A Hero's Welcome

Hello friends,

I was pleased to be switched onto a most interesting suite of photographs slated to pass under the hammer at Swann Galleries in NYC this December. Which I in turn would like to share with you, the long-distance paddling community at large.

The photographs, taken in 1928 by an unidentified American sailor, detail a rare glimpse of the German paddler Captain Franz Romer and his month-long visit to St. Thomas. Romer had just completed “a harrowing 58-day crossing of the Atlantic in his 21-foot Klepper kayak” from Lisbon, Portugal.

In the fifteen or so photographs, we see him in the water in his Klepper kayak, ushered through the streets of St. Thomas in celebratory pomp and parade, and even a close up shot of the gold medal of merit given to him here.

Franz Romer’s final destination was New York City, but he never arrived. The catalogue notes: “In early September Captain Romer successfully navigated his way to Puerto Rico and after a brief stopover, departed San Juan on September 11th with the intention of proceeding to a hero's welcome and a great prize purse waiting for him in New York City. Regrettably, our hero paddled straight into one of the largest Caribbean hurricanes ever known and he, and his kayak, disappeared.”

The photographs on offer represent a celebration of paddling, along with a reminder of the dangers faced by many in our community. When we talk about legends, and the people who’ve come before - with adventures that boggle the mind in scope and scale - I think it fitting that after all these years, Romer, his smile, and story of courage and inspiration have at long last made New York.

“Very few original images of the somewhat obscure Captain Romer survive, the present group having never been previously published,” the catalogue reads. I have no idea who discovered this album but I’m grateful it was saved and brought to Swann. It’ll be interesting to see how the auction goes. And just where the collection might land next.

Cheers and best,

Neal