ANXIOUS TIME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 280, 26 November 1938, Page 10

ANXIOUS TIME.

SCHOOL OF WHALES YACHT'S ENCOUNTER. RONDA ON WORLD CRUISE. AUCKLANDER FROM SUVA. How his (Kt-ton auxiliary ketch yacht Ronda narrowly escaped collision with huge sperm whales in the Pacific Ocean was described by Captain H. V. Hudson. R.X. (retired), when the Ronda dropped anchor off King's wharf this morning after a voyage of 12 days from Suva. The Ronda. a fine, i-eaworthy vessel of 70ft, is in the course of a leisurely world cruise, in which her master is "chaoing the sun." "We were travelling th« 3500-mile course from Peru to the Marquesas, a trip we did in 28 days in light winds," said Captain Hudson. "An exciting and rather anxious time «U in store for us when six large cach*lot'or sperm whales appeared in our court* and refused to get out of th« way.

"They were eo close that we could see every little barnacle on them. One of them lifted its huge, almost square, head, and seemed to look over the counter of the yacht. Then it dived, lifting its tail to within six feet of the stern, but it apparently failed to make adequate allowance for our lOJft draught, and bumped heavily against the side of the yacht.

"It left a patch or red in the water, and we thought it had wounded itself. But we found it had merely rubbed some of the red anti-fouling paint off the hull. Still, it was an uncomfortable few minutes, and we were glad to see the last of the whales."

Shortage of Bertha.

This experience was the highlight of the Ronda's cruise so far—exactly two years of leisurely voyaging, for she left England in November, 193fi. Her present crew nrtmlHTs seven, one of whom is an Aucklander, Mr. A. F. Pell. He was one of many people in Fiji who have found it almost impossible to obtain berths on passenger liners bound for Xew Zealand and Australia as a result of the heavy summer traffic.

Finding that he would be unable to secure a pasisage before February, Mr. Pell approached Captain Hudson not long before the Honda left Suva on November 14. He admitted tliat it would be his first ocean-going experience on a vaclit. but after Captain Hudson had tolil liim he would be required to "pull his weight" as a member of the crew, he signed on. Soon growing accustomed to the new life. Mr. Pell fully played liis part as a sailor and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Three other men joined the Ronda at Suva, primarily for pleasure rather than for necessity. They are Mr. .T. Stevenson, a Government official on leave; Mr. G. Leanv, a banjc officer on his way to Australia; and Mr. V. Jackson, who is in business in Suva and is enjoying an unusual holiday. An Tndian cook and two half-caste Tahitians complete the crew. One of the Tahitiaiw is still in hospital at Suva, recovering from an attack of malaria, but he will rejoin the yacht as soon as possible. Keen Yachtsman. One of the keenest of yachtsmen is Captain Hudson, who has been cruising in the Ronda almost since his retirement from the Royal Navy in 1930. His last command was with the flotilla of destroyers at Gibraltar. Now a member of the Royal Cruising Club, he owned his first yacht in 1906.

Captain Hudson has covered 55.000 miles in the Honda since he. acquired her. He made two return trips across the Atlantic before setting out on the present cruise. In 1934 he installed a Diesel engine, but when the yacht is at sea *hc keeps the engine room door I'N-kcd. Hi> best day's run so far ha*; been I!'K miles. niul his worst "in in UK twelve miles." recorded in 1 933 on a windier day off the coast of Spain.

The Honda has been well tried in severe gales, t lie worst of which was a hurricane between Florida and Bermuda in I'Uli. She liehaved magnificently in it. however, and her master has every confidence in her. The yacht was tested in another way, too. when a sailing barge ran into her at Trinidad. Her stout build, however, prevented much damage be in <r done.

Search for sunshine and desire 1o escape the hurricane season are the reasons for Captain Hudson's visit to New Zealand. He expects to spend the summer here, and in about a month's time he nlans to make a cruise of the North Island. In March or April next the Honda will sail for the Islands again, expecting to reach Brisbane about September, after calling at the Tongan group. Fiji, Dllis and Gilbert Islands, and the New Hebrides.

Captain Hudson's course so far has been through the Panama Canal to Peru, and thence to the Marquesas, Tahiti, where the Ronda was put on the slip for cleaning and painting, the Society Island®, Samoa and Suva, where two months was spent before she set sail for Auckland.