AN ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 194, 11 May 1908, Page 8

AN ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE.

YACHT PETREL'S TRIP TO DUNEDIN." When it ivas first suggested by the owners of the yacht Petrel that they should sail their yacht to Dunedin, yachtsmen laughed, and passed remarks about insurance policies being paid. That a yaeht thirty feet over all o'ould. make a trip of 367 miles, sailed by amateurs, seemod to most people ridiculous.; On Easter Monday,' Messrs. -M'Kccgan and Lambert .(owners) and P. .barked on the Petrel with a month's provisions, and were towed out of tho harbour during the afternoon, commencing tho trip to' tho South with a light northerly broszc. At, sunset tho Petrol was some fifteen miles south of the Heads, when the wind died away, and by daybreak the following morning tho yacht had drifted hack to Island Bay. . > Tho wind came fresh from the north with tho rising • sun, and - Capo ■ Caimpbell was .abreast at eight a.m. -After passing tho Capo the wind freshened to a four-reef breeze, and a heavy sea was running. .Reefing in a luja'vy 'sea proved' a rather difficult and occupied somo considerable time; While'tho mainsail 'was lowered for reefing tho Rotomahana ..passed at a distance cf about a quarter of;a mile. The yacht was unnoticed until-the sail was rehoisted. Oil' sighting; the yacht, the Rotomahana' put about, and .came up within a 'few 'yards, thinking the littlo boat was rin distress. . Tho only mishap on.' tho voyago occurred while tho . steamer ..was 1 alongside;' .In a particularly heavy squall the;'boom, sprung' for a length of about oijjht, feet, and as soon as' the steamer was clear the boom' was bound for a great part of its A topsail schooner, the..AVaratah, bound /for Dunedjii, passed, during the- morning, and a long discussion took placo'between the crews of each vessel, which ended in a decision to raco to Dunklin. The .Waratah's. captain, ash parting shot, mentioned, that'he would ireport tho Petrel 'at Dunedin. Towards evening the wind died away, and heavy rain commenced to fall, and the wind changed to south-west, - Wednesday, saw no change in the wind, and the ivholo day was spent in'a dead-beat to windward. By this timo tho crew had"' gained their sea appetite, and three hot-meals a day and several cold ones were got through. At daybreak on Thursday morning ,tho wind changed to . a northerly,* and shortly after Banks Peninsula was sighted. Two o'clock in- tho afternoon -and Akaroa Heads were abeam. Most of■ tho' afteriioon wa3 spent in : admiring the beautiful scenery around the Peninsula. A- south-west gale struck the yacht on Friday at noon. Three reefs were at onco put down, and forehea'cl canvas was reduced to a small- staysail. Tho yacht had been heading, for Timaru tho morning; but, on meeting the galo with its> mountainous sea, it was thought advisable to, put to. sea, and tho littlo craft was close-hauled, and headed for Dunedin. Throughout tho afternoon tho gale raged, it was only at sunset that the wind moderated a littlo,' but at- daybreak tho following morning a heavy sea.was still running. Duringstho gale the yacht shipped a heavy aca, which washed tho man at tho tiller out of, tho cockpit; he managed to retain his grip of a' backstay lintil he was pulled, back • into tho cockpit by another of tho crew. At about seven in the morning tho yacht was off Oamaru, when the wind changed-to a northerly. Two hours later a .topsail and balloon jib were set, and were carried until three in the afterricon, the wind having freshonod considerably. Taiaro'a Heads . were reached at 4.15' on Saturday afternoon, the trip from Wellington having occupied five dpys forty-nine hours. After arriving at Port Chalmers the AVaratah put in an appearance, arid her crow were greatly surprised, to (hid that the yacht had beaten them by over -two days. N Throughout the trip each man'had had his regular watch of ,four hours on, with eight hours off. After spending five days without setting foot on anything stationary, the crow found it rather a difficult, matter to walk in the orthodox fashion, and created great amusement on landing ■ at Port Chalmers.' ■