CHANGED COURSE OF KETCH AT NIGHT

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 45, 17 November 1941, Page 6

CHANGED COURSE OF KETCH AT NIGHT

Lovesick Native’s Action NEARLY WENT ON REEF AT CANTON ISLAND (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 15. Circling over Canton Island during, its trip, southward last week, the Pacific Clipper crew saw a strange craft moored to the edge of the reef. On landing they received an explanation as exciting as any South Sea saga. The vessel, which had been badly damaged in a storm, was the 93ft. ketch Golden Hind, owned by Mr. H. R. Jenkins, Auckland. Some weeks ago Mr. Jenkins left Auckland on the Clipper for Honolulu to pick up the Golden Hind. With two Tongans as a crew he left Honolulu in the ketch, intending to cruise to Auckland via Samoa and Fiji. One of the Tongans met a Hawaiian girl at Honolulu and was reluctant to leave, but eventually he was persuaded to do so. In daylight the ketch made good progress southward, but at nights the lovesick native went on watch, and while the others were sleeping, altered the vessel’s course in the hope of getting back to Honolulu.

When the ketch was 28 days out from Honolulu Mr. Jenkins one evening heard breakers ahead and put about in the nick of time to avoid foundering on the reef at Canton Island. Mr. Jenkins was under the impression that he was in the Samoan Group, and great was . his surprise and relief to know his true position and to find complete facilities at Canton Island, since the auxiliary engine fuel was almost exhausted, the food supply low, and the mainsail had been carried away in a squall. As a result of the hospitality at the Pan-American base, the Golden Hind was put into ship-shape order and was able to resume her course to Samoa.