CANOE CAPSIZES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 232, 2 October 1933, Page 9

CANOE CAPSIZES.

RESCUE AT CHELTENHAM

LAD'S NARROW ESCAPE. A number of people on Cheltenham Beach saw a'thrilling rescue yesterday ;>r two boys whose canvas canoe had capsized in Rangitoto Channel. The two boys were John Edwards, aged 13, of Cauldrey Street, Eden Terrace, and Stanley Thomas, 10, of 7, Dundonald Street, Eden Terrace. There was another occupant .of the narrow canvas canoe, an Alsatian dog. The two boys at 10 a.m. hired the. canoe and immediately put out into tho channel. When nearer to Rangitoto'lsland than the beach the canoe capsized. Edwards, beinp; unable to swim, clung to the frail craft as long as he could. Thomas, who is ji fairly good swimmer, struck out for the. shore to obtain assistance. Persons on Cheltenham Beach observed that something was amiss. Mr. V. Goodwin, 18, of S, Oxford Terrace, whose house fronts the beac.i, was in his garden when he looked out towards Rangitoto, and he immediately noticed that Edwards, was in difficulties. Mr. Goodwin, clad only in shirt and shorts, struck out for the channel, and shortly afterwards was followed by Mr. Lcn Best and Mr. Trevor Eekman. The three rescuers were able to keep Edwards afloat until Messrs. H. A. Bainbridgo and K. Heighway hurried to the scene in a dinghy.

Edwards w-as in a half-drowned condition when brought ashore, and was blue in the face. Resuscitation methods were applied to him on the beach and he was attended to by T)r. Rout, of Devonport, who sent him home in the Devonport St. John Ambulance. It is believed that the canoe capsized as the result of the Alsatian puppy jumping from side to side. The pup swam ashore.