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Grey River Argus, 10 August 1925, Page 8

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INTREPID IRISH YACHTSMAN. PERILOUS WORLD CRUISE, Captain Conor O'Brie.i, tho daring Irish yachtsman and adventurer, who visited New Zealand last year in his twelve-ton cruising yacht Saoirse, has arrived safe and sound at his homo m Dublin. Tho above information was contained in a cablegram from London a few days ago. Thus a perilous and remarkable cruise of nearly 40,000 miles has then brought to a close, the time occupied having been slightly more than two years (says the Auckland “Star”).

Leaving Dublin On Juno 20111, 1923, the Saoirse encountered bad weather from the outset, and was roughly buffeted by th 0 heavy seas. She rode well, however, and fair progress was made in the Atlantic until tho mast sprung. So serious was tho mishap that Captain O 'Brien was forced to run over 700 miles to leeward to Pernambuco, in Brazil, where repairs were effected. O.i September Ist the yacht resumed her voyage and was again delayed by unfavourable weather. At times she was unable to progress against the wind and sea, and on several occasions was blown completely oil her course. Often it seemed to uer worn-out crew that the yacht must be overwhelmed, but throughout the worst of the weather she behaved admirably. At length, after a most exciting trip the Saoirse reached Capetown on October 6th. At that port further repairs were effected, stores shipped, and water tanks refilled. Captain O’Brien, during the period that his craft was refitting, taking tho opportunity ol climbing the renowned Table Mourtain. The captain, U may be said, is a keen mountaineer, and was making the long voyage to New Zealand with the express purpose of climbing Mmr.it Cook, Three weeks after her arrival at Capetown, the yacht weighed anchoi and made sail for Lyttelton. FOR DURBAN IN Div.RL’SS,

No sooner had the Saoirse put tsea, however, when her general condition and the state of her stores compelled her master to head for Durban in distress. The refitting at Capetown had been left in the hands of the mate and tho above-mentioned trouble which occurred so soon after tho voyage had been resumed, proved that tin master's confidence had been misplaced. A fortnight was lost i.i tho ligh winds in that part, of the world before the yacht limped into the harbour at Durban. At. that town .Captain O’Brien parted with his original crew, and wai compelled to wait for over a month before the services of three other ad venturers, willing to to go to sea in the little cockleshell boat, were seen cd. Then, on December 10th the Saoirse again set out, her captain having decided to make Melbourne his next port of call, A few hours out of Durban th 0 vens n l was rahime Iby a small Whale, but escaped damage. Such awful weather was experienced at the outset that Captain O’Brije.: often feared that his little craft would go to the bottom, but fortunately she stood tho strain, and eventually arrived at Melbourne on January 30th, 1924, the lonely run across the Indian Ocean having been accomplished wi.u in fifty days. Intoriiewe'd by Australian pressmen, Captain O’Brien had little to say of himself, but much concerning the merits of his stout little ship. ARRIVAL IN NEW ZEAI.

After a well-earned rest at Melbourne Captain O’Brien brought his ya-.ht oi to New Zealand, and arrived at Pieton after a smart run. From Fieton he came on to Auckland, calling at Napier on his way up the East Coast. On May 25th, he reached Dunedin, but was deeply disappointed to find that he had been beaten by the season, and that ho was too late for his climb of Mount Cook. Eighteen thousand miles is a long way to come for nothing. Not being able to wait for' the next summer, ho at once began making preparations for his homeward trip, but found time ‘o make a couple of short cruises among the Islands. He then returned to Auckland to prepare for his long return voyage to Dublin. For many* weeks the Saoirse was tied up at the North Wall, and before sailing was hauled n to the patent slip, where her hull was scraped and painted. Delay in the delivery of a neyy set of sail held the yacht up for an extra fortnight, and she then went to an anchorage oft’ Stanley Bay. After waiting in vain fur a favourable wind for about a week, slip returned to her old moorings on the city side of the harbour. By this time summer was fast approaching, and Captain O’Brien was strongly tempted to remain in New Zealand for a few extra months in order to carry out his climb. But finally on October 2nd of last voar the Saoirse slipped down the harbour, and bade final farewell to New Zealand, Th e early part of the run was not particularly lonely, and on several occasions tlie .yacht was “spoken’.’ by coastal and intercolonial steamers. Then followed a long period before she was again reported, but the occasional receipt of a cablegram from some port, stating that she had arrived, would dispel any fears as to her safety. Early in May she was telegraphed as leaving Fayal, an island off the Azores, and now a cable has confirmed her safe arrival at Dublifi. Thus the world cruise of this twelve-to.i yacht, which was designed by* her owner for cruising about, has been brought, to an end. CAPTAIN O’BRIEN’S HOLIDAY.

During the early* part of the war, Captain O'Brien served as a sub-lieu-tenant, R.N.R., in command of a trawler doing patrol work out of Yarmouth and Newhave.i. During that period he made the acunintanee of the late Lieutenant G. H. P. Muhlhauscr, who visited New Zealand some throe years ago in the twenty-iiine-ton cruising yacht Amaryllis. Later Ke saw service in a steam yacht of the Stornoway patrol, and in a patrol gunboat as navigating officer. With the signing of the Armistice h e felt the

* cd of a'holiday, and decided that it should take the form of a cruise to New Zen.lan.d. And now his holiday is ever. When he cleared New Zealand last year, Captain O'Brien, who is a member of the Royal Irish Yncht Club, iv.id of the Royal Cruising Club, had with .him as crew Messrs T. Mooney, J. Lynch, and J. K. Percival. As far as is knoSvn, all three completed the remarkable voyage.