AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 65, 17 March 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

AQUATICS.

The Northern Rowing1 Union's regatta, which took place last Saturday afternoon on the waters of Lake Tiikapuna, cannot he described as a very .successful affair. The attendance, owing- to a break in the weather which occurred early in the afternoon, was not large, and the arrangements were not well carried out. Great delay occurred in the starting of some of the races, and the consequence was that the proceeding's dragged considerably. Worst of all the ferry steamer which conveyed the excursionists to and from the Lake was delayed an unconscionable time at the Lake wharf after the advertised time of returning before the return trip to town was begun. The. committee seemed to have no idea of the value of punctuality, nnd the passengers who were kept waiting for an hour or so on the steamer at the wharf were loud in their expressions of disgust. The principal cause of the delay was the sculling race for the Marshall Cap, but the fact that the officials and competitors had to wait for that event was no reason why the spectators, who were quite tired out, should be detained uselessly at the wharf when they were anxious to get home to their teas. This sort of thing makes rowing regattas unpopular amongst the public, and if the Northern Bowing Union's future fixtures are to be successful and well attended the committee of management will have to consider the convenience of their patrons a little more.

West End again "scooped the pool" at the Takapuna Regatta/last Saturday, contrary to most expectations, as it was not considered that the Ponsonby oarsmen would carry off more than three events at the most. The various crews in the senior race finished on very even terms, and the very small margin by which West End won showed that the rival crews very closely matched each other.

W. Beach, the ex-world's champion sculler, has at this late stage taken to cycling- (says an Australian paper). In worrying- with the rudiments cf retaining the perpendicular, and steering a correct course, he showed himself determined, as of old. Though he does not intend racing, he has more "go" in him for that than many juveniles who attempt to win to-day. He will be nn awkward one to bob up against in an old-buffer's race by-and-bye, though he doesn't really appear to have grown more than a week older in a dozen years.

Last Saturday week in the Sydney Royal Yacht Squadrons race for 20----footers and under, the Auckland-built boat Mercia, with her clever skipper Fred. Doran, once more proved herself invincible. She had a squeeze to get in ahead of Bunyip, to whom she had to concede 7min, 24sec only separating the pair at the winning goal, while Laurel, also on the 7min mark, was Imin 3Ssec further astern. Of the others in the race Bronzewing IV. did best.

Preliminary arrangements are now being made at Sydney in. connection with the big- regatta to be held in 1901 in Port Jackson in celebration of the twentieth century. It is proposed that the event will extend over two days, one day to be devoted entirely to the sailing races, while the other will be set aside for the rowing races. A special effort is to be made to make the prizes sufficiently large enough to attract competitors from far and wide. An international yacht race in Sydney waters would be a novelty, and it is the ardent desire of those interested in the movement to bring about such an event. Already the funds in hand amount to £300, but to make the affair a complete success this amount will need to be increased to at least £1000.

' THE CRUISE OP THE VIKING. On Sunday last Mr Blomfield's fine •twenty rater Viking' returned |to Auckland from a fortnight's cruise along the Northern coast. A member of the Viking's crew kindly supplies the following- interesting narrative of the cruise, which extended as far North las Whangaroa: — "Owing- to an accident by -which we lost our topmast, we did. not get underweigh till 4 p.m. on the 24th February, when we got a light southerly, reaching Bon Accord, Kawau Island, at 10 p.m. We made an early i start next day (25th), but the wind though fair was still light, with a heavy swell coming in, and by night time*we only made Calliope Bay, Whangarei. On the 26th and 27th we had i similar wind and swell, and reached jWhangaruru and Rawhiti respectively. )To get so far took us four days, by i which time, with the slow going and I heavy incessant swell, we were rather i tired", and regretted daily the loss of | our topmast. The 28th and 20th were I spent in pottering about fishing-, etc., in Parekura and Horokau Bays, two as pretty spots as can be imagined. Everything seemed at its best, and with, grand water, pretty bush, and I plenty of fishing, the Rawhiti is inj deed' a yachtsman's paradise. It is | not unlike I'elorous Sounds, but the | wind is not so treacherous, and in ad- } dition there are splendid sea beaches. j We obtained here a supply of maize and water melons, from the Maoris. On the morning- of the Ist March we | started at 9J]O with a light southerly for Whangaroa. The wind freshened and we were soon going along1 merrily I for the far famed harbour of the : North, which we reached at 3.15. One j hears much of Whangaroa harbour, i and it certainly deserves all that has I been .said of it, having, as it has, a I very narrow entrance, and then openI ing out into numerous bays. We went up to the wharf and telegraphed our arrival. Then we eagerly devoured the past week's war news. Then we were off down the harbour to Okahamoko j bay. On the 2nd we explored the Wairakau stream, and all hands enjoyed the luxury of a bathe in the falls there. The peaches, too, were I "-rowing everywhere in abundj ance, a,rid were very acceptable, and with the constant supply of fresh fish, constituted an agreeable diet. On the following day (3rd) we tramped over the hills at the head of the bay to Taupo, and found the Maoris there very decent fellows. They put in most of their time catching and taming wild cattle. The method of capture must be very exciting and dangerous, and they had tethered to trees four samples of their prowess, sulkily chewing- at the food thrown to them. We returned to the yacht in the afternoon, and then we visited the falls at the head of the bay. They consist of five cascades of about twenty feet each, and are very prettjr now, but with a big- supply of water coming must look really fine. So far the weather had been splendid, but on the following morning (4th, Sunday) we had steady rain, and at 2 p.m. made a start for the Bay of Islands again. Outside we got a light N.W., and same old swell, and at 10 p.m., when off Niuepui Lock the wind veered round to the S.W.. which brought us outside Rawhiti at about 1 a.m. Here several rain squalls struck us. and for some considerable time we tried in vain to pick up the entrance. After some anxious watching we found it, and fetched up in Horoka.ua Bay at about 2.30 am., the. run from Whangaroa having taken nearly 13 hours. "On the sth we got the anchor up at 3 a,nd off to Russell, where, on the following morning, we took on board two lady passengers and were off again to Parekura. Spent two days—grand days they were—in this and Horokaua Bay, and from the surrounding hills obtained some charming views of the surrounding islands and coves. Back to Russell on Sth, as ladies were rej turning by Clansman, but on arrival they decided to go down the coast in the yacht. Accordingly we started off at once at 9.30. with fine leading breeze, which took us along in fine style to Cape Brett, and the wind coming out, soon reached Whangamumu at 4 p.m. The vrincT, however, did not hold, and the following- day (Oth) there was not a breath, so had to stay at anchor, and inspected the whaling station. However, we got plenty of fish, in fact nine varieties, and tried in vain to get one of the fox headed eels from the crayfish hole. They are a bright yellow,' with foxhead.?, and are not at all taking- looking, and although we got one to the top of the water several times, yet could not jag him. The day finished Tip very wet, and on the following morning at 9.30 Cloth) we started off with a- strong S.E against us. intending to make Kawau, a run of 45 miles. After beating for about three hours the wind veered round to N.E., so we bowled along' for a, few miles in fine style. However, it didn't hold, and went south again, and the roll increasing, made it uncomfortable tor the ladies, who were standing it well. W;e passed Hen and Chickens at 9.30 on Saturday, and laid our course for Kawau. but the wind was now chopping all round the compass, noon had gone, and it looked as if we were in for a dirty night, so decided not to go through the passage, but stand out and let Kawau go. Consequently we stood out till we opened up the* Tiri light, and slogged up against a good southerly, finally reaching at 1 p.m. on Sunday our moorings off Judge's Bay. The run from Whangamumu of 100 miles had thus taken nearly 28 hours. This finished what had been a verypleasant cruise indeed, whose only drawbacks, if any, had been the light winds and loss of our topmast, which count for little, considering the otherwise very e.noyable holiday."