Drama of Condor’s voyage retold

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 12

Drama of Condor’s voyage retold

PA Timaru Bullets zipping through the rigging and lacing the water round the hull are not the fondest memories Roger Gould has of his trip to Hong Kong aboard the ocean racing maxi yacht Condor.

Mr Gould, a South Canterbury reserve ranger, arrived back in New Zealand recently. While sailing from Auckland with his brother, Terry Gould, of Nelson, the racing master of the Condor, to Hong Kong, the yacht came under fire from a Taiwanese garrison on Prata Island in the China Sea.

The $2.5 million Bermu-dan-owned yacht escaped unscathed, but there were harrowing moments as the crew tried to protect themselves from bullets before the Condor was sailed out of range.

Mr Roger Gould joined the yacht at Auckland late in February after the vessel had undergone a refit, for

the voyage to Hong Kong. The Condor had already stayed well off the Philippines for fear of pirates — her crew had heard of a bad incident involving a Dutch yacht a week before.

Learning by radio that it would be difficult for the crew to clean the vessel’s hull at Hong Kong, it was decided to visit the Prata reef, which was described in a marine guide as an island with no specific allegiance to any country. Mr Gould said the Condor dropped anchor 60 metres offshore.

“It was while we were getting scuba gear up on the deck we saw people on the shore. We got the binoculars out and found to our surprise the shore was covered with military installations.”

Mr Gould said the soldiers, or whoever they were, fired warning shots over the Condor and into the sea in front of the vessel. But when she turned to leave, a number of bullets passed through the

rigging. The Condor came undei both machine-gun and rifle fire from two shore positions.

After rushing the two women aboard down against the motor for protection, it was decided prudent to leave. The Condor’s small diesel motor was given full throttle — but even at full speed the motor could only push the big yacht at nine knots. The Condor had radioed for assistance when the shooting began, and help came within 20 minutes when a Royal Navy ship based at Hong Kong arrived.

Mr Gould said it was not known by the Condor crew that Taiwan had laid claim to Prata Island only a few weeks previously.

For Mr Gould the Condor adventure was a trip of a lifetime. He prefers to remember the excitement of taking the helm as her sail ploughed the vessel through giant swells at speeds in. excess of 20 knots.