Woman on Zaire River journey

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33694, 18 November 1974, Page 1

Woman on Zaire River journey

(By £

LES BLOXHAM)

Casting her fears aside, a Christchurch woman has decided to accompany her husband and three other local jet boat enthusiasts on what promises to be a gruelling expedition down the Zaire (formerly the Congo) River next month. Mrs Joyce Hamilton, whose husband, Jon, will lead the New Zealand team in support of the British Zaire River Expedition, will be tiie first white woman to navigate some secti«is of the jungle-fringed river.

Tales of poisonous reptiles, wild animals, tropical diseases, boat-breaking rapids, and unpredictable natives almost persuaded Mrs Hamilton that the African jungle was no place for a woman. But during the week-end, convinced that the men would be better off with a capable cook and bottle-washer, she decided to go. Other members of the team are Mr Guy Mannering, a professional photographer and past president of the New Zealand Jet Boat Association, Mr Ralph Brown, an*American who

got “hooked” on jet boating during one of his frequent visits to New Zealand, and Mr George Davison, naval architect 'with C. W. F. Hamilton and Company. Mr Hamilton is the company’s managing director. Mr Davison is already in Kinshasa to arrange forward planning and fuel supplies. Other members of the team will leave New Zealand next week and will spend the first two weeks of December testing the boats and reconnoitring some of the more difficult sections Ttf the river.

The two JB3 boats, powered by Ford V 8 engines, will blaze a way through the river’s rapids for the main expedition after it leaves Kinshasa between Christmas and the New Year. This British Armyorganised expedition, led by Major John BlashfordSnell, is running about one week behind schedule and is at present about 100 miles downstream from Congola. They hope to reach the sea early in the New Year after travelling 1500 miles.