LAUNCH RETURNS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 28, 27 October 1932, Page 11

LAUNCH RETURNS

Hawke’s Bay Adventure FOGBOUND FISHERMEN 3¥ind and Heavy Seas , Dominion Special Service. Napier, Oct. 26. The missing launch Lolly and its four occupants, Messrs. A. Harker, _F. Caluan, K. Fisk and A. McKenzie, were towed back to Napier, arriving at 7 o’clock this morning, after an eventful trip, having no more serious consequences than a trying exixjrienee for four men. Tbe tug Kuri, iu which were police and harbour officials, located tbe Lolly after searching tbe fogbound coast off Waitua and towed it back to Napier. One of tbe occupants, Mr. Harker, stated on his arrival this morning that the party left Port Ahuriri early on Monday morning intending to fish for crayfish off Arapawanui. After remaining off the coast until early in the afternoon a strong north-easterly wind sprang up, accompanied by a heavy sea, with the result that the party was forced to abandon an attempt to reach Napier aud had to keep the nose of the launch in the storm. In order to obtain steerage it was necessary to keep the propeller revolving fairly fast, with the result that the vessel slowly made her way north.

“We had a narrow escape of Arapawanui. when a heavy roller nearly swamped us,” said Mr. Harker. “We were towing a. dinghy, but bad to cut it loose. A thick fog descended late on Monday evening, and we were unable to locate our bearings. A few hours later we made to the lee side of Portland Island aud sheltered there until daybreak. “By this time we had run out of benzine, but we had plenty of food and fresh water,” said Mr. Harker. “We then decided to try and make Wairoa. We made oars out of spars and floorboards. We were unable to negotiate the mouth of the Wairoa River on account of the gale, which drove us too far south. We arrived on Waitua just before dark yesterday, when the fog was still fairly thick and tbe sea heavy. We rowed our launch until about half a mile off shore, when to our delight we saw a man on horseback on the hills. We endeavoured to attract his attention, and eventually he disappeared. Later in the evening we saw a fire burning off the beach, and we concluded that the man had seen us. We therefore lifted our anchors and bove-to, intending to do nothing until daylight this morning. “We were all very tired, for we must have rowed our launch for about 20 miles,” Mr. Harker concluded. “Tbe Kuri located us at 4 o’clock this,morning. We were not worrying because the Dolly is a seaworthy boat. If we had not run out of benzine we could have been back in Napier long before.”