TRIP TO CHATHAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1939, Page 2

TRIP TO CHATHAMS

YACHT RETURNS TO- LYTTELTON. (Per Press Association.—Copyright). CHRISTCHURCH, January 26. Believed to be tile first yacht to make the voyage from the mainland,to the Chatham Islands and.back, the auxiliary yacht Faith, arrived at Lyttelton at 3.30 p.m. yesterday from Port Hutt, Chatham Islands. During both the outward and homeward voyage, and particularly while at the islands, the Faith encountered some of the worst weather experienced in that stormswept stretch of.,,ocean in the neighbourhood of tlie Chatharas, The Faith was built by Mr W. H. Marsh, of Christchurch, .and is a stoutly-constructed craft of the Norwegian pilot-boat type, 36 feet in length. She is ketch rigged, and has a powerful auxiliary engine. Of her performance in. stormy weather, one of the crew said that the boat “behaved like a lady,” and had proven herself fit for a voyage to any part of the world.

Leaving Lyttelton on January 4 the Faith took four days to make the Chatham Islands meeting with moderate to rough, weather. AVhile at Waitangi, the yacht met with the. cyclone conditions described by those on the steamer Tecs, which was there at the time. Captain Day, the harbourmaster at Waitangi, described the range as the heaviest he had ever seen. The sea became so bad on the night of January 11 that the Faith had to put ’to sea hastily, returning the following evening. During her stay at the island, she made two trips to Port Hutt. Leaving Port Hutt on Sunday last, the Faith ran into a cyclone the next day, and was hove-to all night. For the remainder of the trip to Lyttelton the weather improved, although there was still considerable sea.

IPhone who made the trip were Messrs W. H. Marsh (owner), Gf. Mouncer (navigator), F. Friedman (engineer), E. J. Newman, and MiMarsh’s seven-year-old son, Michael.