SEA ROVER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 257, 31 October 1939, Page 6

SEA ROVER.

MANY ADVENTURES. LONG LONELY VOYAGE. VISITOR AT FIJI. (From Onr Own Correspondent.) SUVA, October 26. An interesting visitor to Suva at present is the Reine D'Avor (Queen of Brittany), a yawl-rigged vessel, fitted with an auxiliary engine. She is oO feet in lengt.li, with, a bea.ni of about 17 feet, and was formerly a French fitfhiug boat. On board are her owner, Mr. H. H. liraohe, his wife, and two children, as well as three members of the crew and Mr. Fred Rebell, navigator. The home port of the Keine D'Avor is St. Peter's Port, Guernsey, famous for the tomatoes grown there, and prior to fta-iling on thie cruise, Mr. Brache was engaged in that industry. The yacht left England about 18 months ago, and after calling at French ports, visited Jersey, the Canary Islands, Barbados, St. Vincent, Panama, the Marquesas, Tahiti and Samoa, before reaching Suva. Mr. Fred Rebell, the- navigator, is well-known in Suva, having arrived here unannounced and s ingle -handed in an 18ft yacht from Sydney eight years ago. After some time in Fiji lie set forth again, leisurely visiting Samoa, Danger Island, Christmas Island and Hawaii, and eventually reached Los Angeles, where one night, after so many adventures, the little boat was broken up by a hurricane. Mr. Robell then made his way to Latvia to see his parents and after two years there, set out a.gain on a lone voyage, this time in a 23ft boat, the Selga, intending to make hie way back to Australia. He crossed the Baltic Sea, sailed through the Kiel Canal and out into the North Sea, and after a stormy voyage, the little vessel eventually beached on the coast of Suffolk. After minor repairs Mr. Rebell continued his. journey, and set out across the Atlantic, I>iit when collie hundreds of miles at sea, the- little boat capsized but, owing to a closed cabin, did not fill, and immediately rig'Med herself. This experience, however decided Mr. Rebell to give up the attempt, and after a short time ashore he joined the Reine D'Avor, as navigator. The Reine D'Avor, on the conclusion of her visit, will sail to Sydney direct, Mr. Braohe and his family, together with several members of the crew, intending to settle in Australia.