LAUNCH PARTY'S PERILOUS VOYAGE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2307, 27 November 1925, Page 6

LAUNCH PARTY'S PERILOUS VOYAGE

Grim Battle with Tremendous Seas SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS; SEASICK AND EXHAUSTED BUT PILOT’S SEACRAFT BRINGS THEM TO SAFETF (Special to “Times.") LEVIN, Last Night. The anxiety that was felt as lo the safety of the Foxton launch party was allayed this afternoon when It hccamjo known that they had reached Kaplti safely and later on had landed on the beach at Paraparaumu. Mr. gtan. Austin had gone down the coast in his car this morning on the look-out for the adventurers and ho brought thorn back this afternoon little the worse for the Incident, though admitting that they had had a close call. To a “Times” representative Mr. Dawson told a thrilling story. He said the harbour-master Captain Larsen, was going out yesterday over the bar .to take soundings and If necessary to shift the beacons which have to be adjusted to show where the deep water channel lies after heavy weather. As there would be about a couple of hours’ spare time. It was suggested that Mr. Dawson put out hls lines for fish and this was agreed to. The party consisting of Messrs. Larsen, Dawson and F. Shortt, left port at 6.30 a.m. and went out over the bar. Some fish Including several sharks were caught and one line—--1800 feet In length—had been run out when the westerly started to gather force. It quickly raised a sea that made it out of the question to use the dinghy to pick up the lines. As Air. Dawson said, they would have been thrown out Immediately they got in. It was decided to wait awhile In the hone of the sea moderating, but hones In this direction were not fulfilled and, furthermore, the tide had run out and made It Imnossible for the launch to get back over the bar. It was eventual’y decided to buoy the line and run twfo’-e wind —now a racing gale—for TCaniti. This course was taken and lust before 1 o'clock the launch set nut southward. The wind had by this time raised a tremendous sea. and the three men were suffering badly from sea-sick-ness. but thev had confidence in the ptaimehne.ss of their craft and Cap--ra'n Larsen’s knowledge of the sea and handling of a boat added to that confidence. Ail went web until the vovaevrs were off the Otakl b°a.ch, when - huce wave naught the boat '-,ro»ds'on. "I thoup-M n-n were

-vim Mr Dawson Mnr, he water c-'om 1 t’-ip pno-inn, and t knew that V t”- l‘d not going again wa would '->e 'in* We got to i T ’o”!r with the >-aVrs a n d mana'g"d to c.leor the

launch of water "fiptain T.arsen got the engine going.” Mr. Dawson admitted that when (his incident occurred he looked Anxiously for the nest larding place on the Bench, though not very hopeful of reaching it abve In such a sea. Prom Otakl the halers were kent going continually The matter of cutting loose the dinghy was discussed soon after the journey started, but it was decided to keen it in tow as long as possible, if only to prevent an Impression that the worst had happened getting abroad as a result of the empty boat being found.. The problem was solved when off the Hydrabad at Hokio by a tremendous wave that tossed the dinghy over like a chip, necessitating It being cut adrift. The replenishing of the engine with benzine was another perilous task, plnckily undertaken by Captain Earsen. It necessitated getting out on the half deck and going right up to the nose of the boat, in imminent danger of being washed off by the seas or of losing the tin of benzine. However, it was sucessfully accomplished under the most trying conditions. Meanwhile the sea was not moderating hut the launch was successfully weathering the storm. Tt was not until 8 o’clock that Kapttl hova in slvht and between 8 and 9 o’clock Graves Island, upon -which the fishermen have a camp, was reached, much to the relief of the adventurers. A hail was sent up and the fishermen came out In a boat and took them off. On shore they were given food and made comfortable for the night and soon -recovered after a very trying and exhausting experience that at times held all the elements of a tragedy This morning they came across to Paranaraumu and were, picked up as related by Mr. Austin. They passed through Levin late this afternoon on their wav home. The la.uneh will be taken in tow br- tbe -Kennedy to-mor-row end returned to Eoxton. Tt was fortunate that the launch was well supplied with benzine, hut it is Captain Larsen’s custom—horn of long experience—to keep his craft well supplied with motor snirit, and on this occasion it served him n good stead.

The lost idne-hv 1 Is 13 feet long, painted white, above the water line, but black be'ow that. Mr. Dawson will be nleased to hear from anyone finding the boat on the coast.