Circumnavigators Club - sharing an elite experience - membership club for world travelers

The June '92 issue of ITN carried a story about the Travelers' Century Club, a unique organization restricted to those who have visited at least 100 countries.

A similarly unique organization is one restricted to those who have traveled completely around the world. Known as the Circumnavigators Club, this organization had its origin in 1902 as two Americans sailed across the Indian Ocean and discussed their good fortune to be going around the world.

Then and now

Over drinks one evening, these circumnavigators agreed there should be a club composed exclusively of those rare souls who had actually experienced this crown jewel of travels.

On their return to New York they founded this club, which in 1992 is celebrating its 90th birthday and is generally recognized as the world's only travel club for those who have traveled completely around the world. (Around the world means crossing all the meridians of longitude in one direction.)

Global travel in the early days was terribly expensive and took a lot of time. Consequently, most of the club's early members were wealthy or associated with diplomatic, exploratory or government assignments.

Early club members included such legendary figures as William Jennings Bryan, John Philip Sousa, President William Howard Taft, Generals John Pershing and Douglas MacArthur and Admirals Robert Peary and Richard Byrd.

The current roster includes a number of celebrities, such as Neil Armstrong and Barry Goldwater, but most are successful business and professional people - achievers whose interests require global travel or who simply love to travel.

Achieving the goal

How do people go around the world?

Magellan launched global travel in a sailing vessel in 1519. Steamships entered the scene in the 19th century. The 20th century brought the incredible flying machine, followed by spacecraft that now can circle the globe in a couple of hours.

Newscaster Lowell Thomas cheated a bit on his first circumnavigation. While visiting the North Pole, he simply walked around the pole and then wrote the club saying he had crossed all the meridians of longitude and should be considered for membership.

In later years he estimated that he had circled the globe by ship and aircraft at least 20 times.

Captain Edward Beach, skipper of the nuclear submarine Triton, circled the globe completely submerged.

And Ross Perot, Jr., circled the globe by helicopter. Ships strategically placed in the ocean to allow refueling were thoughtfully provided by his billionaire father.

Why join?

The club's chief attraction is the opportunity to share experiences. It has been estimated that less than one person in a hundred thousand has actually circumnavigated the globe, and it is the uniqueness of this travel experience which cements relationships.

The club has chapters in Hawaii, California, Arizona, Michigan, Illinois, Florida and New York. There also are active chapters in London and Singapore.

Members who are travelling are invited to visit members of other chapters and participate in their functions. Most chapters hold four or five functions annually, such as luncheons or dinners.

On alternate years the club holds a black-tie dinner in New York. This year, author James Michener will be guest of honor and will receive the club's Magellan Award for his work in promoting international understanding.

The club also has a foundation which provides travel scholarships annually to two or three deserving college students known to have research projects requiring global travel.

How to join

How does one join? The process usually starts with a request to the club application form.

It is desirable that applicants have some proof, such as ticket receipts or passport notations, that they have circled the globe. But when these are not available, the admissions committee usually will take the word of the applicant and his sponsors.

The club requires that applicants be sponsored and seconded by members whom they have met. Where an applicant does not know any members, the club usually can arrange introductions.

The club, which is nonprofit and operated with only one paid employee, has an initiation fee of $100 and dues thereafter of $100 per year. Part of the dues is rebated to the chapters for use in organizing club functions.

Following approval, members receive a certificate of membership and a roster of all club members. They also are put on the mailing list to receive the club's bimonthly newsletter.

Inquiries can be sent to the Circumnavigators Club, c/o The Williams Club, 24 East 39th St., New York, NY 10016;212/724-4448. The executive secretary is Helen Jost.

COPYRIGHT 1992 Martin Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group