Happy New Year to all our
Members, Family and Friends!
As the Circumnavigators Club enters its 117th year, we look forward to an exciting, eventful year, which will include our Magellan Award event in Naples in March. We know our members will continue to travel far and wide and we ask everyone to share their experiences.
Canadian Circumnavigator Henri Van Bentum and his wife, Natasha, join us in the New Year wishes with Henri’s artistic renderings of the Winter Solstice, Christmas and New Year. These paintings are “Organiverse”, created by Henri dot by dot.
Top: Organiverse Mandala #25 of #100, Helios Edition, Henri van Bentum; Bottom: Top: Organiverse Mandala #25 of #100, Starry Night Edition, Henri van Bentum
A Lordly Affair
The U.K. Chapter held its 10th Annual Dinner at the House of Lords with about 60 members and guests in attendance. The event was hosted by Lord Richard Faulkner, formally known as Lord Faulkner of Worcester. Also attending was Lord Peter Inchcape, formally the Earl of Inchcape. The festive event included a tour of the chambers, a presentation by Circum Kane Avellano who circumnavigated by motorcycle. Circum Douglas Nickson, a relatively new member from Washington State, made a brief presentation about his decades-long project to duplicate the House of Lords library in his home. This was his first time to see the actual library. A number of Americans, including this writer and his wife Dottie, attended the memorable dinner. Thanks to Chapter President Helen Jenkins for organizing it.
Wild about Harry
Harry Houdini is among the most illustrious of the Club’s early members. The magician was the “rock star” of this time, known to just about everyone. John Cox operates a web site Wild About Harry, and we recently reached out to John when he spoke about Houdini at the New York Historical Society. John is the ultimate expert on all things Houdini, but he never heard about his connection to the Circumnavigators. He was overjoyed to get new info and never-seen photos of Harry. He posted the following item on his blog, which can be viewed via the following link.
Houdini and the Circumnavigators Club
Scuttlebutt Online
For nearly a century, The LOG has carried a section called Scuttlebutt with news and info about our members. With the LOG only coming out twice a year, this news is far from timely, so we are now running Scuttlebutt on the website every month. Please send us news!
It’s Sir Michael Palin
Michael Palin, perhaps best known for his role in Monte Python, was The Circumnavigators Club Magellan honoree in 2009, in recognition of his travel documentaries and writings. Now Michael has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
Palin said, “I have been a knight before, in Python films. I have been several knights, including Sir Galahad. I don’t think it will (sink in) until I see the envelopes addressing me as Sir Michael Palin.” Congratulations to our Magellan awardee.
A festive wedding
Circumnavigator Elizabeth Rider was recently married to David G. Schiff at Greenwich Country Club in Greenwich, Ct. Elizabeth is the daughter of Foundation President Greg Rider and wife Kathy.
The Last Shot
Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.
Luck to you!
David A. Mink
International President
davidamink@me.com
