PERSONNEL OF CREW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 96, 26 April 1933, Page 5

PERSONNEL OF CREW.

THREE EXPERIENCED MEN.

LOCALITY OF THE WRECK. Before the Mizpah left Auckland on her last trip at least one of the members of her crew was warned that it was late in the season for such a venture. Mr. Harris, who is well known among Auckland yachtsmen as "Snowy," has had a lot of experience in sailing boats. For some years he was sailing master of the 26-footer Starloch, which won a number of races under his skilful direction. For the past two seasons he has sailed the Celox with equal success. This yacht was the only boat of her typo to complete the course from Auckland to Tauranga last Christmas. A boatbuikler by trade, Mr. Harris is employed by Mr. Percy Vos, of Freeman's * Bay, who tried to persuade him from start-

ing on the trip to Wellington owing to the lateness of the season. Mr. Harris, who acted as sailing master on the Mizpah, promised the owner two months ago that he would make the trip. Mr. Kelleway, who was in charge of the Mizpah, was the owner of the 32ft launch Wainui 111., in which ho often made long cruises. Last winter he took a course for a yacht master's certificate and passed his examination with credit early this year. He previoxisly owned the launches Wainui I. and Wainui 11. on the Manukau, and also the yacht Valdora. Educated at the Palmerston North Boys' High School, Mr. Naylor was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Naylor, of Auckland, formerly of Palmerston North. He has lived in Auckland for the past five years, his address being care of Mr. J. C. Kay, of 4, Hillside Terrace, Mount Albert. A few weeks ago he left his employment to join the crew of the yacht Kestrel, which-*was to make a cruise among the Pacific Islands. He had considerable yachting experience, having sailed in the Rawhiti and the Aloha. Mr. Hurrell, who came to Auckland from. Mokai with the intention of joining the crew of the Kestrel, had not had much yachting-- experience. He joined the crew of the Mizpah Only a few hours before she sailed, hoping that it would afford him some useful experience. At Auckland he lived with Mr. H. Ward, of Beresford Street, Bays-water. Stoutly Built Boat. Tho Mizpah was 2Sft overall, and 24ft on the waterline, with a beam of 7ft 6in and a draught of 4ft 6in. She carried a ton of lead on her keel and a ton of inside ballast. While not a fast boat she was strongly build, well found, and was classed as E, with the registered number 20. She was built about 20 years ago in Hobson Bay by Messrs. Ross Brothers,, of Orakei, who intended her for cruising. The yacht was fitted with a 3£ h.p. engine. A report from Napier states that at Porangahau a wind of gale force on Monday night churned the sea and drove high foam-capped breakers on to the shore. Rain fell heavily during the night, nearly 2in being recorded for the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. yesterday. The spot where the storm smashed the Mizpah is about six miles north of Porangahau and about 21 miles north of Cape Turnagain. Blackhead is five or six miles further north. The shore is rocky in parts fpr about 14 miles northwards of Cape Turnagain, but the stretch between the mouth of the Porangahau River and Blackhead is a sandy ocean beach. The locality has seen previous wrecks, but this is the first occasion on which there has been loss of life. The bones of the auxiliary scow Maroro, which was wrecked in 1927 near Blackhead, can still be seen. The Richardson steamer Weka was wrecked eight miles north of Cape Turnagain in 1909.