Miles and Beryl Smeeton
Encyclopedia
Miles Smeeton and Beryl Smeeton were a pioneering couple of cruising
sailors
, recipients of numerous sailing awards, prolific authors, and founders of the Cochrane Ecological Institute, a Canadian non-profit responsible for successfully reintroducing the swift fox to North America.
, in the Western Desert, winning the Military Cross
, and in Burma, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
during WWII.
Beryl was raised in a family of British soldiers and traveled widely throughout the world, some of which is described in her 1930’s books The Stars My Blanket and Winter Shoes in Springtime.
In 1938 they married. In 1939, the two attempted to climb 25,263-foot Tirich Mir
, in the Himalaya, with Tenzing Norgay
. Although they failed, Beryl achieved renown as one of the first women to climb so high. After the war, frustrated with the direction of British politics, the couple settled on a farm in Saltspring Island
, BC, with their daughter, Clio.
Tzu Hang on a visit to England. The boat had been designed by HS Rouse and built in Hong Kong in 1939. The name was believed to mean “under the protection of Guanyin”, the Daoist goddess of the sea and protector of sailors. They returned on the boat to British Columbia, learning to sail on the way. In 1955 they sold the farm and sailed on Tzu Hang for Australia.
In December 1956 Miles and Beryl departed Melbourne on Tzu Hang to visit Clio at school in England, intending to follow the old clipper route
. The journey would take them eastbound around Cape Horn
, a voyage that at that time had very rarely been accomplished in small boats. They were accompanied on the boat by a young friend, the Englishman John Guzzwell, who had been circumnavigating the world in his self-made boat on a voyage later recounted in his book Trekka, as well as by their Siamese cat, Pwe.
Approaching Cape Horn, the ship was pitchpoled by a rogue wave. Beryl, who had been steering, was tossed from the boat and injured. Tzu Hang was dismasted, partially submerged, and the topsides were severely damaged, but the three sailors managed to sail the damaged vessel to Chile, where extensive repairs were undertaken. In 1957, a year later, Miles and Beryl departed again to round Cape Horn. However, in approximately the same position, beset by storms, another dismasting took place. Again, they managed to make the coast of Chile, and Tzu Hang was shipped to England for repairs. These adventures were published in their acclaimed cruising book, Once is Enough.
After repairing the vessel, they made a multi-year eastabout circumnavigation
. In 1968, they again attempted Cape Horn, westabout, and successfully rounded.
. Beryl Smeeton died in Cochrane in 1979, and Miles died in 1988, in Calgary, at the age of 83. Their daughter Clio continued to run the CEI.
for 1973 by the Cruising Club of America
, and other awards from the Liga Maritima del Chile, and the Royal Cruising Club’s Medal for Seamanship.
The above differs from my recollection from one of Miles' sailing books (I read most of them). He touched on Tzu Hang's fate and as I recall, she was sold, it seems as if it was on the other side of the world, fell into disrepair and eventually sank at her mooring / anchor.
Cruising
Cruising may mean:*Cruising , driving around for social purposes, especially by teenagers*Cruise , in aviation*Cruising , leisurely travel by boat, yacht, or cruise ship...
sailors
Sailors
Sailors is the plural form of Sailor, or mariner.Sailors may also refer to:*Sailors , a 1964 Swedish film*Ken Sailors , American basketball playerSports teams*Erie Sailors, baseball teams in Pennsylvania, USA...
, recipients of numerous sailing awards, prolific authors, and founders of the Cochrane Ecological Institute, a Canadian non-profit responsible for successfully reintroducing the swift fox to North America.
Biography
Miles Smeeton was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1906, and went to Wellington and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He served with the Green Howards and Hodson's HorseHodson's Horse
Hodson's Horse is a cavalry regiment which originated as part of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Brevet Major William Stephen Raikes Hodson during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and exists today as the 4th Horse Regiment in the Indian Army...
, in the Western Desert, winning the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, and in Burma, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
during WWII.
Beryl was raised in a family of British soldiers and traveled widely throughout the world, some of which is described in her 1930’s books The Stars My Blanket and Winter Shoes in Springtime.
In 1938 they married. In 1939, the two attempted to climb 25,263-foot Tirich Mir
Tirich Mir
Tirich Mir is the highest mountain in the Hindu Kush region and the highest mountain outside of the Himalaya-Karakoram range, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The mountain was first climbed in 1950 by a Norwegian expedition consisting of Arne Næss, P. Kvernberg, H...
, in the Himalaya, with Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay
Padma Bhushan, Supradipta-Manyabara-Nepal-Tara Tenzing Norgay, GM born Namgyal Wangdi and often referred to as Sherpa Tenzing, was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer...
. Although they failed, Beryl achieved renown as one of the first women to climb so high. After the war, frustrated with the direction of British politics, the couple settled on a farm in Saltspring Island
Saltspring Island
Saltspring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia, Canada and Vancouver Island. It is the largest, the most populous, and the most frequently visited of the Gulf Islands...
, BC, with their daughter, Clio.
Sailing years
In 1951, the Smeetons bought the 46’ Bermudan ketchKetch
A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft of the main mast, but forward of the rudder post. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward...
Tzu Hang on a visit to England. The boat had been designed by HS Rouse and built in Hong Kong in 1939. The name was believed to mean “under the protection of Guanyin”, the Daoist goddess of the sea and protector of sailors. They returned on the boat to British Columbia, learning to sail on the way. In 1955 they sold the farm and sailed on Tzu Hang for Australia.
In December 1956 Miles and Beryl departed Melbourne on Tzu Hang to visit Clio at school in England, intending to follow the old clipper route
Clipper route
In sailing, the clipper route was the traditional route sailed by clipper ships between Europe and the Far East, Australia and New Zealand. The route ran from west to east through the Southern Ocean, in order to make use of the strong westerly winds of the Roaring Forties...
. The journey would take them eastbound around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, a voyage that at that time had very rarely been accomplished in small boats. They were accompanied on the boat by a young friend, the Englishman John Guzzwell, who had been circumnavigating the world in his self-made boat on a voyage later recounted in his book Trekka, as well as by their Siamese cat, Pwe.
Approaching Cape Horn, the ship was pitchpoled by a rogue wave. Beryl, who had been steering, was tossed from the boat and injured. Tzu Hang was dismasted, partially submerged, and the topsides were severely damaged, but the three sailors managed to sail the damaged vessel to Chile, where extensive repairs were undertaken. In 1957, a year later, Miles and Beryl departed again to round Cape Horn. However, in approximately the same position, beset by storms, another dismasting took place. Again, they managed to make the coast of Chile, and Tzu Hang was shipped to England for repairs. These adventures were published in their acclaimed cruising book, Once is Enough.
After repairing the vessel, they made a multi-year eastabout circumnavigation
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
. In 1968, they again attempted Cape Horn, westabout, and successfully rounded.
Later years and the Cochrane Ecological Institute
In 1972 they founded the Cochrane Ecological Institute (CEI), dedicated to breeding endangered wildlife. They accomplished the first successful reintroduction of a North American extirpated carnivore back to its home range, the swift foxSwift Fox
The swift fox is a small light orange-tan fox around the size of a domestic cat found in the western grasslands of North America, such as Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. It also lives in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada, where it was previously extirpated...
. Beryl Smeeton died in Cochrane in 1979, and Miles died in 1988, in Calgary, at the age of 83. Their daughter Clio continued to run the CEI.
Accomplishments, Awards and Honors
Miles Smeeton authored nine books. For their lifetime sailing achievements, the Smeetons were awarded the Blue Water MedalBlue Water Medal
The Blue Water Medal is an honor awarded annually by the Cruising Club of America for a remarkable sailing feat. The first award was issued in 1923.-Winners:*Alex Whitworth "for a circumnavigation of the world via the Northwest Passage west to east."...
for 1973 by the Cruising Club of America
Cruising Club of America
-History:It was launched in the winter of 1921-1922 by a handful of experienced offshore sailors interested in cruising and the development of the cruising type of yacht....
, and other awards from the Liga Maritima del Chile, and the Royal Cruising Club’s Medal for Seamanship.
Tzu Hang
The Smeetons sold Tzu Hang to a friend, Bob Nance, and moved to Alberta, Canada. She is reported to have become used for smuggling marijuana and was impounded in 1988 by US Customs Agents, and destroyed with a bulldozer in 1990.The above differs from my recollection from one of Miles' sailing books (I read most of them). He touched on Tzu Hang's fate and as I recall, she was sold, it seems as if it was on the other side of the world, fell into disrepair and eventually sank at her mooring / anchor.