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We continue the amazing tale of six men who set sail from Keelung in 1955 aboard the Free China junk to join a trans-Atlantic yacht race. They were attempting to show that an old-fashioned Chinese vessel could compete against some of the world's best boats. But first they need to cross the Pacific Ocean. It’s an inauspicious start, and we find Paul Chou and his shipmates in need of rescue and ordered to return home. But will they? Guest Chris Stowers draws on his experience sailing on a traditional Bugis craft in Indonesian waters to help us navigate this heartwarming story. This is part two of a three-part story, and part three drops tomorrow.
Cover image: The Free China junk near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco (1955) Courtesy Paul Chow/ CNN.
Check out the Free China Junk Facebook fan page HERE.
The names of the crew: Paul Chou (周傳鈞), Hu Loo-chi (胡露奇), Marco Yu-lin Chung (种玉麟), Reno Chia-lin Chen (陳家琳), and Benny Chia-cheng Hsu (徐家政), and American Calvin Mehlert.
Robin Greenberg’s award-winning prequel film: ‘The Free China Junk’.
Also by New Zealander Robin Greenberg: ‘Return of the Free China Junk.’
A Legendary Voyage: The Story of Junk Free China - on YouTube.
Radio Show Video link: Robin Greenburg: The Free China Junk 21-7-10 Radio Wammo Show, Kiwi FM
Below: The cover of Chris Stowers' book Bugis Nights.
Chris Stowers hosted a recent documentary called “Secrets of Matsu,” which is currently streaming on TaiwanPlus channel, and also available on YouTube.
Below: The location of the map of the Tiaoyu Islands 釣魚臺, or, as they called by Japan (which currently administrates them), the Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島. They are also claimed (like almost anything in the region) by the People's Republic of China. See Wiki article on the dispute HERE.
Check our very first episode, the story of a very white man who showed up in London in 1703... and claimed to be from Formosa. Or try a foodie episode from Season 3. Or, for those who want some harder-core history, hear the tale of the Lockheed U-2 pilot Wang Hsi-chueh 王錫爵, who became was famous for defecting to the PRC by hijacking China Airlines Flight 334 on May 3, 1986.
