Letter from Mike 25/9/1995

I came across these the other day and though they may be of interest.

They were taken in 1949 showing a yacht Wal Burke had purchased named 'The Yank' - name was carved into her transom in letters 6 inches high. Needless to say Wal could not live with such a salubrious name and changed it to Alcyone II. The shots were taken when we were stretching her new sails (a 20 hour event) in calm winds. The 2 working the sail and extra were under the orders of the measurements of Clifby (?) Gale by when I forgot, but do recall they cost 80 pounds in all. The backgrounds are interesting showing the baths, public wharf and Fisher Bay (although I cannot see the houseboat).

The outcome of this yacht is interesting in that Wal purchased "Blue Riten?" in 1951 and was unable to sell Alcyone II. He eventually leased it to a tram conductress of New Neutral Bay Depot who had a crippled husband (unable to walk).

About 6 months later she (the yacht and the conductress) disappeared and nothing was heard for many months until Wal received a phone call from the Harbourmaster and curious -with whom he had been in the Navy.

He had traced ownership by the sail numbers on the sail MH22. The conductress and her spouse were found ashore and I think Wal was then able to sell her in Cairns.

Mike