NOT ON AMAZON

(DOCUMENTARY FILM BY ERIC AND SUSAN HISCOCK PRODUCED IN 1963. RESTORED FROM 16MM PRINT BY THESAILINGCHANNEL TV. LENGTH: 91 MINUTES. RENT IT FOR $2.99 OR BUY IT FOR $12.99 FROM VIMEO,
REVIEW BY KAREN LARSON
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Leave it to Tory Salvia and the folks at TheSailingChannel TV to unearth wonderful historical sailing films and restore them for use with today’s technology. Tory obtained, from a niece of Eric and Susan Hiscock, a 16mm print of a documentary they produced for the BBC. The film depicts their three-year circumnavigation, leaving England’s Isle of Wight and sailing west, passing through the Panama and Suez Canals in 1959 through 1962 on Wanderer III, their 30-footer.

This was their second circumnavigation. Before they set off, the BBC provided them with some camera training, a 16mm windup camera, and 4,000 feet of color film. I was often impressed with the camera’s point of view. How did they get that shot of Susan rowing ashore in their dinghy if they didn’t have a second dinghy as a photo platform for Eric? What about the shots of the two of them doing something together, such as walking up an ancient staircase or poking around in some historical ruins? Other shots had to be taken from a couple of angles, meaning that the action occurred twice. While those shots were clearly staged, nothing appeared overly staged. And the narration, entirely by Eric, is very good and sometimes droll with his British sense of humor.

Eric and Susan Hiscock were among the pioneers of cruising in the 1950s and their wonderful restored video takes us back to days when the 1950’s cars in port cities were not antiques at all and life aboard was much simpler, relying on muscle power and excellent navigational skills.

The copy I watched was available through Vimeo. Go to the Video Page at GoodOldBoat.com or to TheSailingChannel TV to see a trailer of this and other great sailing videos.

While you’re there, scroll down on that page and be sure to catch a couple of 18- and 19-minute promos. The first is an interview with Lin and Larry Pardey about their long friendship with the Hiscocks and the second is an interview with Thies Matzen and Kicki Ericson, the current owners and caretakers Wanderer III. There is no charge to see these excellent interviews.