KETCH IN STORM

Evening Star, Issue 23353, 24 August 1939, Page 3

KETCH IN STORM

13 DAYS BETWEEN NAPIER AND AUCKLAND DINGHY WASHED AWAY [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 23. Thirteen days out from Napier, the 36-foot ketch Faith, commanded bv her ow-ner, Air W. E’. Marsh, of Christchurch, arrived at Auckland after an eventful voyage during which the vessel encountered two storms which drove her many miles out of her course. The ketch left Napier on Thursday, August 10, and arrived at Gisborne two days later, but did not stay. Favourable weather reports made it advisable to continue, but on the evening of the day she left Gisborne she encountered a gale in which she drifted for 100 miles off East Cape. The gale lasted three days, during which time tho ketch remained hove-to. A course was then set for the Bay of Plenty in a stiff north-westerly wind, the intention being to call at Taurauga, but when the ketch was almost in sight of her objective she met more heavy weather and for three days was driven north by heavy freaking seas. Everything on deck, including the dinghy, was washed away. When the weather cleared, the ketch made for land and passed Cuvier Island on Tuesday morning. The distance by sea from Napier to Auckland is 370 miles.