❖ MERRY CHRISTMAS ❖

 

American Yacht
YANKEE
Owned and sailed by 
Capt. Irving and Electa Johnson,
Gloucester, Mass. and their crew.
Holiday card sent from crew member, 
Fenton, mailed from Cape Town, S. A.
Undated photo from the archives 
of the Saltwater People Hist. Society©

Capt. Irving (1905-1991)
and Electa Johnson
aboard brigantine YANKEE, in 1958.
Their last of seven voyages around the 
world and home to 
Gloucester, Mass. 
Click photo to enlarge.
Photo from the archives of the 
Saltwater People Historical Society©

Capt. Irving Johnson, author and well-known mariner who chose the sea over a farm life in South Hadley, had just completed his seventh -- and last -- sailing trip around the world.
      Johnson sailed his 95-foot brigantine Yankee into the port of Gloucester, Mass in 1958 after an 18-month, 48,000-mile trip with 21 passengers. They had paid $5,000 each.
      The trip was highlighted by a romance, the discovery of an anchor which may be from the famous Bounty near Pitcairn Island, and what Johnson termed a veritable Shangri-La.
      The 53-year-old skipper said the Shangri-La was in the Marquesas Islands. He described it as "the cutest valley you ever saw protected by sheer solid rock which made the harbor dangerous and discouraging to enter."
      Johnson said an anchor purportedly from the Bounty was returned to Pitcairn Island. It will be kept with other relics from the famous English vessel.
      After seven circumnavigations of 18-months each, the Johnsons have sold their vessel to Reed Whitney of Wilmette, Ill, a former Navy commander. Whitney planned to continue the global voyages.

The above text verso of the A.P. wirephoto.
From the archives of the Saltwater People Historical Society.

To learn of the shipboard romance see this post on Saltwater People Log here