Carol Clark was 55 years old when she saw the following advertisement in 1975: “Dive the world: share expenses, 10 months, $7,300 – Windjammer Cruises, Miami, Florida.”
Carol and her husband Walter were busy running their Crow Valley farm and both of their daughters were grown and out of the house. When she saw those words in a diving magazine, something inside her began to stir.
“My grandmother had been around the world three times, and I got most of my wanderlust from her stories,” Carol said.
For two months, Carol and Walter went back and forth about her going because “10 months is a long time to be leaving your family.”
In the end, Carol signed on for what proved to be the trip of a lifetime with 48 fellow divers who ranged in age from 23 to 75.
As one of the older travelers, she opted to spend her time with younger members of the group, as they “actually did things instead of sitting around and talking about what they used to do.”
The shipmates spent a month in Singapore, another month in Capetown, and went diving in the South Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and Tahiti.
Some of Carol’s favorite memories are bonding with her fellow travelers.
“Sometimes we were on the ship for 30 days without any stops,” she said.
Carol wrote the following story after the group’s 35-year reunion at her farm on Orcas.
Yankee Traders to the core
The ad, which ran in August 1975, snared 48 takers. We were strangers to one another. Each had a reason to go, and very little money. Some signed on to work, some joined for only the first three months, and one even sold his house in order to go.
“Yankee Trader,” formerly the research vessel “Hydrographer,” was refurbished in 1971. She arrived in Freeport, Bahamas three days after we passengers did. At 178 feet in length, she sported two added masts, a bow plate and a bowsprit to make her look like a Tall Ship. One of her two diesel-electric engines frequently functioned. She carried a crew of 20 West Indians and two British captains.
Instead of 10 months, the circumnavigation took just short of 12 months. At the end, all aboard, including those who sailed only part way, had tightly bonded. Captain Terry Bewley had predicted at the start, “This trip will change your life, if you will let it.”
We are Yankee Traders to the core, getting together whenever we can. We have held a few official reunions in Oregon, Maine, the Caribbean, Utah and Washington. The 25-year reunion took place at my farm on Orcas. Both captains showed up for that one in June of 2000.
This past August, the 35-year reunion was again held at my farm. Twelve of the original sailors recorded their thoughts when joining up those many years ago:
Jerry Martin, Ohio: At 23, he couldn’t swim. His teacher taught him to scuba instead.
Jack White, Ohio: At 29, he was burned out from his tour with the Navy; it took him 70 seconds to sign on.
Ron Loucks, Pennsylvania: He was intrigued by a National Geographic Magazine article about Pitcairn Island, and simply had to visit it.
Warren Cohen, California: His imagination was captured by the ad he saw in Sailing Magazine.
Mary Small, Georgia: She had never been anywhere. She met a Windjammer sailor who advised her to go.
Nancy Morrison, New Hampshire: She received an ad in the mail and decided to take a chance.
Marty Eisenhart, Pennsylvania: He had already travelled a great deal, mostly in Europe. He saw the ad in Smithsonian Magazine. He met his wife aboard “Yankee Trader” and pronounced it “the best trip of all.”
Dee McBride, Utah: She intended to send her son on the trip as a graduation present, but decided that she wanted to go herself instead.
“Little Carol” Nelson, California: Her father said, “Dear, opportunity comes but once.” Her mother said, “But why don’t you just get married, like all your friends?”
“Cowboy” Carol Clark, Washington: Her G.I. insurance matured that year. Her husband Walt said, “If you don’t go, I’ll always feel that I kept you from doing what you have wanted to do all your life.”
“Crazy Carole” Logan, Maine: She signed up immediately, “job and boyfriend be damned.”
Ray Robbins, Oregon: He postponed his wedding for the duration. During the voyage, he lost more cameras than anyone else.
This reunion was also a wake. Sadly, we received the news of Captain Terry Bewley’s death a week before we gathered. He had offered to host our 50th at his home on the Thames River near Windsor Castle.
– Carol Clark,Orcas Island, Wash. August 2010
