Gerry Clark

Gerry Clark was a New Zealand sailor, writer and ornithologist. He is known for his seabird research around the subantarctic islands and his circumnavigation of Antarctica in his self-built yacht TOTORORE. This collection spans the period 1982 to 1999 and comprises written correspondence, manuscripts, audio and visual recordings, bird observation records, logbooks, photographs, slides and objects. Most of this material relates to his expeditions in the Southern Ocean and around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Gerry, with his wife Marjorie and four daughters, developed an organic orchard in Kerikeri following his retirement from the Merchant Navy. After building the yacht TOTORORE in 1982, with a particular interest in seabird numbers as an indicator of ocean health, Gerry was inspired to organise expeditions in the Southern Ocean.

On one such TOTORORE voyage to the Antipodes Islands, Gerry, along with crew member Roger Sale, went missing at sea in a storm. To date only small fragments of the yacht have been found.

This Highlight Tile is just a glimpse at what can be found on the online collection, which represents the skilled seamanship, dedication and achievements of Gerald Stanley (Gerry) Clark MBE (1927-1999). For the whole online collection search for "Gerry Clark".