Grace Harwar 1929 - AJ Villiers Movie

[@laserbeam002]

Amongst all the crap on KZbin you will ocasionally run across a gem like this. Thank you for posting.

[@kwd3109]

Really appreciated this adventure. As a boy in the US, I chanced upon Alan Villiers books in my local library and enjoyed reading them immensely. Many a night, in a corner of our crowded apartment in Queens, I would take refuge in his stories of the sea far removed from the reality around me. Books like Give Me a Ship to Sail and Posted Missing were some I fondly remember reading. Things got better for me and I ended up in beautiful California but I'll never forget the stories told by Alan Villiers in his books and the positive effect they had on me.

[@shoebill181]

Struggled to hear this fine video, with the background music. So glad it didn't last, excellent video.

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@dominictarrsailing]

I just read the book of this, so thanks for uploading the video! The thing that this really confirms for me is that text is actually a much better medium for capturing sailing than film. Watching this video it seems like a pretty nice trip! but that's not how it is in the book! with text, it's possible to describe in detail what was happening when things were really going bad! at those times, all hands were working the ship, so they couldn't do filming! and also probably the conditions were too bad for filming. but they can describe what happened from memory. Villiers writes early in the book that a summer trip would be better, because that will mean long daylight hours that far south, which is essential to filming (with the technology of the time!), but they signed on to a winter trip because basically they decided "now or never" and had only 4 hours of daylight in the most interesting part of the journey!

[@dominictarrsailing]

the same problem affects youtube sailing channels. The emergencies don't get filmed well or at all. so it makes sailing look much easier than it is. youtube is very good for learning about boat repairs though! but for real sailing, you've gotta read books too!

[@marknelson5929]

Stunning piece of film. I've read most of Villiers books and have a terrific library of square rigger books (some quite rare), with a good sprinkling of the grain race era and Gustaf Erickson's period. The Grace Harwar was a good looking ship, unlike the later barques etc with their bald-headed rigs etc. Erickson ran his ships on a shoe string which know doubt made safety issues sometimes a problem with failing gear, something which wouldn't be tolerated these days! I read that Walkers death was a constant reminder due to his blood staining a sail until it was replaced. I've done a bit of sailing in my time but nothing like on a square rigger. I recall years back seeing a terrific photo of the Grace Harwar in an old National Geographic magazine from the 1930s taken from an ocean liner at sea when the Grace Harwar signalled to her requesting food - as shown in the film. Back in the 1980s I did a tour of all the old Grain Ship ports in South Australia, Port Victoria being most interesting. Down on the tip of Yorke Peninsula in SA was the wreck of the barque Ethel, which ran ashore on Reef Head, near Cape Spencer in 1904. Back in the 80s over half of the ships length to her stern was still standing proud on the beach like an upturned whale - she is now virtually gone, wind and salt spray having done its deed to her fine form.

[@noeldrayton4493]

My Dad was on this voyage. A horrendous trip.

[@mcashnv]

Most of those trips were sort of horrendous. Matter of degree.

[@gentlegiants1974]

Incredible footage. I was born 45 years after this voyage but this makes me feel as if I were there.

[@bobeden5027]

I remember my crossing the line ceremony, with fondness, now, but then it was a different feeling! hahaha

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@michaelbailey1578]

Alan Villers was the technical consultant for the film Moby Dick. Thanks for sharing this.

[@peterabild1123]

Excellent video

[@rocktapperrobin9372]

Thanks for posting this. Alan Villiers must have been a skilled photographer to shoot this footage, I know from experience that it’s not easy to take photos when you’re up the rigging or out on the yard. Alan Villiers was .also a great writer and recorder of the last days of commercial sail, definitely recommend searching out his books. Ukraine has, or had, two of Erikkson’s fourmasters, used as sail training vessels. Don’t know what’s happened to them since the current war.

[@evolveausevolveaus]

thank you so much for sharing such a classic Drew

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@frankcunliffe8509]

Many thanks for sharing this. I read the Alan Villiers book of this voyage , By Way of Cape Horn earlier this year, It amazing to see the people he wrote about come to life, thank you for sharing

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@agemo82561]

It's tragic to hear of the Grace's being broken up. What a beautiful ship! Don't get me wrong - knowing what I think I know I would not sign on. The Oceans are so beautiful and yet so dangerous. No one voyages unscathed. Mr Ellison, thank you for sharing

[@carlgomm9699]

Such a nice show, one doesn't see things like this very often, please keep up the good work !!

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@millbaymoll2420]

Thanks for posting this - a rare insight into a long passage on a square-rigged sailing ship. Hard exhausting work and significant danger, experienced by young men and boys.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Thanks for posting this!

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@scomo532]

The Flying P line, Gustavo Ericsson’s last reprieve for the square rigged cargo ship. What a time!

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@fellspoint9364]

We saw the Peking in dry dock at Caddells shipyard in Staten Island. I was working on a tugboat and we passed her frequently….simply an amazing ship , beautiful even without her rigging.

[@jcmackenzie6387]

thanks for the great video

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@johnbecay6887]

great documentary could have used less of the music

[@george1la]

Great story and footage. Lucky for us they shot this video especially around the horn.

[@Joelontugs]

I work on a tug boat and next time it gets rough I’ll definitely think of this and be thankful for what i have for sure

[@Pocketfarmer1]

Me too! Did the coast out of NYC for years. Happily working the Hudson now.

[@Electriceye1984bySam]

Awesome👏🏻👍🏻

[@kenkrausse3624]

Many thanks

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@drewellison]

For those of you interested in the bygone years of merchant sailing, look up the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - and it's got some videos as well as interesting informational posts.

[@rotax636nut5]

Eye opening, who would want to have been a sailor back in those days?

[@bobeden5027]

Great tune "Strike the Bell"!

[@Kordziel]

Out standing

[@garymalm]

Thank you. Gary in Japan.

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@BelleBlu]

Shame about (you've guessed it) the ... music ! Nevertheless thanks for posting. Can't beat Villiers books & others from that era.

[@bobeden5027]

I once worked as a shantyman on board STS Leeuwin2.

[@ionaguirre]

❤

[@sileado2896]

Queens Town Cobh in Cork.

[@seangelarden9543]

Im a Bluenose but never got my Shellback

[@benwilson6145]

What a bloody annoying music, drowns out the narrator

[@vivianhayes6865]

I can't believe they recorded this video. Looks like fun., sorta.⚓🤘🎟

[@drewellison]

Thanks for watching and for the comment. If you're interested in life at sea on old wooden merchant sailing ships, check out the autobiography Forty Years Master by Captain Daniel Killman. There's a FB page of the same name - Forty Years Master - with some other interesting videos and informational posts.

[@vivianhayes6865]

@@drewellison I was a merchant mariner for 10 years. Nothing like these wooden ships. Thanks for the informative. ⚓

[@dominictarrsailing]

@@vivianhayes6865 this ship was actually steel!