MOREWA’S RETURN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21979, 25 March 1946, Page 2

MOREWA’S RETURN

TASMAN TOW AUSTRALIAN COAST STORMS ENCOUNTERED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 25. After serving with the American forces in the South Pacific since 1942, the Auckland 80ft. auxiliary schooner Morewa is expected to be towed across the Tasman from Sydney to Auckland at an early date. The Morewa, which was the property of Sir Ernest Davis before being taken over for service purposes, will remain under the charge of the Marine Department until she has been reconditioned.

With three other vessels the schooner was recently towed from Cairns to Sydney by an Australian tug, the tow being one of the longest ever made on the Australian coast. The voyage was a perilous one. as cyclonic conditions were encountered off the Queensland const and heavy weather was met 15 miles north of Sydney. During the storm north of Sydney a sin, wire tow-line snapped early one morning and three of the vessels broke away. The tug cruised around in heavy seas until daylight, when the tow was again picked up.