FROM NOUMEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 11, 13 January 1940, Page 10

FROM NOUMEA.

SEAWARD'S RETURN. CYCLONE SMASHES RUDDER. FRENCH PORT INCIDENT. To New Caledonia in eight days and a half and back in three weeks was the experience of the crew of the auxiliary yacht Seaward, which anchored off Mechanic's Bay at two o'clock this afternoon after a six weeks' cruise. The Seaward is owned by Mr. D. Wellington, of the Akarana Yacht Club, who had with him on the trip Mr. G. J. Innes, also of the Akarana Club, and Mr. J. Smith, an Australian yachtsman. When the Jitt.le 30ft vessel left Auckland six weeks ago it was intended to visit New Caledonia and Lord Howe Island, but the approach of the hurricane season made it necessary to cancel the voyage to Lord Howe. Noumea was reached in eight and a half days, the Seaward carrying full sail nil the way. There were good winds until, between Cape Maria and Norfolk Island, the Seaward ran through a cyclone. For four hours they were in the centre of the disturbance, with a strong wind blowing alternately from all points of the compass. It was here that the only mishap of the voyage occurred. Thinking that they had passed through the worst of the storm they raised sail but the boat 'was caught by a cross sea and hurled round, the rudder being split. Immediate steps were taken to make the vessel seaworthy and, in a dangerous sea, a jury rudder was rigged with clamps. So efficient did this prove that it not only carried the Seaward through the cyclone., but it was also. used throughout the remainder of the cruise. They spent a week at Noumea, where their arrival startled the French authorities. Mr. Wellington has a close knowledge of the coastline gained from previous cruises and he slipped into the port past the fortifications and was at the wharf at dawn.

Mr. Wellington said that it would have been possible to have sailed back from Noumea ill a dinghy, so calm was the weather. They had to tack half way across to Sydney and it was while in • the middle of the- Tasman that they sighted their first ship, a fa.st"passenger liner, proceeding to New Zealand. . A fey/ days later, at dusk, they saw approaching -them a grey-painted freighter, but as soon as the Seaward was sighted the vessel sheered off in a wide arc, apparently taking no risks.

Hoping for. westerly winds after their long period at sea, the crew of the little ship were disappointed, for they encountered only light south-easterly breezes and they had to slog back to the New Zealand coast on short tacks. During the long spells of calm weather the ship sailed herself, and it Avas at 10 o'clock one morning a week ago that they received their greatest surprise.

The trio of adventurers were below in the cabin, and Mr. Wellington casually looked through the companion-way opening in time to see a huge wave approaching. They could do nothing about it, and the wave crashed heavily on the deck scattering the leader sail. The remainder of the voyage was uneventful.