January 2023 Circumbits

Circumbits Comments Off on January 2023 Circumbits
Jan 032023
Jan 2023
happy new year!

Welcome to 2023

We decided to show this imaginative, iconic art piece from 1912 to toast the New Year. Looks like Circumnavigators are sharing bubbly with countries around the world. We have now struggled through three challenging years. Let’s hope for a fresh start in 2023. The Club would like to wish a Happy New Year to our members, family and friends. Our mission to make the world a better place is as important as ever.

all over the map jan 2023

A number of Circumnavigators have ventured to Antarctica recently, some making it their 7th Continent to visit.

dills and minks antartica

Circumnavigators Jon & Melody Dill and Dottie & David Mink (Naples Chapter) touched down in Antarctica last month, opting to fly from Chile to avoid the often rough Drake Passage. They picked up a cruise there and marveled at the magnificent scenery.

Walter Suslak 7th continent

Circumnavigator Walter Suslak (At large, Jacksonville, FL) and wife Sally made it to their 7th Continent. Some of Walter’s excellent photos will be featured in the next issue of The LOG.

Lisa Brighton Antartica

Circumnavigator Lisa Brighton (Michigan Chapter) got a work out in the icy waters of Antarctica. She loved her month-long journey to this part of the world.

At this writing, a least two more club members are off to the bottom of the world on separate adventures. They are Michael Puldy (Pacific SW Chapter) and Mark Pross (Washington DC Chapter). Mark is repeating a trip to Antarctica during which he contracted Covid and couldn’t leave his ship for the land excursions. Have you been to Antarctica or plan to go soon? Please let us know at club@circumnavigators.org because we will feature this venue in the next issue of The LOG.

Ann Swinford London

Circumnavigator Ann Swinford (Michigan Chapter) was one of the Americans who ventured to London for the magnificent House of Lords dinner for Circumnavigators. Why not consider attending this wonderful event next December?

Geoff & Marilyn McGrath Thailand

Circumnavigators Geoff & Marilyn McGrath (Williamsburg, VA) reported in from their current circumnavigation, visiting here Wat Mahathat Buddhist temple in central Thailand.

Helen Jenkins Ontario

Circumnavigator Helen Jenkins, (President UK Chapter) left Wales to visit Coldwater Village in Ontario, Canada.

Lion & Donna Curran

Circumnavigators Lion & Donna Curran (At Large) ventured westward to visit warm venues like Death Valley.

Alan Weiss

Circumnavigator Alan Weiss (Rhode Island) and wife Maria enjoyed a Macallan highball at Park Chinois in London.

Pam & Bill Girtman

Circumnavigators Pam & Bill Girtman (Naples Chapter) visited Jamaica where they got this iconic shot of a local street vendor.

Scuttlebutt

Touchdown for the Petersons

Circumnavigators Melanie & Dan Peterson (Chicago Chapter) have enjoyed attending a lot of pro and college football recently. In addition to four NFL games (one each with Circumnavigator son Andrew (At-Large) and daughter Charlotte (At-Large)), Dan flew Melanie in his plane to Philadelphia and back for the Army-Navy Game.  Later it was on to Miami (by airline) for the Orange Bowl, joined by their other Circumnavigator son Matthew (At-Large) for a Tennessee victory. Sixteen hours later Dan was in Phoenix for the CFP Semi-Final Fiesta Bowl and a TCU victory.  And next week Melanie, Dan and Andrew are headed to Los Angeles for the CFP National Championship Game.  For Dan, Club 1st VP, that will push him more than halfway to his goal of seeing a game in all 30 NFL stadiums.

The Last Shot

Atacama Desert in Chile
Thanks to Circumnavigator Steve Barnett (At Large, Panama) for this shot stunning photo from the Atacama Desert in Chile.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is davidsig.gif

David A. Mink
International President
club@circumnavigators.org

August 2021 Circumbits

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Jul 262021
August flowers bloom in Iceland

The LOG is on the way!

Members will receive their copies of The LOG in August. This issue has Club news and features, but it is a bit abbreviated given the lack of travel and Chapter meetings during the pandemic. As Circumnavigators get back on the road, members are encouraged to let us know about their travels for Circumbits and The LOG. Please remember that we do not want complete stories to be submitted. Contact Tracy or David to discuss story concepts.

Al Morasso Jr.

Alfred Morasso, Jr. sadly passed away in June. He was a Past President of the Club, as was his father, Alfred Sr. Alfred (the first) was the sole survivor of ship sinking in 1920, a story that has been recounted several times in the LOG and online. It is an amazing story, so we are offering a link if you would like to read the whole story. 

Link to the original article here

Are you a mountain climber?  

We are looking to share adventures with our members and we would like to do a story on mountain climbing. Please let us know if you are an avid climber at club@circumnavigators.org.

The Last Shot

Thanks to Gunther Winkler (Naples Chapter) for this photo of the Arches National Park in Utah.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

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David A. Mink
International President
davidamink@me.com

June 2021 Circumbits

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Jun 012021
Beaches are getting busy again as shown from this photo from Ocean City, NJ

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy

Circumnavigators are enjoying a return to normalcy after more than a year of lockdowns, quarantines, social distancing, masks, and importantly, restricted travel. Best wishes to all Circumnavigators, family and friends for a fun-filled summer.

2021 Annual Meeting goes virtual again

Due to pandemic restrictions, our 119th Annual Meeting was conducted via Zoom technology for the second, and hopefully, last time.  The good news is that 65 members participated in the meeting. All of the required agenda items were completed. Welcome to our new Board members, Jeneane Blom (Chicago), Michael Puldy (Pacific Southwest) and Steven Barnett (At Large, Panama). The meeting was followed by a fascinating travel presentation by Gunther Winkler (Naples). Gunther presented photos and stories from around the world. The Club sent a link to the Annual Meeting to all members. If you do not have it, please contact Tracy Sancilio at headquarters.

Seven Continents

7 continents

Reminder, if you have visited all continents and are not on the list on this page, please let us know.

On the Road Again

Circumnavigators are beginning to travel internationally. If you have made a foreign trip, please let us know about it. It is important to share this information with members.

Egypt and Jordan

Norman and Susan Dailey (Washington DC Chapter) recently returned home from Egypt and Jordan. Fully vaccinated, they found that traveling to these two countries was easy, although PCR Covid tests were required. The Daileys reported, one problem was visiting during Ramadan, which coupled with a strict evening curfew, didn’t allow them to sample local cuisine, one of their favorite parts of traveling.

They reported, “Besides the spectacular sites, one overriding theme for the trip was the small number of tourists.  At the Great Pyramid, they used to have 15,000 or more visitors a day–during our visit, less than 500. At Petra, in Jordan the same story.  Usually thousands visit daily, during our visit, maybe several hundred.  For us it was wonderful, for those that depend on tourists for income, a dire situation.” Having traveled to all continents and many wonders of the world, Norman is sorry that he waited so long to visit these two special countries. 

Scuttlebutt

Circumnavigator Arthur Hammons (Pacific Southwest) has written a new book that was featured in an article of La Jolla Light. The paper reported: “The Rev. Arthur Hammons invites you to take up a pen to make the current chapter of your life “the best,” and he’s detailed his ideas for how to do so in his latest book, “This Chapter of Your Life.”

“The La Jolla resident said, “Our lives are made up of many chapters, and we can use all the other chapters as resources to make this chapter the best.”

Arthur is the husband of Chapter President Virginia Foster.

The Last Shot

Thanks to Circumnavigator Gunther Winkler for this shot of a Toucan in Belize. As mentioned above, Gunther shared his wonderful photos with members after the Annual Meeting. Gunther and his wife Maria recently traveled to Guatemala and Belize. Their travel story and photos will be featured in the next issue of The LOG.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

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David A. Mink
International President
davidamink@me.com

May 2021 Circumbits

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May 032021
Flowers are blooming in Helen Jenkins’ prize winning garden in Wales. Helen is the UK Chapter President.

Moving Ahead

After many months of writing about the pandemic, we see a light at the end of the tunnel. As you will see in some of the items below, Circumnavigators are slowly returning to normal times. Many members are fully vaccinated and planning to take off to see more of the world. Best wishes to Circumnavigators who venture abroad.

Live from Naples

In April, the Naples Chapter held the first “live” event since Covid put the brakes on in-person Club events. It was a “hybrid” meeting with Circumnavigators attending either in person or by Zoom to hear a presentation on Iceland by Chapter historian Sophie Classen. Surprisingly, more than 60 members attended for cocktails, brunch and social interaction. Only ten members elected to use Zoom. It was great to get together.

Reminder – Annual Meeting

Gunther and Maria Winkler in Tikal, Guatamala.

The Annual Meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, May 19 at 5:00 pm (EDT). After the formal meeting, members and guests will be invited to watch a presentation by Photographer Gunther Winkler and his wife Maria (Naples Chapter). Great photos from around the world will be shown. A reminder Zoom link will be emailed closer to the meeting. We hope you can join us.

On the Road Again

Circumnavigators are beginning to travel internationally. If you have made a foreign trip, please let us know about it. It is important to share this information with members.

Hawaii

Although it is not technically international for Americans, Hawaii is a long distance away. Pacific Southwest President Virginia Foster and her husband Arthur Hammons visited the far-flung islands and are able to share the technical issues of traveling there. You can contact Virginia by getting her email address from Tracy at headquarters. Circumnavigator Ken Mink also visited Hawaii, hitting several of the islands.

Egypt

Melanie Peterson

The land of pyramids is turning out to be a popular destination for Circumnavigators. Several Club members have gone there and report that the pyramids, The Sphinx and other ancient sites are virtually empty of tourists, making for a delightful experience. Circumnavigator Melanie Peterson (Chicago Chapter) has recently visited Egypt, and Washington DC Chapter members Norman and Susan Dailey are in Aswan now and are attempting to get to Jordan. We will hear more from the Daileys next month.

Scuttlebutt

Two Circumnavigators and Order of Magellan honorees were in the news. The late astronaut Sally Ride will be honored on a coin. The U.S. Mint announced that late La Jolla resident and astronaut Sally Ride and late writer Maya Angelou will be the first two women honored on coins issued under the American Women Quarters Program.

“Sally would be so moved by this great honor,” said Tam O’Shaughnessy, Ride’s life partner and co-founder of Sally Ride Science at UC San Diego Extension. “It’s especially fitting that it comes during the 20th-anniversary celebration for Sally Ride Science. This tribute reflects Sally’s legacy not only as a trailblazing astronaut but also as a champion of diversity and inclusion in STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] fields.” Sally was a member of the Circumnavigators Pacific Southwest Chapter.

Sally Ride and Bertrand Piccard in the news.

Explorer and adventurer Bertrand Piccard was honored by the Circumnavigators after he circumnavigated in a balloon in 1999. Later he developed the Solar Impulse, a plane that could fly without a drop of fuel. His co-pilot on that circumnavigation, Andre Borschberg, was also awarded the Order of Magellan. Now Bertrand has announced that he has fulfilled his promise, made in 2019, to come up with 1000 solutions to improve the environment. He wrote a letter to his friend and Circumnavigator Helen Jenkins which said, “Feel free to spread the word about this #beyond1000solutions campaign. The video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yHfGj6lpVw explains our action in a simple and succinct way.”

Around the World with Albert

Legendary traveler and author Albert Podell wowed Circumnavigators with a fast-paced, witty travel presentation via Zoom. About 70 members and guests were treated to this fascinating travelog. 

Calling all Collectors

Is there something special that you collect from each place you visit? Let us know! You could be featured in our “Collectors Corner” column of an upcoming edition of The LOG. Past collections have included beer bottles, keys, mugs and masks. Email Katie Koontz at katherinenkoontz@gmail.com if interested.

The Last Shot

Brian Baum (Pacific Northwest Chapter) says always carry your camera because you never know when the right moment will happen. He reports: “On a damp afternoon in November, the clouds briefly parted and the setting sun created a rose-colored wash over the marble buildings in the Campo Dei Miracoli in Pisa. Within a few minutes the effect was gone.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

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David A. Mink
International President
davidamink@me.com

April 2021 Circumbits

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Mar 302021
April 2021 Circumbits
The sun sets on another winter. Thanks to Circumnavigator Kristen Koontz (New York Metro) for this shot on NC’s Outer Banks.

Save the Date for Annual Meeting

Gunther and Maria Winkler in Tikal, Guatamala.

The Annual Meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, May 19 at 5:00 pm (EDT). Hopefully this will be the last time for a virtual meeting. All of the obligatory Club issues will be addressed. Only members can participate in this part of the meeting. After the formal meeting, members and guests will be invited to watch a presentation by Photographer Gunther Winkler and his wife Maria (Naples Chapter). Great photos from around the world will be shown. We hope you can join us. Log-in details will follow later. The election ballot for this year’s nominees will be sent via email so please be on the lookout.

Circumnavigator Trips?

For decades, the Club took trips every couple of years, including a circumnavigation for the 90th Anniversary in 1992. We are now considering returning to Club travel, and we would like to get a handle on the level of interest from our members, including some input on the type of trips. Shortly, you will be receiving a survey by Survey Monkey to get info. Thanks for participating.

Need Your Help

As the pandemic goes away (we hope!), the Club will be making some major moves to increase membership and enhance the enjoyment of being a Circumnavigator. We are looking for members who will volunteer to help us in some of these areas: Photography, Advertising, Financial/Accounting, and Internet/Website. Please email headquarters if you have expertise in any of these activities

Back on the Road

Circumnavigators are beginning to travel internationally. If you have made a foreign trip, please let us know about it. It is important to share this info with members. Circumnavigators Vinny & Fran Cucchiara (Naples Chapter) recently ventured to the Bahamas.

The Cucchiaras report, “It was an 11th hour decision to visit Nassau and check out the Baha Mar Resort. However, nothing is easy in the age of COVID travel. The Bahamian government has very strict rules about letting people in the Islands. They require all visitors to have a health visa showing they are symptom free of COVID. No health visa, no admission.”

They go on to report the tedious process of getting the health visa, required tests and timetables. More testing was required for returning to the U.S. Their conclusion: “The trip was fun but the paperwork was a little bothersome.”

The Last Shot

Circumnavigator Ann Swinford (Michigan Chapter) took this stunning shot of the aurora in Alaska. More of Ann’s photos of the aurora will be shown in the next issue of The LOG.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

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David A. Mink
International President
davidamink@me.com

February 2021 Circumbits

Chapter Spotlight, Circumbits, The Blog Comments Off on February 2021 Circumbits
Feb 012021

Welcome to February!

Even though the pandemic days can be challenging, time sure flies by. Seems like we just kicked off the new year with January Circumbits putting 2020 in the rear view mirror. We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy and that those eligible are getting their vaccines. We feel better days are ahead.

Zoom Events

Circumnavigators are getting together via Zoom events with some interesting programs in the past month. All Zoom events are open to the general membership even when sponsored by a particular Chapter. We had 53 members join the New York Metro event recently with a great program on the remote areas of Russia by journalist Alec Luhn. Zoom events are posted on our site under upcoming events on the right side.

Scuttlebutt

Circumnavigators Have a New Book

PJ Heyliger (Desert Chapter) and Canadian Henri van Bentum have collaborated on their fifth Children’s book Three Mermaids’ Escapades, shown here. Henri wrote the story and PJ did the illustrations. The book is available on Amazon. Congratulations PJ and Henri.

Back on the Road

Circumnavigators are beginning to slowly return to international travel. Melody and Jon Dill (Naples Chapter) have just visited Egypt where they found the popular sites were almost empty, giving them great access to the wonders of the world. They report: “There could not be a better time for us. Weather is perfect, in the 60s and 70s. We’re guessing there were only 25 or 30 people on the 777 from JFK to London. Absolutely no one in line with us going through security at Heathrow. In Egypt, all hotels and ships are restricted to 50% capacity. At the Ritz Carlton, they were 12% capacity. On the sanctuary sun boat IV, there are 38 of us when normally there would be 80. Photos show the emptiness.
And, of course, the price is right. Abercrombie & Kent was 50% discount. We arrived a couple days early and had a Nile view room on club level for $180. Normally $400, $600?

The Last Shot

Norman and Susan Dailey (Washington DC Chapter) spent a romantic Valentine’s day last year in Bali. It was their last trip before the pandemic. The dinner was at the Swept Away Restaurant in Ubud, Bali in Indonesia. They were on their fourth circumnavigation.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is davidsig.gif

David A. Mink
International President
davidamink@me.com

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