"SEAWOMEN."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 17, 21 January 1939, Page 12

"SEAWOMEN."

GIRLS' ADVENTURE. SAIL ON GRAIN SHIP. ONE MAT WRITE A BOOK. (Special.—By Air Mall.) LONDON, December 31. Arrived in London this week are two British girls who have served as "seawomen" for nearly 18 months on a Bailing ship, the Finnish barque Penang, which has taken 204 days to do the journey from Australia to England, instead of 90 days. They are Miss Catherine Bridger, of Wallasey, Cheshire, and Miss Dorothy Laird, of Arran, Ayrshire. It was in August, 1937, that they signed on. With the rest of the crew they have been under the iron discipline of "sail." and together have helped to fight gales and storms. "They have both served well through fair weather and foul," Captain CarLsson said this week. "TTiey leave us as experienced seamen." Miss Laird said: "We left Port Victoria on May Ift. On June 1 we struck a squall between Tasmania and New Zealand. Our topsail was blown down, and for 756 miles we dragged it behind us until we reached port 12 days later. We sighted the Lizard on December 15, but fog and blinding snow made the journey into London last another 10 days. I have not decided whether I shall write a book about our trip, but it has certainly been an adventure for Mies Bridger and me."