Brigantine Yankee - On The Reef At Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands Photo by Bill Johnson - Copyrighted

23 July 1964 the Yankee was anchored off Avarua, Rarotonga when a gale blow up during the very early hours of the morning and she dragged her anchor and drafted on to the northern reef at Avarua, Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands
The Yankee was abandoned on the reef at Rarotonga. A couple of attempts were made to try and get her off the reef by using blocks and tackle and a D6 Bulldozer from inside the lagoon. With the help of local Cook Islanders and the crew from the Yankee they came close to getting her near the edge off the reef and hopefully re-floating the Yankee. However, more bad weather came in and once again pushed the Yankee still further back onto the reef at Rarotonga. Sadly to say, I had the privilege of being one of the last people to see the Yankee still afloat and at anchor in Rarotonga, just two days before she met her fate. The rest was to be history for the beautiful World Famous Yankee.