The Project Endeavour: Jon Sanders' Triple Circumnavigation of the World Collection was donated to Curtin University Library in 2007 by Emeritus Professor John Penrose from Curtin's Centre for Marine Science and Technology (CMST).

This historically significant collection relates to Jon Sanders' journey in the yacht Parry Endeavour three times around the world between 25 May 1986 and 13 March 1988. The record-breaking voyage was solo and non-stop.

The initial donation has been augmented by the commissioning of a number of oral histories and by further donations, the most important by Jon Sanders in 2009 of the five log books which chronicle his journey in his own words.

Managed under the umbrella of CMST, the Project Endeavour team were responsible for both the preparation for the voyage and the voyage itself. Preparations included a refit of the yacht and development of the scientific package used by Sanders to measure sea surface temperatures, log wildlife sightings and record bathymetric measurements.

The project was funded by Parry Corporation and endorsed as an Australian Bicentennial Activity.

The Collection includes photographs, correspondence between Sanders and Penrose, scrap books, Sanders' log books, designs and drawings of the Sanders' yacht the Parry Endeavour, scientific results and logs, charts and maps, minutes of the Project Endeavour working party, sound recordings and film footage taken by Sanders during his voyage.

Accessing the Collection

The Project Endeavour Collection is held by the Library and housed in the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library (JCPML) on the University's Bentley campus. Many of the items, including the photographs, Sanders' log books, correspondence and log notes related to the scientific data are available for viewing online. Digitisation of further material is ongoing.

Items in the digital archive are presented as: images (photographs, documents, objects); full text (contents of documents); audio and video; and finding aids (text containing information about the titles and descriptions of material which has not been digitised).

Researchers are also welcome to access the collection by visiting the JCPML.

Copyright, reproduction and citation information

How is the Collection arranged?

The Project Endeavour Collection is arranged into the following creators and series. Linking from the title of each series will take you into the record in the digital archive where you can look at the related files and items.

Project Endeavour

Project Endeavour was created to manage the preparation program for the solo, non-stop, triple circumnavigation of the world undertaken by Jon Sanders AO, OBE, CitWA from 25 May 1986 to 13 March 1988 and the two year voyage itself. Funded by the Parry Corporation and endorsed as an Australian Bicentennial Activity, Project Endeavour was managed by a Committee formed under the umbrella of Curtin University's CMST. The aim of the project was to draw international attention to the pioneering role of Captain James Cook in ocean navigation and science. Sanders carried a scientific package on his yacht the Parry Endeavour and used the equipment to make sea surface temperature measurements, log wildlife sightings and record bathymetric measurements in the South Pacific region.

Curtin University Log Books
This log book accompanies Jon Sanders' Parry Endeavour log books and covers the entire period of the triple circumnavigation. The CMST used this log as a record of Jon Sanders' position and of events during the voyage. Included are notes on his movements, information from the Argos Satellite tracking system, and telegrams between the CMST and other agencies around the world.

Project Endeavour Charts and Maps
This series includes the Seasat altimeter data chart record between 7 July and 10 October 1978 which first suggested the existence of a sea mount in the South Pacific. Also included is the annotated tracing of GEBCO (General Bathymetric Chart of the Ocean) Chart 5.11 (left half) which indicates the location of the sea mount as confirmed by Jon Sanders.

Sound Recordings Collected by Project Endeavour
This series includes three recordings. The first is of Jon Sanders explaining the hydrophonic sounds of whales and other wildlife recorded during the triple circumnavigation.The second is a conversation between Sanders at sea on the Parry Endeavour and the flight crew of Qantas flight QF44 (AKL/SYD) on 19 December 1986. The third is of Sanders recording a message to be played during the opening ceremony for WA Week on 18 May 1987.

Correspondence from Jon Sanders
This series consists of letters and postcards written by Jon Sanders from 13 September 1986 to 29 September 1990 to John Penrose, with one letter written to Curtin acting Vice-Chancellor John de Laeter. Seven of the letters were written during the triple circumnavigation and two postcards are written from a later period.

Parry Endeavour Daily Noon Summary Sheets
These summary sheets were recorded by Jon Sanders from 25 May 1986 to 8 March 1988. The sheets record his position, the water temperature, wind and cloud conditions, cabin temperature, barometer readings, distance travelled, wildlife sightings and echo sounder results.

Project Endeavour Working Party Minutes
This series includes minutes and correspondence from meetings of the Project Endeavour Working Group from 25 June 1985 to 13 January 1986. These relate to both the preparation program for the yacht and the voyage itself. The team was originally referred to as the Working Group for the Jon Sanders Project. Meetings were attended by Jon Sanders, Dr Jim Chute, Prof John Penrose, Grahame Henry (Marketing Representative) and Des Piesse. Bill Lucas, the official delegate of the Royal Perth Yacht Club, attended from September 1985.

Project Endeavour Correspondence
This series consists of correspondence of Project Endeavour from 1985 to 1989 relating to the management of the preparation program and Sanders' voyage.

Project Endeavour Scrap Books
This series comprises a file of newspaper cuttings relating to Jon Sanders' triple circumnavigation collected by the CMST and a scrapbook including cuttings, photographs and invitations to official events relating to the voyage collected by John Penrose.

Project Endeavour Raytheon sounder results
This series consists of the most significant echo sounder results recorded. Included are depth sounder results from trial runs prior to the triple circumnavigation and those that confirmed the sea mount in the South Pacific. Also in this series are Jon Sanders' notes to be read alongside the echo charts. These notes provide additional information on his findings and the yacht's position at the time of each recording.

Photographs collected by Project Endeavour
This series consists of over 1000 images related to Project Endeavour and Jon Sanders' voyage. They depict the refit of the yacht Challenger to become the Parry Endeavour, the scientific equipment installed on the yacht, official launch functions and images shot by Jon Sanders himself of the yacht interior, exterior and the surrounding seascapes.

Publications Collected by Project Endeavour
This series comprises of published reports written by the CMST reporting on their contribution to Project Endeavour and Jon Sanders' triple circumnavigation of the world.

Yacht design drawings
This series comprises includes drawings and working notes by Dr Kim Klaka from the CMST who provided design advice for the refit of Challenger to become Parry Endeavour.

Equipment used on board the Parry Endeavour
This series consists of a Pentax camera similar to the one used by Jon Sanders to document his journey on board the Parry Endeavour.

Movie films shot by Jon Sanders
This series consists of film footage shot by Jon Sanders on a 16mm Ari Flex film camera on board the Parry Endeavour during his triple circumnavigation of the world. The footage gives a sense of Sanders' day to day routine including tasks such as cooking and washing.

Jon Sanders

Jon Sanders AO, OBE, CitWA is a West Australian yachtsman best known for completing the first solo, non-stop triple circumnavigation around the world on board the Parry Endeavour from the 25 May 1986 to the 13 March 1988. He completed the first solo, non-stop double circumnavigation on board the Perie Banou from the 6 September 1981 to the 31 October 1982. Sanders has set or broken many world sailing records, including first person to single-handedly complete 5 circumnavigations and longest distance sailed continuously by any vessel. In 1983, Sanders received an OBE for his services to yachting and the prestigious personal yachting trophy the Chichester Award. In 1988, Sanders received the inaugural James Cook Award from the Royal Perth Yacht Club and was made a Curtin University Fellow.

Parry Endeavour Log Books
This series consists of five log books written by Jon Sanders during the triple-circumnavigation on the Parry Endeavour from 25 May 1986 to 13 March 1988. These logbooks provide a detailed account of the 658 day voyage.

Kim Klaka

Dr Kim Klaka led the team of Curtin University naval architects and engineers responsible for design work on the Parry Endeavour which included strengthening the hull and building a new keel and shortened mast.

Audio-visual resources collected by Kim Klaka
This series comprises a copy of the Channel 7 television footage Jon Sanders: hero home from the sea from 13 March 1988. The program aired live footage of Sanders' return to Fremantle Harbour following his triple circumnavigation of the world.

Files compiled by Kim Klaka
This series includes Kim Klaka's notes, drawings, specifications and correspondence related to the refit of the yacht Parry Endeavour. Dr Klaka's design work included strengthening the hull and building a new keel and shortened mast.

Phil Curran

Before it was refit as the Parry Endeavour, Jon Sanders' yacht was known as Challenger. Challenger was designed by West Australian Naval Architect Phil Curran for Dr Jim Chute from Parry Corporation who sailed her in 1979 Parmelia Race from Plymouth to Fremantle.

Yacht design drawings
This series includes design drawings of the Challenger by Phil Curran, such as the lines plan, general arrangement, deck plan and keel plan.

Diana Dunbar

Diana Dunbar is a yachting enthusiast who kept many mementoes of Jon Sanders' return to Fremantle following his triple circumnavigation around the world.

Personal Papers of Diana Dunbar
This series comprises of newspaper clippings, realia and photographs collected by Diana Dunbar as mementoes of Jon Sanders' return and welcome home parade following his triple circumnavigation of the world.

Jon Sanders discusses the preparation of the yacht Parry Endeavour for its historic voyage with Project Endeavour supporters. Far left is boatbuilder Des Piesse. Prof John Penrose is the 2nd from the right.

Records of Project Endeavour. Des Piesse, Jon Sanders, John Penrose and John Hunter, May 1986. CUL00039/8/11.

Records of Project Endeavour.
Jon Sanders writing log, May 1986.
CUL00039/7/1.

Jon Sanders at sea on board the
Parry Endeavour, 1986.

Records of Project Endeavour.
At sea, 30 September
to 9 October 1986.
CUL00039/19/2.

Records of Philip Curran.
General arrangement.
Drawing number 77-7-003.
CUL00051/3.

Jon Sanders steps on land for the first time in 658 days.

Records of West Australian News Ltd. Jon Sanders completes the voyage, 13 March 1988. CUL00059/12.