DIFFICULT FEAT

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 12290, 2 March 1938, Page 4

DIFFICULT FEAT

NAVIGATING IN THE ISLANDS The French liner, Pierre Loti, which arrived at Sydney from the New Hebrides and Noumea, has been performing a ticklish feat of navigation to relieve the handful of whites in the lonely Wallis group, 1000 miles from the New Hebrides. The call used to be made at Wallis Island by the small French steamer Bucephale, but she was wrecked near Vila (New Hebrides) last year. The lone white trader and the handful of white missionaries needed supplies, and cargo was waiting to be shipped, so the Pierre Loti, under Captain T. Teuton, undertook the task.

A couple of calls had been made there prior to the one on the round trip just completed. The Wallis Group comprises 20 small islands, surrounded by a big and dangerous coral reef.

Of 5114 tons, the Pierre Loti was considered too big for the task. Her only advantage was the fact that she had twin screws.

She arrived off the gap in the reef and awaited signals from the white men ashore. She had to cross in through a channel 110 yards wide—not too comfortable for a ship of her size coming in from the open

When the tide was running the current swept through the channel at six knots. The Pierre Loti waited off the reef until slack low tide. The white men stationed on the shore judged the safety of the water for the captain.

They kept a “stand off” signal up until they saw the strength of the current diminishing. Then as the tide fell they hoisted another signal telling the captain of the steamer to prepare for the dash and at what they judged to bo the safest moment they gave him the proceed signal.

The Pierre Loti felt her way gingerly through the reef to the safe, calm water of the lagoon.