PEER GYNT SIGHTED 90 MILES FROM AUCKLAND

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22869, 12 February 1949, Page 6

PEER GYNT SIGHTED 90 MILES FROM AUCKLAND

(P.A.) _ AUCKLAND, Feb. 12. The Australian yacht Peer Gynt, the leader in the Tasman yacht race, was contacted by the Auckland 38ft. ketch Faith off Tutukaka Head, about 90 sea miles from Auckland, at G o’clock last evening.

The Peer Gynt was travelling at between five and six knots. The crew said they were encountering the most favourable wind of the journey. “\Ve have had a wonderful trip,” they remarked. “We have had no casualties or damage, and it has been a regular pleasure cruise.” All the crew had grown beards. On its way back to Auckland from Russell, the Faith had anchored at Tukuraka Head for the night. When the Australian yacht was sighted, the Faith immediately lifted anchor and went alongside the Peer Gynt. Greetings with the crew were exchanged and also a bottle of New Zealand beer for on? from New South Wales. The Peer Gynt passed Cape Brett a few minutes before noon yesterday. There was a light north north-east wind blowing at that time and. with a particularly large Genoa jib set, the Australian yacht was making good progress. A message from Cape Brett after dark last night reported the wind had dropped. Although there was good visibility on the east coast of the North Island yesterday for the first time this week, no other yachts were sighted from either Cape Brett or Cape Reinga.