STRAITS SWIM ABANDONED.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 January 1929, Page 5

STRAITS SWIM ABANDONED.

WATER TOO ROUGH THIS MOPING. MISS COPPLESTONE GOING TO CHRISTCHURCH. ANOTHER ATTEMPT IN FEBRUARY. * Conditions proved too rough for the Cook Strait swim and Miss Copplestone ' did not enter the wiater. She is returning to Christchurch and may make an attempt in February. WELLINGTON, This Day. A message received from the Evening Post’s special representative, by pigeon post, at 4 a.m., read: “Day is breaking and the ladies of party are all sick and in addition very tired. At present they are trying to sleep. It is proposed to return without making the attempt.” The message indicated that they would try to get out from their shelter and continues:

“Miss Copplestone naturally is very disappointed, but it would have been madness to have entered the water. The party propose returning to Wellington on Sunday. Miss Copplostoiiv will endeavour to arrange leave for an attempt in the second .week ill February.” A later message from the party reads as follows: “At 5.30.wa decided to return to Picton, leaving the other launch, and wo struck it pretty rough after leaving our shelter. However the fog lifted soon afterwards and the day is fine, breezy. Observation in daylight proved the impossibility of the attempt being made early this morning.” A message sent at 7 a.m. was as follows:

“Back again at To Awaiti. We were just leaving our shelter in Queen Charlotte Sound at about 4.30, when thick fog descended. We stayed behind for a while with the Island Bay launch, on which were Mrs Copplestone, Miss Dale, a friend of the swimmer, and Mr Hartigan, who is returning to Wellington. Miss Copplestonc is with us and is going back to Picton, where if possible, she will catch a service car to Christchurch."