Ashore, Tired And Grateful

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30952, 7 January 1966, Page 1

Ashore, Tired And Grateful

(N.Z. Press Association) WHANGAREI, January 6. George Murphy, of Auckland, walked down the gang plank of the Norwegian tanker Magnolia at Marsden Point, tonight, a tired but grateful man. Mr Murphy became a “passenger” on the 12,210-ton tanker after its crew had rescued him from his 22ft yacht which was wallowing in heavy seas in Cook Strait. He was still tired from his “frightening” ordeal, but was grateful for all that had been done for him by the captain and crew of the Magnolia and those who had taken part

in the air and sea search for him.

Mr Murphy said tonight that he had set sail from Kaikoura on Sunday morning and had run into heavy seas in Cook Strait later in the day. He described the waves as “coming from all directions” with three or four huge ones tossing him. He said his trouble really began when a rope holding the boom in trim broke and the sails became useless in the high wind. Attempts to start his small inboard motor failed when he discovered he was unable to turn the motor in the swirling sea. “Every time I tried to give her a turn, I was tossed aside.” From then until he was picked up by the Magnolia on Tuesday night the only con-

trol he had over the small boat was the sea anchor which he had out all the time.

He said he had plenty of food aboard, but little time to eat it. He also had plenty of safety equipment including flares and rockets and three life-jackets. For almost the time he was drifting he was occupied with trying to repair the boom and get the sails set, or trying to start the motor. His radio was below deck, and he had to keep scrambling up and down out of the cabin to hear any messages. More trouble came when the tanker pulled alongside. The Magnolia, half in ballast, rolled severely in the sea, and Mr Murphy was thrown against the side of the ship as he was hauled out of his yacht up on to the deck.

He was not badly hurt, but has skinned knees and legs and numerous bruises.

Mr Murphy, who had owned the yacht for two weeks, said he had never sailed in New Zealand waters before, but had had experience around the coast of Ireland. He came to New Zealand eight years ago. Tonight he said that this was not the most frightening experience of his life—he was almost drowned several times as a youngester—but it was not an experience he wished to go through again. The captain and crew of the Magnolia treated him “like a king,” he said. Queenslanders gambled about £75 million last year while in South Australia the total was £54 million.