Cruise of the Conrad

Cruise of the Conrad, a best seller in 1937, is the journal of a voyage round the world in the fully-rigged ship JOSEPH CONRAD, 212 tons, in the years 1934, 1935 and 1936 by way of Good Hope, the South Sea, ahead of the Roaring Forties to the East Indies, on to Singapore, driven by the South East Monsoon and north about Australia and New Zealand, finally rounding Cape Horn before returning home after two years.

Alan Villiers was well qualified for the venture after rounding Cape Horn six times in grain ships and serving in whaling barques in the Tasman Sea. He took with him a heterogeneous collection of mariners and schoolboys, 32 all told. He was a fair and egalitarian Master and looked after the interest of his crew.

The voyage of the JOSEPH CONRAD is the truthful story of a great voyage, packed with adventure, how they were blown on the Brooklyn Rocks in a blizzard, the near loss of the vessel on Wari reef and overall the joy of a fine ship with a possible 10,000 square feet of sail to challenge the elements. JOSEPH CONRAD is now preserved in the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut.