Intrepid Canoeist's Last Lap

Subject or historical figure Oskar Speck (1907 - 1993)

Date1937

Object numberANMS1249[043]

NameNewspaper clipping

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsOverall: 222 x 60 mm

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from John Ferguson

Terms

DescriptionNewspaper article about Oskar Speck crossing the Timor Sea.History'INTREPID CANOEIST'S LAST LAP Crossing The Timor Sea OSKAR SPECK, the intrepid German canoeist, is still paddling his way to Australia, and is now about to undertake the most dangerous part of his journey, the crossing of the Timor Sea. It' will be remembered that Herr Speck arrived in Ceylon two years ago, having taken exactly three years to paddle from his native Germany to Ceylon. Leaving Ceylon he gave himself another three years to reach Australia . He paddled up the East coast of Ceylon, crossed over to India and followed the coast line along India, Burma and the Straits, meeting with innumerable adventures on the way. Writing to a friend from Soerabaya (Surabaya) he says that he is once again down with an attack of malaria and is recuperating on a coffee estate. He hoped to resume his journey soon and reach Timor in five weeks' time. He is making slow progress as he has to fight against contrary winds. Since he left Ceylon, Herr Speck has used two new canoes and hopes to reach his journey's end in the one now in his possession.' Oskar Speck (1905 - 1995) was a German adventurer who, in the 1930s, paddled his kayak SUNNSCHIEN (SUNSHINE) from Europe to Australia. He departed from Ulm in Germany on 18 June 1932, paddling down the Danube at the start of a 50,000km voyage to Australia. His voyage of seven years and four months saw him stopping at ports in Germany, Austria, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, former Macedonia, Greece, Cyprus, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran Jaya, Papua New Guinea and Australia (Saibai Island). He arrived on Saibai Island near Papua New Guinea in the Northern Torres Strait on 20 September 1939. Speck arrived with a swastika on the bow of his 5.3 metre German built Folbot kayak a few days after Australia declared war with Germany. Speck was travelling on a German passport and was promptly arrested as an enemy alien on his arrival on Thursday Island. He would spend the next six years in internment camps in Australia, including Tatura in Victoria where he managed to escape. SignificanceThe remarkable story of Oskar Speck is one of extraordinary endurance. He undertook an epic seven-year, 50,000 km voyage from Germany to Australia in the 1930s in a five-and-half metre collapsible kayak SUNNSCHIEN. It is also a story of the hostilities of WWII and of those who made Australia their new home.