Rough Trip From Chathams

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31327, 25 March 1967, Page 1

Rough Trip From Chathams

After battling high seas and a gale for nearly four days, a convoy of six fishing boats arrived at Lyttelton from the Chatham Islands yesterday. Three other boats of the convoy put into Akaroa Harbour. Although two vessels were under tow and one broke away twice, the vessels averaged five knots for the 87hr trip. The convoy was necessary because regulations require masters to have deep-sea navigation certificates for such a trip. A special permit was granted by the Marine Department for the boats to come in convoy under the command of one such master The convoy leader was the Willomee, commanded by Captain J. Simpson. The nine boats left the Chatham Islands about midnight on Monday, and soon

met high seas and winds gusting to about 50 knots. The Cameron R and the JoAnn were towed all the way, both having disabled engines. The Willomee towed the Cameron R, and the Provider towed the Jo-Ann. Because of the bad weather the crews were taken off both vessels during the trip. On the second day of the voyage the Cameron R broke loose in heavy seas. The Willomee put another line on her with considerable difficulty, but not before the steel bow of the Cameron R had battered her stem planking, stoving it in at one point None of the men In the convoy—there were six on the Willomee and three on most of the other boats—had much sleep during the voyage. Yesterday morning, about 1 20 miles out of Lyttelton, the ; Cameron R broke free again The seas were very high, and •the Kingfisher—another steelhulled boat—took her in tow and went into Akaroa, the Mary G going with them. i The other two vessels in

the convoy were the Kestral and the Kelly G. The boats were in radio contact throughout the trip. The vessels had been crayfishing in the Chatham

Islands for about a year. The Willomee will return about the end of May, but it is not expected that the others will return. The owner of the Willomee (Mr J. Gisby) said the convoy had been most successful, and he thought it could be a good method of getting fishing boats to the Chatham Islands if the Marine Department would permit it. Because there were not enough deep-sea officers in New Zealand for each fishing vessel, the trip to the Chathams at the beginning of the season had cost each boat from £5OO to £7OO. This was because deep-sea officers were employed to sail the boats to the Chathams, and then had to be flown back to New Zealand, as they were not required for the fishing season. The trip in convoy would cost each boat about £5O. “The convoy system, if reasonably handled, and subject to weather, is the only way to get the boats to and from the Chathams at reasonable cost,” Mr Gisby said.