Springing into March
Best wishes to our members, family, and friends for a wonderful month of March as we eagerly look forward to the Spring season. Circumnavigators have been busy with meetings and travel, and the club has important news to share.
Magellan Event on Tap
Past President Howard Matson reports, “the Circumnavigators Club is thrilled to announce that the 2023 recipients of the prestigious “Order of Magellan” will be the wife and husband team of Maureen and Tony Wheeler.” The memorable black-tie dinner, in their honor, will be held in New York City, Friday, October 6th. Tony and Maureen are considered tycoons in the travel publishing field. As founders of the acclaimed LONELY PLANET series of books, one measure of their success is the sales of over 150 million copies of their myriad of guidebooks. Our Magellan awardees have included a father/son (Sir Edmund and Peter Hillary) and twin brothers (Scott and Mark Kelly). This event will be the Club’s first spouses as honorees. Make your plans for this not to be missed event!
1973 Georgetown Scholar Rick Stephan recently made a second substantial donation to the Foundation and consented to a half-hour interview about his Foundation-sponsored circumnavigation fifty years ago, as well as the impact that his trip has had on his life. Watch Rick’s interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqYsccfQzDw
Link to an excerpt from Rick’s interview in which he provides an eyewitness account of the revolution that overthrew the Afghan monarchy in 1973: https://youtu.be/UQvdDRelsfM
Chapter News
The DC Chapter met recently at Panda Gourmet in Washington DC with 17 attendees. Foundation grantee Sophia Doroshenko gave a presentation on her planned circumnavigation this coming summer. The group talked about their travels and topics to address membership, and a planned polo event in June.
The Naples Chapter held an event at the Naples Sailing and Yacht Club in February. Ninety members and guests attended, and enjoyed the fascinating presentation given by Bo and Terrilynne Boling. They sailed for three and a half weeks on the Crystal Endeavor, crossing the Antarctic Circle, and making several stops in Argentina, and on the Antarctic Continent. Attendees enjoyed immensely their professional video, and their lively commentary.
Ethiopia…You never know where you will find prolific adventurer Suzanne Frye (New York Metro). Here is Suzanne in Ethiopia with her marvelous photos of Gelada baboons at the Simien Mountains National Park.
Southern Ocean…Circumnavigator Mark Pross (Washington DC Chapter) unfurls the Circumnavigators Club flag at the gravesite of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton at Whalers’ Cemetery in Grytviken on South Georgia Island. Mark spent nearly six weeks traveling through Panama, Colombia, Chile, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, the South Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, and Paraguay. Along the way, Mark met with Circumnavigator Governor Steven Barnett and his wife Karen in Panama City.
Pitcairn Island…Circumnavigators Bill & Connie Kleinfelter (Naples Chapter) continued their five-month circumnavigation with a visit to legendary Pitcairn Island. Only about 50 people reside on the island, half of whom are descendants of Fletcher Christian of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Only about ten ships visit the island each year. Islanders visited their ship for a meet and greet.
Egypt…Circumnavigators Dan & Melanie Peterson (Chicago Chapter) are currently enjoying a long exploration of Egypt. Here they are aboard the express train from Cairo to Alexandria)
Caribbean…Circumnavigator Fred Mink (At Large, Delaware) and wife Jan enjoyed island hopping in the Caribbean. They sailed on a small ship with a group of friends.
Antarctica…Circumnavigator Michael Puldy (Pacific Southwest Chapter) made it to his seventh continent. His itinerary was altered when a passenger was injured in South Georgia. Nonetheless, he reported an exciting adventure.
Abu Dhabi…Circumnavigators Norm & Susan Dailey (Washington DC Chapter) kept on the move as usual with visits to Mumbai, the Maldives and shown here dining in Abu Dhabi.
New Zealand…Circumnavigators Jon & Melody Dill (Naples Chapter) and Circumnavigator Halyna Traversa (Naples Chapter) and husband Bill Young cruised the South Pacific Ocean including a visit to New Zealand.
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
club@circumnavigators.org
