Chair: Lee Langan The Explorers Club 415 567-8089 [email protected] Vice Chair: Alan Nichols 415 789-9348 [email protected] Northern California Chapter Treasurer: Anders Jepsen 925 254-3079 May-June 2006 [email protected] Secretary: Stephen E. Smith Webmaster: Mike Diggles Newsletter: Lee Langan Web site: http://www.diggles.com/ec/ painting, Gordon Miller Four Mexico-United States expeditions (from 1999 to Edward Von der Porten 2005) to a wreck site along Sheldon Breiner the desert shore of Baja California, and study of Manila Galleon San Felipe newly available documents, Lost forever. Not! have enabled the authors to May 19, 2006 reconstruct the story of the earliest eastbound Manila- galleon shipwreck. The results include identifying the ship as the galleon San Felipe, lost without trace in 1576, recovering her his- tory, and explaining her tragic fate. They have dis- covered lead sheathing with iron nails from her lower hull, large amounts of wax from her cargo, more than a thousand Ming porcelain and stoneware shards, and a unique cloisonné plate rim. In addition, they have gained a remark- Both chapter members will show geophysical tools to find hidden archae- able insight into the Chinese-Philip- a comprehensive slide series to tell the ological sites. The work reported here is pine-Mexican trade at this early point San Felipe’s story and the story of her a prime example of how the geological in the history of the Manila galleons rediscovery. sciences directly assisted in locating the (1573-1815). As a result of this work Edward Von der Porten (FN80) is a lost galleon. a bilingual traveling museum exhibit, Naval historian, nautical archaeologist, Both explorers have kept this loca- titled “Treasures of the Manila Gal- museum director, and educator. He has tion as quiet as they could to prevent leons,” has been developed. It includes been a researcher of maritime sub- looting. Come listen while they tell material from the wreck organized to jects including pre-Viking and Viking what they found, and how they found it! reach a wide range of audiences. shipbuilding, Henry VIII’s Mary Rose A fascinating true tale and the development of the big-gun Meeting LOCATION warship, Francis Drake’s California Picnic LOCATION encampment, early Manila galleon Date Friday, 19 May 2006 wrecks, early Chinese trade porcelains, Date Saturday, 17 June 2006 Place: Golden Gate Yacht Club and the World War II German Navy. Place: Angel Island The Marina, San Francisco His interest in the galleons led to work- San Francisco Bay Time: 6:30 pm, no host drinks ing with Sheldon Breiner (FN78) at a Time: 10-3 on the Island 7:15 dinner; 8:00 talk site he identified in Baja California. 8:30 Berkeley Departure Cost: $50 Breiner is a preeminent geophysicist Cost: BYO food & drink who has devoted decades to applying (PLEASE RESERVE) Reach Anders at B [email protected] REINER Reach Anders at ( 925 254-3079 BOTH [email protected] ) 925 254-3079 Reservation Form on page 5 Please reserve promptly! Reservation Form on page 5 Please reserve promptly! page© 2006 1 The Explorers Club son took the Pedaling Across Asia second leg and Alan Nichols crossed the ‘stans’, Uzbec San Francisco to Kyrgyk. On his last two Few know that it is possible to drive journeys (Iran from Europe to China. It is, but it is plus Turkey not easy. History and prehistory have and the Chi- woven a web of travel ways along the nese comple- span between the Far East of today and tion), his wife Eurasia. Our speaker, Alan Nichols Becky was (MN84), picked his way among these in charge of routes during an odyssey that spanned all arrange- 16 years. On four separate well-planned ments, while trips he bicycled 10,000 miles—from his focus Istanbul to Xian, along twisted roads stayed on the and with assorted side adventures. (An route and cycling. What a team. This Becky & Alan Nichols at GGYC equally determined ‘crow’ would tra- evening, after describing the Silk Web verse a Great Circle route at ‘only’ 5,000 with fascinating tidbits from its past and legacy that The Explorers Club has decentral- miles.) Well planned, yes, yet filled comments about the present and obser- ized beyond the comfortable confines of Man- hattan to recognize itself as a truly international with events not anticipated, many that vations on several Sacred Mountains organization devoted to the advancement of would deter all but the most dedicated along the way (another long-time study field research. explorers. In May 2005, he completed of Alan’s), a fast-paced presentation If you have never been to an ECAD the journey, waving Explorers Club Flag based upon their digital photographs and weekend, plan to go sometime. It is the best 186 high as he rode to central Xian. Few video was shown. Becky organized this opportunity to get a sense of the value of being a member. The headquarters building is a gem; men, and no known women, have ever splendid summary of the last of the jour- the refinements of recent years have brought traversed this entire distance. neys across western China to Xian. it into good repair and shining; the displays of Generations have travelled along A most satisfying evening dwell- past explorations are all about (the most recent: these mountains, plains and deserts. ing upon a most engaging subject. This Henson & Perry’s sleigh from the Arctic.) The The daunting effort is admittedly made feat should help to bring into our aware- events fill this venue with fellow explorers, and all are in a convivial mood to exchange easier today by roadways of various ness the vast differences we face in the acquaintances. One comes away with a sense of qualities and over various passes. Easier world, as represented by the diversity of camaraderie, having met an exciting group of in the sense that even cycling is pos- the peoples along the Silk Web. After people who enjoy each other’s company. sible; daunting in that one risks life and millennia of isolation, this region of The website (www.explorers.org) is limb when, in the blink of an eye, a mystery is learning about the whole becoming ever more important to our club. Members can now change their name and passing behemoth truck could blow the world; we must learn about them as password, modify contact information, make pedaler into an impossible siding or the well! reservations, obtain club merchandise, pay, cycler himself could loose concentration see events available around the world, find and be lost over the edge into a canyon reciprocal clubs, restaurants and places to stay, Xian; perhaps never visited. These are the download writable-PDF membership applica- journey’s end. tions or flag requests, and carry on communi- physical dangers exacerbated by raging cations with other members via a new bulletin winds and dust storms, fierce head- board. As they are submitted, each Chapter winds and mountain ice. Today, as in the will have its own introductory page—of our past, regional politics, religious intol- ECAD Report own creation—which then links to our Chapter erance, outlaws and bewildering legal site (www.diggles.com/ec.) This page can be constraints all present barriers. Food is Annually the, now, 31 Chapter Chairs meet at updated as we wish. I suggest you bookmark our New York headquarters. This was my first the headquarter website and keep in touch. generally available; what you can eat, to attendance as your Chairman, and it was of To improve interacting with the far-flung maintain good health during the jour- great value. Not only is it a charge of adrenalin chapters, a limitation that has be criticized in ney, must be watched. Nichols managed to visit that beautiful building, and a reminder the past, the Board of Directors has assigned with the help of a sag wagon, a local of all of those past and present who belong to one member to be a direct contact with each driver and (always) a trusted aide. The Explorers Club, but it was particularly chapter, to act as our conduit to communicate enjoyable and encouraging to meet fellow directly. In addition, the Vice President of Alan began his interest in cycling chairs, Club officers, staff and directors. We Chapters remains another way to approach the the route after a chance meeting in Hong stand amidst an active vital group keeping the headquarters. Then, familiarity with the staff Kong, just when it first became possible venerable organization moving ahead. and each of their responsibilities, is a third way to visit Tibet as a Chinese ‘autonomous This was the prime message from our to find how the Club can respond. Weather you region.’ Invited by a stranger to cycle meeting: we are moving ahead by improving need to utilize the increasingly helpful research communication, by expanding our internet resources, to make a flag request, to suggest there, he found himself accepting the presence, by supporting expansion around the some support you may know about there are challenge. A decade later, after a quin- world, by utilizing our archives and by involv- increasingly responsive ways to interact. tuple bypass heart operation he and his ing the chapters. It will be Richard Wiese’s —Lee Langan page 2 Seeing Sights Under Pressure Oceanographers are very smart, as dem- Don Walsh onstrated by Dr. Don Walsh in his mar- velous talk before a standing-room only San Francisco audience for our April meeting. When experience awesome. For those of you the first tours were offered; the MIRs the Akademik Keldysh (above right) goes who cannot do so, there are a few exhi- take about 14 hours round trip from the to sea with its load of very adventurous bitions* that travel the world containing mother ship.