy Carr told the inquest: "The deceased was an alcoholic who occasionally suffered from DTs and may have hallucinated when in this condition.'' There was no doubt alcohol contributed to his death, said P.c. Carr. Coroner Mr. John Judge recorded an open verdict. Mr. Fray died from "seawater drowning'', he said, but there was no evidence on how he came to be in the water.