Or Something

They Plan To Cross

The Pacific

All Set For Adventure—

Or Something

By a Staff Writer

• All the salt-encrusted cynics sat up and took notice, and their best-you-wait-and-sees could be heard right across the Pacific, when a team of adventurous young people, led by their skipper Leonard Gulson, nned to sail out of Sydney early y. Their ship is a 116- ft converted '-chaser, “Stardust”. The schedule calls for a “three months pleasure cruise through the Islands, on to North America. Mexico and the Bahamas”.

THE team of nine men and seven women—most of them in their twenties—each paid £200 for the ) which will take in most of the Pacific Islands. Most are not experienced sailors, but they expect ie up in the Bahamas some time round the beginning of October, then, they will all be on their own.

There are three experienced seai on board in addition to Gulson, whether they will be able to dle all departments is not known.

The betting along the Sydney

waterfront in June was that half the amateur crew will leave at the first port of call—as is usual in such jaunts. But the quidnuncs have been known to be wrong before, and maybe this will be another time.

If the vessel is run as a yacht, then the marine authorities will not be interested in Stardust’s personnel or plans. The payments of £200 are not, presumably, regarded as fares, in the normal way.

Half Share Mr. Gulson, who organised the trip, bought a half-share in the Stardust a few months ago. His partner, Dick Smith, of Sydney, has supervised the rebuilding of the yacht at C. Messengers wharf at Rushcutters Bay over the last couple of months. He will not be making the trip himself, he says, because of business commitments.

Some of the alterations have re sulted in more superstructure, with the wheel-house seven feet above where it used to be. “Imagine,” said one shipping expert, with relish, “the arc that the bloke at the wheel and the skipper are going to have to travel! And this type of craft is very ‘tender.’ ”

Stardust, was built as a sub chaser during the war, after which it was operated as a charter ship from Cairns. It was later bought by a Brisbane syndicate and used for fishing trips. Mr. Smith purchased the yacht from a Sydney man, Cliff Pickering, in May, 1957.

Stardust’s crew includes a Can

anadian Alan Bell, who will be one of the crew, and skipper Leonard Gulson, discuss plans for the trip over a cup of coffee aboard the "Stardust” in Sydney harbour.

adian, not contented with Australian life, a husband and wife team who are "skin-diving fanatics”, a Sydney publisher, and an assortment of Aussies, Englishmen and one representative of New Zealand’s fairer sex, Miss Diana Pollard.

Skipper Leonard Gulson is an Australian who has spent many years yachting in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Florida, with headquarters in the Bahamas, A few years ago he spent 18 months cruising the Pacific in his yacht Yola.

Advertised For Crew Mr. Gulson advertised for his “crew” in Sydney newspapers, set ting out in detail the extent of the trip and facilities, etc., on board, and said he had no trouble in filling the 16 berths on the Stardust for the one-way trip.

An added attraction for the girls is that if they help in the galley on alternate days they have to pay only half fare—£100.

Most of the 16 aboard are just hopeful pleasure seekers. But to bearded Canadian Alan Bell, the trip aboard the Stardust affords what he hopes will be a pleasant, cheap way of returning to Canada.

After only a week in Australia, Bell booked his passage on the yacht and, although he refuses to air his views on the Australian way of life. he had apparently found it wanting in some departments.

The skin diving team comprises Edward and Marie Russell, of Coogee, who hope to get a lot of practice in Pacific waters.

Two of the Australian girls mak ing the trip are Joyce Ebbage, of Cremorne, Sydney, and Helen Dickison, of Pymble.

Trial Run Englishman Michael Carr is “see ing the world” and on the first leg of a long trip home. The other Englishmen are Brian McLeod, Derek Canty and Gordon Keeble.

Stardust is now fitted out with four berth cabin, four separate two-berthers and two adjoining double-berthers.

The yacht, which abounds with lets and bathrooms, also has a : airy lounge, a dining room and bar.

Toowards the end of June the crew took the Stardust out on Sydney Harbour for several trials so that Skipper Gulson could see if they are efficient and capable enough to e the yacht safely to the Bahamas.

It might have been an even more ing experience if he’d taken them a shake-down cruise to, say, Lord Howe, from which Sydney has mtly been getting a few in-

teresting “depressions”.