Tilikum (boat)

[[Image:Tilikum plaque.jpg|thumb|right|Plaque commemorating the voyage of the ''Tilikum'']]

[[Image:Tilikum plaque.jpg|thumb|right|Plaque commemorating the voyage of the ''Tilikum'']]

'''''Tilikum''''' was a {{convert|38|ft|m|adj=on}} [[dugout canoe]] that was used in an effort to [[circumnavigate]] the globe starting in 1901. The boat was a "Nootkan" ([[Nuu-chah-nulth people|Nuu-chah-nulth]]) canoe which was already old when she was obtained by captain [[John Voss (sailor)|John Voss]] in April 1901. The boat was built in the early 19th century as a dugout canoe made from a large [[Thuja plicata|red cedar]] log. ''Tilikum'' was purchased for $80 in silver from a native woman (Voss describes her as a "[[Chinook Jargon use by English-language speakers|siwash]]") in a transference ceremony allegedly sealed by a bottle of rye whiskey - the name Tilikum means "friend" in [[Chinook jargon]]. Apparently, John Voss and his companion in this venture, [[Norman Luxton]], were inspired by the voyage of [[Joshua Slocum]], who sailed the {{convert|37|ft|m|adj=on}} sloop [[Spray (sailing vessel)|''Spray'']] around the world a few years earlier and wrote a best selling book about his adventures.

'''''Tilikum''''' was a {{convert|38|ft|m|adj=on}} [[dugout canoe]] that was used in an effort to [[circumnavigate]] the globe starting in 1901. The boat was a "Nootkan" ([[Nuu-chah-nulth people|Nuu-chah-nulth]]) canoe which was already old when she was obtained by captain [[John Voss (sailor)|John Voss]] in April 1901. The boat was built in the early 19th century as a dugout canoe made from a large [[Thuja plicata|red cedar]] log. ''Tilikum'' was purchased for $80 in silver from a native woman (Voss describes her as a "[[Chinook Jargon use by English-language speakers|siwash]]") in a transference ceremony allegedly sealed by a bottle of rye whiskey - the name Tilikum means "friend" in [[Chinook Jargon]]. Apparently, John Voss and his companion in this venture, [[Norman Luxton]], were inspired by the voyage of [[Joshua Slocum]], who sailed the {{convert|37|ft|m|adj=on}} sloop [[Spray (sailing vessel)|''Spray'']] around the world a few years earlier and wrote a best selling book about his adventures.

The boat was refitted - reinforced, covered and rigged with sail, {{convert|230|sqft|m2|sigfig=2}} in total, and readied for her voyage at a shipyard in Spotlight Cove on [[Galiano Island, British Columbia|Galiano Island BC.]] ''Tilikum'' was then sailed to [[Oak Bay, British Columbia|Oak Bay]] harbour, then departing from there for the [[Cook Islands]] on May 20, 1901, captained by Voss and mated by Luxton. After 10,000 miles (about 16000 km) and five months on the Pacific Ocean, ''Tilikum'' struck a reef and Luxton was thrown from the boat. His whole body was badly cut by [[coral]]. The boat limped into harbour at [[Penrhyn Island]] in the Cook Islands on 2 September 1901, and Luxton left the trip entirely in [[Suva|Suva, Fiji]] on 17 October 1901.{{cite book |last1=Luxton |first1= Norman |last2=Luxton |first2=Eleanor |title=Luxton's Pacific crossing: being the journal of N.K. Luxton, mate of the Tilikum, May 20, 1901, Victoria, B.C. to October 18, 1901, Suva, Fiji |year=1971 |publisher=Gray}} ''Tilikum'' was crewed by 10 more men between that time and when she finally pulled into harbour on the Thames in [[London, England]] in September, 1904.

The boat was refitted - reinforced, covered and rigged with sail, {{convert|230|sqft|m2|sigfig=2}} in total, and readied for her voyage at a shipyard in Spotlight Cove on [[Galiano Island, British Columbia|Galiano Island BC.]] ''Tilikum'' was then sailed to [[Oak Bay, British Columbia|Oak Bay]] harbour, then departing from there for the [[Cook Islands]] on May 20, 1901, captained by Voss and mated by Luxton. After 10,000 miles (about 16000 km) and five months on the Pacific Ocean, ''Tilikum'' struck a reef and Luxton was thrown from the boat. His whole body was badly cut by [[coral]]. The boat limped into harbour at [[Penrhyn Island]] in the Cook Islands on 2 September 1901, and Luxton left the trip entirely in [[Suva|Suva, Fiji]] on 17 October 1901.{{cite book |last1=Luxton |first1= Norman |last2=Luxton |first2=Eleanor |title=Luxton's Pacific crossing: being the journal of N.K. Luxton, mate of the Tilikum, May 20, 1901, Victoria, B.C. to October 18, 1901, Suva, Fiji |year=1971 |publisher=Gray}} ''Tilikum'' was crewed by 10 more men between that time and when she finally pulled into harbour on the Thames in [[London, England]] in September, 1904.