By Club Historian Graham Clarke
The Honours Board that lists the circumnavigations by Club Members over the years, bears silent testimony to a legion of tales of intricate planning, extensive preparations, heroic exploits and ... of great adventure. Originally drafted for the Centenary Book, under the expert stewardship of Dick Moore, the authors provided reports and images of their own worldwide voyages, flying the RLymYC burgee in far distant waters. Space did not permit the full publication of these contributions in the book, but they are now reproduced, in full, on the History website, at https://rlymyc-history.org.uk/circumnavigators/
Read the accounts of our fellow-Members, as they encountered danger, exhaustion, disaster and the absolute joy of a safe landfall or an exotic anchorage - in the case of Jeanne Socrates, multiple times. As a circumnavigator himself, Dick Moore sets the scene with the planning and preparation - routes, boats, equipment, supplies, formalities - then invites perusal of the 32 entries, where the circumnavigators relate the highs and lows of their own unique experiences.
This supplement to the Centenary celebration of all that the Club has done, is a fascinating record to entertain the armchair voyager and, perhaps, to inspire and inform others of us to follow in their wake. They give a glimpse of the process of the great undertaking of circumnavigation and reward the reader with some joyful pictures of foreign lands and warm welcomes.
Photo Credit above: Blackjack - Mike and Pat Pocock - Guess where!
World wind map that drove all circumnavigators' plans
Part of the list of entries, giving details of crew, boat, dates and route