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By 1998 I had completed my promised one term as Commodore and it was
time to invite nominations for a successor. Again there was no competition and
Mike Pocock, the son-in-law of Humphrey Barton, was installed by acclamation
having been proposed by John Maddox, Rear Commodore Australia, and
seconded by Clive King, Rear Commodore USA West. Mike and Pat (see
photograph page 234), had recently returned from their seven year
circumnavigation and, it was hoped, would be ashore for a while. It was a vain
hope – within weeks of taking over Mike announced his intention to lead a
round-Atlantic series of Millennium rallies.
On my departure I presented a silver cup which, unable to resist the alliteration,
I suggested should be known as ‘The Vasey Vase’. It perhaps indicated a degree
of unfulfilled ambition on my part as it was to be awarded for voyages of an
‘unusual or exploratory nature’ – the Club already had ample trophies, but there
was a gap where, if a most meritorious voyage did not win the Barton Cup, it
often did not fit the definition of any other award. A good example was
Paddy Barry’s outstanding adventure in the wake of Shackleton, which
Paddy Barry – first winner of the Vasey Vase
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could not stand comparison with the Engwirdas’ round the world marathon
for the premier award. Not surprisingly, therefore, Paddy was the first recipient
of the Vasey Vase.
There is no doubt that Hum had a valid point in avoiding competitive awards,
and the Committee have always been at pains to judge cruises on their merits.
Inevitably there have been some years when there are so many cruises of great
merit that it is difficult to adjudicate except by comparison – on other occasions
the Committee have rightly resisted the temptation to reward the ‘most
meritorious’ when it is a year of little merit, resulting in several occasions on
which particular trophies have not been awarded.
The Club’s hardworking General Secretary, Jeremy Knox, had also decided
that it was time for a change, and after interviewing two candidates Anthea
Cornell (see photograph page 256), was appointed. After a career with Shell
she had retired early to do more cruising so that now, after several ocean
crossings, she was well qualified to understand the jargon, and took over from
Jeremy in 1998. Jeremy had worked tirelessly to help put the Club back on its
feet ten years earlier, and had gone on to establish a thoroughly systematic
office, so it was a well-oiled machine that Anthea inherited. On departing as
Secretary he agreed to become a Trustee, was made an Honorary Life Member,
and received the OCC Award.
Following the 1998 trend Vice Commodore Peter Aitchison decided to retire
from his city job and sail away, so he too tendered his resignation. Since he had
not finished his allotted span the Committee were placed in the same position as
they had been with the premature retirement of John Foot ten years previously.
They therefore appointed Erik Vischer (see photograph page 258), one of the
Rear Commodores, to take his place pending confirmation at the AGM. Mike
Grubb, Port Officer Falmouth, was proposed and subsequently elected to the
Rear Commodore vacancy. This time there was no revolution! Indeed, everything
in the state of the Club was going swimmingly with solid finances, a stable
subscription which had not risen for five years, and a new and dedicated team
from the Secretary through to the Commodore.
One of the new Commodore’s early problems was inadvertently handed him by
his predecessor, and could have developed into a running sore had he not dealt
with it so deftly. Brian Dalton, Rear Commodore USA North East, had noted
that in 1988 the UK AGM and dinner had been subsidised from the general fund
to cover the cost of room hire for the meeting and the burden of Club guests.
Brian considered that regions should similarly enjoy a subsidy, despite an
assurance that there was always a net annual surplus from UK social functions.
To create absolute transparency, a separate ‘Social Fund’ was established with
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its own bank account so that there could be no confusion with the ‘General
Fund’ and any subsidies to social events would become immediately apparent
in the accounts. Additionally, a one-off grant of £150 was made to all regions
out of the profits from the recent Cruising Symposium to help with their
millennium celebrations. The principle was then reiterated that all social functions
must be self supporting, wherever they are.
On a much less contentious note, the Pardeys were awarded the 1998 Geoff
Pack Memorial Award for their writings over the years about their adventurous
life aboard a small, engineless boat. They had hoped to attend the awards
ceremony but were, as usual, at the opposite end of the earth, so most generously
offered the air fare saved by not travelling to offset entry fees for impecunious
youngsters. They noted that the number of members under 25 years was perhaps
less than 1% and they felt that the joining fee was a deterrent to the young. It
was eventually agreed that the £500 would be applied to subsidise those under
25 years who joined during Millennium year, somewhat reflecting Toby Baker’s
suggestion made five years earlier.
There was further turnover the following year when Graham and Avril Johnson
gave notice of their intention to retire and sail away (see photograph page 258),
so they too required a replacement. The desire to move on seemed to become
infectious, as Hon Treasurer Neil Wilkie also decided that he could no longer
give the time required. It was testimony to their foresight that the new website,
which all three had helped to create, was up and running before they left their
posts. Neil’s backing to do the sums combined with Graham’s strict discipline
had seen the Club over a difficult period from near insolvency to a most healthy
financial state, while Avril’s tenacity in chasing recalcitrant members had ensured
a reliable cash flow – the Club’s Achilles Heel since its inception. In the event
the Membership Secretary’s post was filled by long-standing member Colin
Jarman and the appointment of Hon Treasurer by accountant David Caukill.
John Maddox has long been the conduit for Australian activities, rarely failing
to keep us up to date on happenings in the Antipodes. On the other hand, the
members down there seem rather shy to tell us of their activities, so it as well
that we are served by John. Like fellow Australian Barton Cup winner Geoff
Payne, we heard through John of Roger Wallis’s sortie to the Horn in 1998,
also rewarded with that coveted trophy. Roger wanted a fast passage so he bought
the 47ft Parmelia which had been designed for the race of that name from England
to Australia. He modestly dismisses the 44 day passage from New Zealand to the
Horn in a paragraph, and was obviously pleased with his new boat:
‘During our long and lonely 44 day passage we enjoyed wonderful
sailing and became very aware of the vagaries of the weather.
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We quickly fell into the rhythm and routine of life at sea. We were
continually reminded that it is a big, big paddock out there – we
saw plenty of winged wildlife, including albatrosses and petrels,
but only the odd whale and one ship. We hove-to on four occasions
under triple-reefed main only, and she was very comfortable.’
He had the same reaction to the beauty of the Antarctic as had Willy Ker:
‘We crossed the Gerlache Strait to Dorian Cove in absolutely
perfect conditions, the mountains white, the glaciers with a tinge
of blue and the sky blue as blue.’
They forced their way south down the Peninsula, but only managed to beat
Willy by a mile and a half, turning back at 65º17'S. After a stormy sail north
across Drake Passage they had a run ashore on Cape Horn and even Roger
allowed himself a little exuberance:
‘After a day’s R&R the weather moderated and we went to the
anchorage at Cape Horn and landed! It was just great – the two
navy radio operators-come-lookouts made us welcome and we
visited their little wooden chapel, their lighthouse and the
monument to seamen. We soaked up all the mystique and aura
that goes with the Horn. It was an incredible day and very
important to all of us. We sailed up to it from Australia,
circumnavigated the whole island and finally landed on it!’
Roger doesn’t mention anything about his refrigeration system, but he had a
novel way of using nature by hanging two half sheep in the rigging. Judiciously
placed they could also act as baggy- wrinkle. In addition to that year’s Barton
Cup, Roger was deservedly awarded the Australian Trophy for 1998.
A glance at the marinas in New Zealand suggests that they have more boats per
head of population than almost anywhere in the world, and yet there were no
Founders from that country and we still have only 18 NZ members. However,
in 1956 Neill Arrow from Christchurch joined with the longest qualifying voyage
to that date, having crossed the Pacific to Peru in 1952, a distance of 5760
miles. Shades of the Engwirdas! There is no doubt that New Zealand is one of
the best cruising areas in the world, so perhaps the incentive to explore further
afield is not as strong as it is in Europe where the main aim is generally to get
somewhere warmer and less crowded. Yet it is perhaps the country where
more members get together casually than anywhere else.
As the first port of entry, and a delightful place to boot, The Bay of Islands
draws itinerants like a magnet and it is rare that George Bateman or Nina Kiff
fails to report the arrival of some Club members. Indeed, George reported 250
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visitors in 1991, many of them from the Club. He has been there for years and
even very old Journal correspondents talk of how he looked after them – and
more recently of how they enjoyed George and Dorothy’s golden wedding
party at the OCC (Opua Cruising Club). Nina, Hum’s niece, entertained us back
in 1993 with articles about their slow family cruise to New Zealand with four
young children, illustrated by delightful photographs of school at sea. They
too were greeted by George and Dorothy, and it wasn’t long before Nina
began to share Port Officer duties with them. Just recently we read in the
Newsletter of a most novel OCC gathering which could easily develop into
an annual affair, when Nina dragooned a not unwilling bunch of members
and others to turn out at 0700 to help pick her friends’ Chardonnay grape
crop. There’s no knowing the flexibility of a good sailor, especially when it
is followed by a free lunch!
The only formal NZ gathering of members on record is that organised by ex-
Vice Commodore, Peter Aitchison, who has adopted New Zealand as his semi-
retirement home. Some years ago he gave a dinner at the Royal New Zealand
Yacht Squadron for local OCC members, but the idea did not catch on as there
is no record of any further entertainment ashore. However, up north they seem
to be falling into a pattern. In April 2003 twelve boats and 20 members gathered
at the ‘OCC’ and they are anticipating a crowd for the party planned in November
’04, but that is outside the scope of this history.
Further south, Tim Thompson can rival Neill Arrow for qualifying date with
a passage from Sydney to New Caledonia in 1943, but unfortunately he didn’t
join until 1988. One is tempted to conjecture what he was doing ocean cruising
in the middle of the war – perhaps it was so clandestine that he could not
declare it for 45 years, depriving us of a faithful Port Officer Christchurch for
all that time. Although Tim regularly reports on passing members, Christchurch
does not enjoy the popularity of harbours further north.
Back in the northern hemisphere, during the summer of 1998 John and Sally
Melling had what they described as a ‘shakedown’ aboard Taraki, their new
(to them) Saltram 40, with 5000 miles in four months to Spitsbergen and back.
They were blessed with warm weather but a lack of wind that at least enhanced
the scenery:
‘The thought of more motoring did not appeal to us. We explored
the small fjords in Krossfjorden and then anchored in
Mollerhamna, where Tilman anchored in 1974. The scenery was
awe-inspiring, enhanced by the mirror-flat water and the reflection
of the mountains – unlike our London anchorage there was a
feeling of great space and solemnity. We rowed ashore to pay
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Admiral Mary with Club Secretary Anthea Cornell
at the Maine Millennium Rally
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homage to the boulder painted with ‘Baroque 1974’, and again
were delighted by the beautiful flowers growing out of the stony,
barren-looking ground.’
It is amazing how many people were now following in Tilman’s wake, but it is
even more amazing that he did it at all. We may criticise him for losing so many
boats, but by comparison with today his were heavy wooden, gaff-rigged vessels
with unreliable engines, yet he showed the way and beyond. The Mellings
follow Tilman in other ways, in that they use their boat to take them to remote
places where they can explore, be it the pampas of South America or ashore in
the Arctic. By Club standards this sortie counted as a ‘short voyage’ and it
certainly was ‘meritorious’, earning them the Rambler Medal.
John and Sally Melling trekking in Patagonia
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A tranquil Chilean anchorage
for John and Sally Melling’s sturdy Saltram 40, Tariki
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The Club’s Millennium Rally got off to a good start with a record attendance of
23 boats at the annual Falmouth gathering in August 1999. It was never meant
to be a cruise in company, but the Commodore left in Blackjack together with
Alan Taylor in Bellamanda and Erik and Jocelyn Hellstom in Havsvind at
the beginning of an Atlantic circuit intended to take one year and to include as
many members as possible. Regrettably someone had to mind the shop, so Vice
Commodore Eric Vischer waited until Grenada before joining the fleet in a chartered
boat. Mike wrote his thoughts after getting back to Falmouth a year later:
‘The Millennium Cruise was an ambitious project and we were
extremely lucky that, thanks to a high degree of reliability both
from the boat and our own health, we were able to maintain our
schedule and complete the cruise on programme. For the record
we sailed from Falmouth after the August Bank Holiday party at
the Royal Cornwall. We followed the traditional route to the
Caribbean arriving in time to see in the New Year in Prickly Bay,
Grenada along with 70 other members and friends. Our next
major date was a week of celebrations, in April, in the British
Virgin Islands which included an opening party at the Bitter End
and a closing party at the Last Resort.
From the Virgins we sailed for the US East Coast, partly using
the ICW despite our 7ft draft. We particularly enjoyed joining the
Chesapeake Bay Cruise, lead so ably by Bill and Alice Caldwell.
Numbers continued to rise and at the final major party in Smith’s
Cove, Maine, organised by Marji Bancroft and her team, there
were 130 members and 38 boats. We sailed for home from St
John’s Newfoundland, taking in one more party, this time with
the Irish at Kinsale, and finally made it to the annual OCC party
in Falmouth, twelve months after leaving that same party. I have
mentioned only the major parties. There were many smaller,
sometimes impromptu occasions. In the course of the cruise 316
members became involved at one time or another, (one fifth of
the club) of whom 28 were OCC Port Officers, not necessarily on
their home patch, and 233 members came aboard Blackjack.’
It was a most fitting way for the Ocean Cruising Club to celebrate. As Mike
said, it brought members together from all round the Atlantic littoral, at both the
formal rallies and the many informal gatherings, and was a graphic demonstration
of the Club’s cohesion as an active international association. There were, of
course, many other Club millennium functions around the world which were
equally successful in cementing the bonds of membership.
Not far behind the Commodore, but on a far more ambitious Atlantic circuit,
was Ben Pester in Marelle, his 36ft teak McGruer sloop. Ben had qualified in
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time to be a Founder, but was not credited as such as his application was too
late for the deadline (which gives an indication of his age – he was in fact 75).
With a crew of one he was intending to make a leisurely four-stop cruise to
Cape Horn for the Millennium, there to join the anticipated crowd of revellers.
It didn’t quite work out as planned as they were driven back to Mar del Plata
under bare poles before a pampero having left three days earlier. And Ben does
admit that the flesh was sufficiently weak for them to spend a couple of nights
quietly at anchor on the Argentinean coast, but otherwise they had a brisk
passage to the Magellan Straits. They didn’t quite meet the horrors that greeted
Denise Evans, but had a fair dusting penetrating through to Punta Arenas:
‘The pilotage hurdles now facing us were the two angosturas
(narrows) separating us from Punta Arenas. Each of these,
Primera and Segunda, are up to 10 miles long and funnel the
westerly winds, frequently of gale force, coupled with tidal streams
running at 7 knots. A daunting prospect.
We had to anchor short of the Primera Angostura before we
could get through, and then anchor for a further three days at
the entrance to the Segunda to wait for a break. This was a
period of considerable anxiety. We were anchored in 8–9m close
inshore, but the land was low-lying and gave little shelter. Our
wind speed indicator went off the clock at 48 knots. Marelle was
dipping her bows into the chop, with solid water pouring down
the decks and spray driving over us as though we were at sea.
She did not drag – a remarkable tribute to the CQR design – but
it was a nail-biting time. A French yacht in the vicinity at the time
told us later they were recording 70 knots of wind. Thus it was
that we saw in the Millennium.’
After Punta Arenas they worked their way south to Puerto Williams where:
‘We topped up our fuel, water and stores whilst waiting for a
window in the weather pattern to make our dash for the Horn a
hundred miles away. When it came we headed out into the Beagle
Channel for an overnight sail through the island groups to position
ourselves to the west of Isla Homos, at the southern tip of which
is the ‘dreaded rock’, the Horn itself.
We rounded this, the centrepiece of the whole trip, at 1150 on
5 February before a light nor’ westerly breeze, accompanied by
a long Southern Ocean swell and lowering skies (but alas no
other revellers). We were close in to the headland, sheer and
craggy, with its brooding menacing presence all-pervading, but
it was in an uncharacteristically benign mood and even bathed in
intermittent sunshine. It is possible to land at the eastern
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Above: The fleet at the Millennium Rally in Prickly Bay, Grenada
Below: Marelle leaves Falmouth to start her epic voyage to Cape Horn
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(leeward) end of the island, but we did not want to press our
luck, particularly as the wind was working around to the east
which would have made the anchorage insecure. We carried on;
after all, we were now homeward bound!’
They refuelled in the Falklands and planned to call at the Azores, but they were
forced too far to the west so carried on. After 90 days they entered Falmouth
harbour under sail as they only had enough fuel left to motor up to the mooring.
18,000 miles in nine months – an epic voyage and a well earned Barton Cup.
The Millennium was a good opportunity to take the next logical step in the
development of our journal by including colour photographs. It had been resisted
on the grounds of cost for several years, but by 2000 the magazine was beginning
to look distinctly dated. Appropriately, the first front cover to have both a picture
and colour showed the raft-up at the Prickly Bay rally and the first picture
inside the covers was an excellent photograph of Pat and Mike aboard Blackjack.
If she wanted to persuade readers to support colour in the forthcoming
questionnaire Anne certainly succeeded, printing some excellent colour
photographs of Willy Ker in Assent messing about in the ice alongside similar
black-and-white pictures that looked positively drab by comparison.
Not to be outdone, the next year Anthea included colour in her Newsletter so
that the Club’s two publications were then properly dressed for the new
Millennium. It was perhaps a measure of both the increasing activity of members
and their increased interest in the Club, as the Newsletter had steadily developed
from a few monochrome pages to a sixteen-page leaflet packed with news of
members and Club activity. Latterly it even included commercial advertisements,
which must surely confirm its popularity.
It is hardly surprising that the vast majority of articles in both Flying Fish and
the Newsletter are from English-speaking members, so it was very refreshing
to find contributions in three successive issues from two of our five German
friends. In 2001 Claus Jaeckel wrote on a largely technical topic with hardly
a trace of an accent, so to speak. Claus qualified in 1999 in his beautiful 41ft
varnished cutter Gullveig, on an eventful Atlantic crossing dogged by electronic
problems including the loss of both GPSs. One began to wonder when he
triumphantly announced that his celestial navigation had improved to the point
where, ‘somewhere between Africa and America I had perfected my technique’.
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Vice Commodore Erik Vischer, wearing the
Club’s 50th anniversary T-shirt, with the Admiral
A liberated Membership Secretary –
Graham Johnson relaxes on the Gambia River
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Our worst fears were ill-founded however – he was sufficiently confident on
arrival in the West Indies to be saved the embarrassment of having to ask
which island it was. Our most hospitable Port Officers, Garry and Greta
Naigle in Norfolk, Virginia proposed Claus for the Club so that his return crossing
was under our colours.
The following year saw a contribution from Wolfgang Quix, no stranger in
our magazines. He joined back in 1978 after an Atlantic crossing in a 21-footer,
and in 1997 we read of his exciting new boat, Wolfie’s Toy, a BOC 50 in which
he had just raced his third OSTAR. While it is interesting to hear of members’
racing exploits, it is with relief that we read of them acting normally on
occasions, if you can call poking around in Hudson Bay normal. Wolfgang also
has only a slight ‘accent’ in his writing, but one wonders when he says that
‘Wolfie’s Toy was conquered by the kids of the Inuit settlement and we had
Wolfgang Quix prepares to defend his ‘Toy’ from marauding bears
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