Exciting history of a North Sea island

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 14

Exciting history of a North Sea island

In the North Sea. about 100 km to the north-west of the German coastline is a tiny island with a big name, and an exciting history. It is called Heligoland. Long ago the island was inhabited by Frisians, people from a province of The Netherlands: but its position in the sea lanes of the north drew many other sea-faring people to. its shores. For centuries Heligoland was a hide-out for pirates and smugglers. As well as being handy to the sea routes the island was a safe retreat

for the raiders because it had only one landing place. They were able to escape pursuit and hide their plunder among the rocks that towered above the sea. More recently Heligoland was a naval base, used as such by Denmark. Britain and filially Germany. The island was bombed during World War IT, and a lot more than naval installations was destroyed. After the war a new Helogoland rose from the ruins, and the island became a

tourist resort. It is a shoppers’ paradise. Holiday makers and trippers travel from Germany by ferry - to take, advantage of duty-free shopping and to enjoy the entertainment of a seaside resort. In July 1969 world ’attention was focused on Heligoland. and New Zealand was to the. fore. In that year a series of ocean races for yachts in the one-ton class was held there. Yachtsmen from all over the. world competed to challenge

the German holders of the One Ton Cup. Among the competitors was an Auckland yachtsman. Chris' Bouzaid "with his boat ‘'Rainbow II.” To spectators the boat may have looked rather like an ugh' duckling among the glamorous yachts taking part. But the skipper and his crew were splendidly fit and they knew how to get the best out of their boat. The New Zealanders won the series and triumphantly carried off the. coveted trophy.