Sentimental sail on Kathleen Gillett

11:29 PM Fri 12 Dec 2008 GMT

'Mick Morris aboard Kathleen in Sydney this week' Australian National Maritime Museum Click Here to view large photo

Last Sunday, 7 December marked the 60th anniversary of the completion of the circumnavigation of the globe by the famous gaff-rigged ketch Kathleen Gillett, now one of the floating exhibits of the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour.

Owned by noted marine artist Jack Earl, Kathleen had two years earlier been one of the fleet of nine yachts that competed in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and Earl's wonderfully illustrated log is preserved at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia at Rushcutters Bay.

To mark the 60th anniversary, the Museum took yachtsman Mick Morris, his family and friends for a sentimental sail on Kathleen last Tuesday. Mick was one of Jack Earl's crew during the historic voyage, only the second circumnavigation by an Australian yacht.

After Earl sold Kathleen in the early 1960s, the Colin Archer-designed, double-ended ketch had a colourful career, including island trading around Papua New Guinea and crocodile hunting near Bougainville.

Located in Guam, she was bought by the Government of Norway, restored and presented to Australia as a bicentennial gift celebrating the sea links between Norway and this country.

The spirit of this great maritime adventure of Kathleen and her crew is captured in an exhibition currently at the Australian National Maritime Musuem: Kathleen darling: Jack Earl's vouyage around the world 1947-48.

by Peter Campbell

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Sentimental sail on Kathleen Gillett

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