FISHING PARTY MAROONED

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27874, 24 January 1956, Page 12

FISHING PARTY MAROONED

Night Spent On Tiny Harbour Island FIRES NOT SEEN IN WELLINGTON (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 23. Five persons—two men, a woman and two young boys—were marooned on tiny Leper Island off the northern tip of Somes Island from Saturday afternoon to late on Sunday morning. The party went to the island to fish but the high winds and engine trouble forced them to remain on the exposed rock.

The stranded party alternated between stamping round and huddling together to keep warm. They started two fires, one facing Wellington and the other Somes Island, but they were not seen.

Those in the party were Mr and Mrs J. Ponter, Taita, and their nine-year-old son, James, and Mrs Poynter’s brother, Mr William Gilligan, of Naenae, and his son, John.

The party set off in a 12 foot outboard motor-boat from Petone about 11 a.m. on Saturday. They intended to stay for two hours’ fishing, but strong winds blew up after lunch. As they had experienced some trouble with the engine they decided to wait for the seas to calm. When it became obvious that the weather would keep them' on the island the two fires were lit with driftwood.

About midday on Sunday the two men decided to take the boat to Somes Island. They explained the position to Mr J. K. Weir, .custodian on the island. Mrs Weir prepared food while the rest of the party was collected. A telephone call to the mainland brought out the pilot launch. The weather was still poor and the launch could not pull tnto the jetty, so the party had to jump on board.