Small Silver Ball Home

TWENTY YEARS AGO

As the NY Table became more aware of tables elsewhere, it was decided to hold The First World Zaff around OPSail '86 and the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. According to the sketchy NY Table Archives I see that at the January 11, 1986 Zaff held at the Harlem Yacht Club on City Island we were visited by, and inspected by, Brother Miguel Campama of the Table of Santiago Chile. Captain Rene wrote in a subsequent newsletter that "Brother Campama was duly impressed by the friendship offered by the brothers of NY …and we will have his report when he meets with the 26 tables of Chile".

I guess we passed muster also in that newsletter I found the only mention of setting forth plans - "plotting the courses, determination of tasks , grouping of the task forces, attribution of responsibilities". And it all came together with extraordinary efforts of Rene, Scott, the Fines, the Beckers and I am sure others.

 



 

#1, from left, Andre Gerard (Belgium, a doctor who was sailing around the world and came to St. Martin when we were there on Star Flyer); Rene, Ann Somerhausen (Jean was in Belgium), Bebeto, Toni and a Belgian Brother in the back

#2 On Esmeralda Frigate: René Fiechter a.k.a. Gentilhombre Del Mar #51, amongst Chileans Brothers

#3 On Esmeralda Frigate: The elderly seated man is one of the founders and only living one at the time. He is now deceased, name is ? Hammer. To his right is the Capt of the Belgian Table at the time, further right is Philippe Desert (France) Behind Hammer is the our main contact in Chile at the time. He was an English teacher/brother in Santiago and was sent here to check us out well before the event. Charles may.

#4 Scott and Rene Fiechter

#5 The long march into Kings Point for the formal first night dinner.

#6 Francoise Desert and Toni

 

Fordham Beach Club


July 5 was a special ceremony aboard Esmeralda, the steel-hulled four-masted barquentine tall ship in the Chilean Navy at which the oldest living Chilean Brother Hammer was honored. The deck was awash in Pisco Sours, if I remember, or was I?.

The final event on Sunday July 6 was a Pirate Party at the Fordham Street Beach Club on City Island, where we still hold our zaffs, kindness of Jay Howard. The Islanders are still talking about seeing large buses with disembarking pirates on City Island Avenue walking down Fordham Street as it was too narrow for the buses to turn around. The Chileans provided tubs of Pisco Sours, there was music, dancing and a (temporarily) stolen American Flag from the flag pole.

Orza, a good time was had by all.
Jungle Jane #28