Attempt On South To North Swim

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30401, 28 March 1964, Page 16

Attempt On South To North Swim

(From Our, Own Kfvprter) WELLINGTON, March 27- : ’•.The Island Bay sinrfer, K-■ F, ‘C- Hanfiox, who,on February 1 7 made tbereeord, crossing of 9 hours 34min from aorth.*to. -south of Cook strait, will attempt the - south to north. .. swim, if conditions are favourable, abptif April •• 7.' ‘ '.‘.".t I - .'

The’ favourable neap tides,-'when thetidal currents 4re expected to be at ' their lowest, will begin about April 5„ and off Of an opportunity for. a few days orily. . The next'favourable tide sequence Will- begin on April 19. After this, -water conditions maybe

too .Cold ,to* permit a further aflern.pt' befojfe-'nekt summer. The -main goal aimed at.-by Hancox and, -his trainer, Mr A. Kednan, is "the ‘ double crossing qf'thfe §t<ait. To.jriii prove the chant?es 'of- this, it is thought - that. -an attempt from south to’ hprth should .be undertaken, ’ .‘r .. - After thjs, the proposal is to go to .Europe -arid, attempt

the .pf.the English Channel'as a preparation for the double’ crossing of the strait... The .pHotage Of; the strait atteinpt will-be in the hahds of. Mr J,’. Cataldo; ...of the Island.' Bajr launch, Ika, as Defare. , •*; - . •The main’ party Will ' leave Island ’.Bay probably soon after’ midnight oh the. chosen day,. arid Hancox .will follow ■later in the speedboat, Ctiarmaine. ; It is not yet known from what point on’ the South I;l»id the atteihpt wiU- be made. One suggestion -has been to use the eastern head of .Tory? Channel, which would take advantage of the. strong; outflow frotn .Queen Charlotte sound—but this wb.uld mean a Straight-line distance of sotjie 15 - miles to the North Island.' •. Another suggestion is that Hancox should leave . the South Island at. spine point west of Wellington head on Arapawa Island. . • ; . This would take, him down nearer. Awash rocks and the Brothers, as W.‘ Penny went ! during his second attempt. The object of this would, be to avoid the dangerous currents of the Terawhiti- rip, and .to bring him down on to the North Island coast . between Ohau point (his starting point of . last month) and Cape Terawhiti. ‘