KEELER TAKEN FROM BOAT HARBOUR

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 125, 22 February 1944, Page 6

KEELER TAKEN FROM BOAT HARBOUR

Would-Be Adventurers

Last Sunday night the heeler Waiomo, was taken from her moorings in the boat harbour, Wellington, by some unauthorized persons who evidently had planned an ocean voyage. The Waiomo, which 'was only recently sailed to Wellington from Auckland by the owner, Mr. B. Todd, has excelled in recent yachting events held in Port 'Nicholson. Possessing line lines, and being easy to handle, the Waiomo tresented an attractive prospect to the wculd-be adventurers. _ Before boarding the Waiomo. the intruders broke into the motor yacht Karehana, owned by Mr. J. Ayers; and ransacked the inner cabins, taking every article that would be of use on an ocean cruise. Not one locker or panel was left untouched. The radio, which was securely attached to interior fittings, was wrenched from its sockets. and put hoard the 'Waiomo. Mr. Ayers and his crew had left the Karehana at her moorings at S p.m. on Sunday, but. on returning to the harbour early this morning, found that she had been cut adrift, and was held in the mud at the southern end of the boat harbour. , The. intruders entered the Waiomo through the for’ard hatch, and aftef hoisting the jib, sailed out of the boat harbour. Whether or not the adventurers thought that then intended voyage was futile, or remembered the naval patrols at the heads, is not known, but they went no further than Clyde Quay wharf, where they left the Waiomo tied by a frail piece of twine. The owners were fortunate in that there wao no wind last night, otherwise iheir yacht would have been wrecked. The only articles taken from the Waiomo were some oilskins, which were prolml ly taken to protect the intruders from the early-morning rain.