Tiny light answer to a prayer

Press, 13 June 1978, Page 3

Tiny light answer to a prayer

PA Auckland A tiny light bobbing on the ocean was the answer to the prayer of a German family in ’their disabled yacht Dolly Varden. The 54ft ferro-cement ketch was without masts or a working motor 200 miles from the nearest land. High seas blotted out Mayday calls from a jury-rigged antenna.

But the bobbing light appeared from nowhere and yeserday towed the stricken yacht into Auckland. Mr R. Hertzke, who immigrated to New Zealand three years ago, swapped his home for the Dolly Varden last year. He intended to cruise to Hawaii and sell the yacht, and then sell property he had in Germany before returning to New Zealand to buy the farm of his dreams. The yacht left New Zealand on June 1 with Mr and Mrs Hertzke and three of their children and three New Zealand crewmen.

A week later, near the Kermadec Islands, they ran into gale-force winds and

high seas. Mr Hertzke said he went on deck in the middle of the night to take down more sail when the yacht was lifted by a huge wave and both masts crashed overboard. There was no damage to the rest of the yacht, he said but there was a hectic scramble as the masts, which were threatening to “torpedo” the yacht, were cut free.

A radio antenna was juryrigged the next day but although signals could be picked up no-one could hear their Mayday calls. Mr Hertzke said the engine starter-motor had got wet’ when the yacht was first dismasted and the batteries were being flattened the attempts to start the engine and the use of the radio. “No-one seemed to be able to hear us, and by Friday night we were giving up hope that anyone would find us.” he said.

“We prayed many times; and then I saw this light coming towards us. There

was a radius of about 200 sea miles around us, and it was at night.” . The, light was that of the 44ft Whitianga charter vessel Whai heading out into the Pacific on a five-month cruise.

Mr Hertzke said he fired flares but they went too high and were not seen. Finally, one flare was sighted and the Whai turned towards them. “It was the most beautiful boat I had ever seen,” Mr Hertzke said.

Next day, the Dolly Varden was taken in tow for Auckland.

Mr Hertzke said the yacht was uninsured and he had spent all his money in fitting it out. The Whai, a steel-hulled motor catamaran used mainly for diving charters, is owned and skippered by Mr M. Ellwood. It left Tauranga on June 6 with seven persons on board for a diving cruise to various Pacific islands. The Whai will resume its cruise today.