“It’s fixed me for sailing”

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 1

“It’s fixed me for sailing”

A passenger in the Rangatira. Mr ?. Davies, who served in the \avx during World War 11. and who had made 53 crossings of (Zook Strait, said he had never encountered anything like the voyage on Saturday night.

He said he definitelyfelt it was the right decision to turn hack. Another passenger Mr T. R. Satherley said. “We felt we would never get out of it.’’ Mr Satherley's main problem had been to find a secure place for his pregnant wife, who was “terrified" by the experience. “We heard on the radio about 4.15 that we were turning back, and when the

'I ship went about many .'people fell off their chairs Just before this I looked : outside, and saw waves breaking over the bow. Thj i ship was rearing up out if I th- sea.” Ji Mr Satherley said that the I crew offered cabins to paJsengers, but most of them Jwere feeling too sick to (move. hood was also <>l3 , feted. but most people did not Z'feel like eating. Z, After the Rangatira berth"ied at Lyttelton, Mr and Mrs (Satherley were offered anlother berth in the ferry for ■the trip they had failed to make the first time. They .declined, and decided to hire a rental cai instead. .' “I’ve don- the trip twice 1 now, but I would never do it ( again." said Mr Satherley. j“ft’s f-xed me for sailing.” J Mr S. Harvey began :! i 1 journey thinking it was I "quite good fun,” but about (one and half hours out of ‘Lyttelton lost his sense of humour. “Th< ship was ' being hit by waves from three directions,” he said Two students, Audrey Young and Chris Findlater, huddled in a corner all night to keep warm. They said that everyone had behaved very well, and no-one had panicked. The girls said that most people were too sick to want to move. Sailors in the Rangatira said that the sea was the roughest they had ever seen