Chinese junks are not a common sight in this part of the world, but for the next week residents may well see just such a vessel in Cayman waters.
Captain Clive Hamman began building his oceangoing junk Nuthin Wong in Vancouver in 1989 and set sail in 1991. He has been circumnavigating the globe at a leisurely pace ever since.
Last week Captain Clive sailed into the Yacht Club. He will remain in Cayman while some repairs are completed and will then set sail for Honduras. He left his crew ashore at his last stop, Cuba, as they were keen to explore the island, but with hurricane season fast approaching Captain Clive says he wants to keep moving, to get his boat to a safe location before tropical storms start forming.
Captain Clive takes on crew to join him on his adventures. He advertises on various international websites and has individuals of all ages (the minimum age is 17) fly in from all over the world to sail with him. Some stay a week, others for several months.
“Its like budget travelling, when backpackers stay in hostels. This is like a sailing hostel,” he says. The crew contributes to onboard costs and in return, he teaches them seamanship skills. He is hoping to pick up some more crew while in Cayman to complete the next leg of the trip with him. It should take approximately one week to reach Honduras and from there he will visit the Bay Islands, La Ceiba and possibly other parts of Central America.
Unusual story
It’s an unusual boat for these parts, with an unusual story. Junks are sailboats typical of China and Hong Kong; their design dates back more than 2,000 years. Many centuries before Columbus made his voyage of discovery, Chinese junks were undertaking lengthy ocean voyages. Junks are distinctive due to their squat hulls and unique sail shape, which is wider at the top than the base.
“They designed the hull from the duck and the sail from the eagle wing,” Captain Clive explains. “If you see an eagle just before it turns to dive on its prey, that’s the perfect shape to catch the wind.” Western sails, according to Chinese boat builders, are upside down.
This particular junk, however, has never been to China. It’s been to many, many other places though, and its captain and crew have been through many an adventure. “Pirates tried to board us three times going through Indonesia, that was pretty exciting…We’ve also been robbed in Africa – knife to the throat,” he recalls. Boat and captain have survived their fair share of storms and encounters with shallow reefs as well. The good times, however, clearly outweigh the bad and Captain Clive has no plans to stop sailing yet.
Over hurricane season he will be busy selling his first book No Fixed Address, and working on his second book, as well as a DVD about his voyages. No Fixed Address tells his story from when he began to build the boat up until he reached Gibraltar three years ago. His second book continues the voyage.
To follow Captain Clive’s adventures on Nuthin Wong visit www.nuthin-wong.blogspot.com. For information on crewing opportunities or to buy his book, contact Captain Clive Hamman on [email protected]
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