Nostalgic Visit To Doubtful Sound

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30214, 20 August 1963, Page 18

Nostalgic Visit To Doubtful Sound

(P'om Our Own Reporter)

DEEP COVE, Aug 19. Andy Blair, aged 41. of Dunedin, is visiting Doubtful Sound to relive his memories, before the “big change comes." Before the quiet valley is taken over, for four years, by one of the largest construction undertakings in New Zealand's history, he has called to pay his respects. For tliree years. Mr Blair managed The Lodge tourist hostel. that catered for trampers who came into the valley in summer He made friends of t3»e keas with scraps of food: he watched schools of up to 40 porpoises gambolling at the head of the bay at low Side, making a noise like rolling thunder as they whacked their tails on the water. He caught fish. Whenever he needed a meal. Rarely was he without a camera on hts walks through the rain fores s. past the countless waterfalls. For bearded Mr Blair. Doubtful Sound has strong memories. On October 6. 1961, his wife tried to rescue a fisherman whose d'inghy capsized. Mrs Blair, who was standing on the bank, saw the accident and jumped in to rescue him. She go<t into difficulties and was rescued by her husband. She died. Five months earlier. Mr Blair himself narrowly escaped death.

He and a younger mate, Mr Bruce T Innock. of Chr.stchurch, kept themselves alive tor six days and seven nights on a tin of condensed milk, a weka, some rock mussels, and eight matches, when cast up on the rocks on the stormswept south coast of First Arm, Doubtful Sound. They had only one set of clothes, one pair of boots, and one PB Thetr 33ft fishing boat, the Rosie, went on the rocks on June 26 in a squall. When V.w Rosie struck the jagged rocks of Ute sound, the men jumped on to a nock. Mr Tinnock still dressed in a shirt.

They cooked and ate a weka and some mussels, and had a teaspoon of condensed milk each. They tore the lid off the milk can and used the metal as a knife. They built a hut of punga boughs and fronds. Then they found a cave. 10ft wide by sft deep, in the side of a cliff The men lived in the cave tor about a week. Day after day it hailed, rained, snowed and blew.

The crew of the Port G'na Inters fishing boat, Sol Star, finally sighted the castaways on July 3. They were flown to Invercargill by amphibian aircraft and taken to Kew Hospital by ambulance These are the memories of Andy Blair, as he takes his last look around Doubtful Sound. be tore “the big change."