WRECKED SCOW

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 125, 29 May 1928, Page 7

WRECKED SCOW

,AT MERCY OF THE SEA CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. Captain A. H. Mitchell and Mj\ 0. T. M'Leod, master and mate of tho ketch Glenae, .which was wrecked on^ the treacherous rocks off the mouth of the Puhoi River during the week-end, arrived at Auckland safely by train from Kaipara Hats last night. Thoy gave a vivid account of a battle for life in a small dinghy, equipped with only one oar, against big. seas and with night falling, and of a terrifying uncertainty of being able to make land. The Glenae left North Harbour, Kawau Island, about 11 a.m. last Friday for Auckland. She had 50 tons of timber aboard* half of it being on deck and4he rest in the largo hold. There was little wind, but the vessel encountered a heavy swell, and when she was about halfway across Tiri Passage disaster overtook her. "The Gienao began to leak," Captain Mitchell said, "and being flat-bottomed, very soon commenced to roll over, ov' \{ to the heavy swell, and the tremendous pressure of water against the centre-board casing it evidently gave way under the strain, allowing water to come through. Very soon she listed right over on her side until the masts were almost touching the- water. Tho timber on deck shifted—everything was chaos —and our position was extremely dangerous." Fearing the vessel might any minute turn turtle, Captain . Mitchell decided to abandon her. Fortunately the only dinghy was.in tow, and after much difficulty they managed to pull it alongside. BELONGINGS LEFT BEHIND. "Wo had no time to gather anything, not even a bit of food," proceeded Captain Mitchell. "A wasted minute might have meant death to us. As' I, was scrambling over the deck to the side of the Glenae, a rolling log caught my leg, and for a minute I thought it was broken. The blow stunned me, but with the help of M'Leod I struggled into the dinghy." The two men loft the Glenae with, heavy hearts. The little vessel was their home, and on it they had practically all their worldly belongings. As the- dinghy drifted away they saw the derelict plunging in tho sea, waterlogged, and at the mercy of tide and wind. Then commenced their worst experience. "It was 2.30 p.m. when we cast off from tho Glenae," 'continued Captain Mitchell. "Our hope of reaching land dwindled when we lost an oar. I took off my coat, and held it up for a sail, while my friend steered with one oar, and we headed for Motu Oru Island, seven miles off, but when we were nearing it I thought we would be carried past it —goodness knows what would have happened, if wo had been. AVlicn off one of tho points we ran into a rip, and for the first time the dinghy commenced to ship water. We had nothing to bail out with and thought she- would founder. However, M'Leod used his hat for the purpose, and it proved very good for bailing out the water;.!' Eventually tho.dinghy was beached in a bay on the island, and two exhausted, care-worn men struggled up to the home of Mi\ Enituge, owner of the island. The seven miles had been covered,in about two hours, and a landing was made shortly'before 5 o'clock. Mr. Emtage made them very welcome, and decided to take them ashore to Warkwort-h in liis launch tho following morning. During tho night, howover, tho wind increased, and huge sens were- running on. Saturday morning. All hope of gaining tho mainland was abandoned that dity, and on Sunday. A successful attempt was ' made tins morning, and Captain Mitchell and Mr. M'Leod ware landed safely at Wnrkworth. They wero motored to Waipara Flats, and caught tho AVhangarei express to Auckland this ■ afternoon. They stepped off the train as. thoy had scrambled off the ketch, with only the clothes in which they stood up, Captain Mfteh'cll lost some clothes, other personal belongings, and money, which he valued at about £40, while Mr. M'Leod lost about £10 worth of goods. Captain Mitchell has been trading around the coast for twenty-two years, and he stated this was his first experience of the kind. M'Leod's seafaring life had also been uneventful until Friday.