WORLD'S LARGEST YACHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23340, 4 November 1937, Page 11

WORLD'S LARGEST YACHT

CRUISE ROUND THE WORLD RAISING FUNDS FOR EXPEDITION LONDON, Nov. 2. Mr Walker is sending out to Lyttelton stores, and probably an aeroplane, aboard the world's largest yacht, Westward, which is making a world cruise with 80 passengers in aid of funds. The expedition, which will travel on the ship Shackleton and is yet to be chosen, is setting out next September. The yacht Westward was lent by the owner, Mr Harold Keates Hales. It will leave Plymouth on December 14 for Lyttelton, via Panama, returning to England via the Cape of Good Hope. Most of the members of the expedition are participating in the cruise* The expedition is expected at Lyttelton in December, 1938, to pick up stores, and it will then visit Wood Bay, Victoria Land. One of the objectives is to find the coastline of Oates Land. A message received in May read: Mr E. F. Walker, leader of the proposed British expedition to the Antarctic, has returned from Norway where he selected a three-masted schooner of 470 tons at present trading in Arctic waters. Mr Walker intends to rename it Shackleton. The expedition will number 32, including the ship's crew and the scientific staff. It will be away for two years. Mr Walker is planning to drop anchor at Cape Jones, 300 miles from the Pole. The ship will remain there for six weeks, and then go to New Zealand, leaving a party of 12 isolated on the ice for 15 months. " We shall be racing against Admiral Byrd," he said, " but we shall strive to annex a piece of land hitherto not penetrated, and name it Coronation Land. The most dangerous job will be an aeroplane flight of 2000 miles, carrying 2001 b of emergency rations. The pity is that we have not a second plane." Mr Walker is taking wireless equipment to enable the expedition to maintain contact with the world, including messages twice a week on six different shortwaves.