MISS COPPLESTONE POSTPONES ATTEMPT FOR A FORTNIGHT

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6815, 21 January 1929, Page 8

MISS COPPLESTONE POSTPONES ATTEMPT FOR A FORTNIGHT

Water Too Rough

STRONG NORTH-WEST WIND AND HIGH TIDE

GENERAL SYMPATHY. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Miss Lily Copplestone was forced to abandon her attempt to swim Cook strait yesterday by the . strong northwest wind and heavy tido that was running. Tho party left Picton about nine p.m. on Friday, being farcwelled by an enthusiastic crowd at the wharf. A landing was made at Te Awaiti about 11.30, when there was no appearance of wind in the Sound. The incoming ship Waipiata, however, had reported by Morse there was a strong north-west wind outside Tory channel.

When the party left for the starting point at one a.m., it became apparent that conditions were not as they had seemed in the Sound and very soon the launch which had been joined at To Awaiti by another launch from Wellington, carrying pressmen, was in a jobbly sea. On reaching Cape Koamaru, the full force of the wind and heavy seas were encountered and the swimmer, on the advice of her manager and the fishermen, decided not to enter the water and postponed her attempt for a fortnight, when the tide conditions will again be tbe same and there will bo a better light from the moon. Miss Copplestone returned to Picton on the official launch at daylight. Her mother, manager and Miss Dale, representing the Swimming Council, returning to Wellington by the press launch, which after putting back twice because of the fog, finally reached its destination shortly before two p.m. on Saturday. . Miss Copplestone, on returning to Picton, was received with general sympathy and the Mayor, Mr. J. Lj Jones, has called a meeting of residents to make arrangements for better facilities for the second attempt. On this occasion, the swimmer had had little sleep and would have been handicapped in that respect had> she entered the water.