Family and friends of Richard Bligh, 24, who drowned while on a working holiday in Florida, have paid tribute to a man who lived an adventurous life.

Mr Bligh, from Ditteridge, Box, had been working and travelling around Canada and America for two years when the tragedy happened.

An inquest into his death held last Thursday told how he was found face down floating in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Key West, Florida, on November 30 last year.

Medical examiner Michael Hunter said there was no evidence of foul play and he believed he had been in the water for 24 to 48 hours.

Six months after his death, members of his family are still coming to terms with their loss.

His mother, Anita Bligh, said the family all missed him terribly.

"I think about it every day but just try to keep busy," she said.

Mr Bligh was born in Canada but his family moved back to England when he was nine months old.

They lived in Buckinghamshire, where Mr Bligh went to the village school.

When he was 11 years old they moved to Potterne, near Devizes, and Mr Bligh attended Clifton College. A few years later the family moved to Ditteridge.

"Music was Richard's first love and he was always making and composing it," said Mrs Bligh.

He wanted to write music for films." Mr Bligh studied a BTEC in Music Technology at Bath College and then went on to Leeds Metroplitan University.

"He decided to leave because it was not based on making your own music. He decided to fund his way to Canada," said his mother.

After working as a chef in Bath, Mr Bligh saved enough money to travel to Whistler in British Colombia.

He got a job on a ski resort and made many new friends on the slopes.

"Snowboarding was his second love. He took his keyboard with him so he could still do music. He was very competent at snowboarding but he did live life to the edge. He went up the highest mountains. He was obviously having a great time," said Mrs Bligh.

After spending time in Whistler, Mr Bligh travelled back and forth to Montreal, Toronto and Mexico, taking work along the way.

"He couldn't take his keyboard with him so he took his guitar. He was a guitar-playing traveller," said Mrs Bligh.

Eventually, Mr Bligh took a job as a deck hand on a yacht and he ended up in Key West.

After hearing about his death, many of the friends he had made abroad contacted his family with their condolences.

"I am left with some amazing memories of him. Everyone thought Rich was their best mate. He made a mean spaghetti bolognese," said Tina Whyte, who stayed with him in Canada.

Chris Binns, who also met him at Whistler, said Mr Bligh brought a smile to a face in the darkest situations.

"He could party with the best of them," he said.

His mother said he was a warm, friendly, loving character who always wanted to help other people.

Statements read at his inquest suggested Mr Bligh might have committed suicide but coroner David Masters said he did not think the evidence was strong enough to prove this.

"His death could have been accidental as easily as it could have been suicide," said Mr Masters. He recorded an open verdict.

The inquest heard how Mr Bligh had gone to the airport on November 27, the day after his 24th birthday, to fly back home.

His parents had bought him a ticket, but he never picked it up.

Instead, he left a message on his parents' voice mail that said he loved them and he thanked them for his upbringing.

Then it is believed he went back to Key West. His body was found three days later.

Mrs Bligh said she did not believe her son killed himself, because he was very happy and enjoying himself.

"He lived life to the full and he was always thinking about the next place he wanted to go to," she said.

"He always talked to us about his problems and was very open. I was told the currents were very strong where he was swimming."

Mr Bligh's body was repatriated to Box and his funeral was held at St Christopher's Church in Ditteridge where his brother Tim, aged 28, spoke to a packed church.

He also leaves two sisters, Sarah aged 20 and Pippa, aged 26.