Yacht’s Adventurous Journey

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 5

Yacht’s Adventurous Journey

Arrival at Auckland From Durban TRYING STORMS ENCOUNTERED Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. After a succession of gale* and calms, days when the close-hauled craft was lost in a furious smother of spume and others when she lay motionless on a tranquil sea, the South African ketchrigged yacht Land’s End reached Auckland to-day in tho course of a world voyage, 21 days out from Rarotonga She made her landfall at Great Barrier Island on Thursday, but a confusion of marine lights ahead persuaded her master to lay to during the night under tho lee of Tiritiri. Under sail she entered the harbour this morning and proceeded from Rangitoto under power to her berth.

Although she flies the burgee and emblem of the Royal Natal Yacht Club, there is a cosmopolitan flavour about tho yacht, as (he name “Land’s End” might indicate. Her master and owner is a Cornishman, Captain H. Jeffery, but tho vessel was built in South Africa, and it was from Durban that tho voyage commenced last September. For Captain Jeffery it is the fulfilment of a long-chcrished hope. Changes in personnel wero made at Papeete, and the crew of four now comprises two Englishmen and two South African na tionals. The mate- is G. Cadcnhead and tho other members C. Wilson and J. Worden.

Alany cruises along the South African coast havo inured Captain Jeffery to storm conditions in a small boat, but for some others of the crew, the initial passage from Durban to Port Elizabeth offered them their first taste of difficult sailing. Heavy conditions were experienced off Cape Lagullas, the yacht riding a fierce north-westerly before eventually taking shelter iu Struy’s Bay. However, there was time for few thoughts of respite. Tho wind suddenly veered to the south, and in order to avoid tho threat of a lee snore, it was imperative that tho yacht should be put to sea.

“Tho chart told us it was a sandy bottou, but our anchor must have caught on the only rock in the bay,” Captaiu Jeffery, said. “We got away and none too soon, but only by leaving the flukt Of the hook behind us."

By tho steamer run across the South Atlantic from Cape Town to St Helena would be a mere 1700 miles, but to the Land’s End, handicapped by variable winds, and then struggling to regain her course in tho teeth of a westerly gale, 2500 miles had to be tracer<ed. Tho voyage to Ascension Island tented no difficulties, and ou the next leg of the cruise, she covered 3400 miles iu days to roach Trinidad ou Now Year’s Day. Leisurely mailing through the West Indies, tho yacht passed through the Panama Canal, and taking on stores and water at Balboa, she was headed for Galupagus. The fact that no clear au.ee papers were possessed pre-onted a problem when the mastor decided to put in at Ban Balvadore, arriving on the very day of a chance visit by an Ecuadorian gunboat. “By the fuss that wus made, I think it must have been the gunboat’s catch of tho year, but fiually wo escaped by paying 17J times the normal fees.” Captain Jeffery explained that trade winds carried the Land’s End to Tahiti, and the voyage to Rarotonga was marked only by ono or two moderate blows. Then came ono of the most exasperating stages of tho cruise. Sevoral days out from Rarotonga, fierce squalls presaged a storm and eventually one early morning, in the “graveyard watch,” tho barometer dropped to a phenomenally low level. Bail was shortened uutil the yacht was carrying nothing more than foresail Und storm trysail, and was close hauled in a heavy sea breaking just abaft her beam. Her courso was, according to tho captain, like a racing craft undertaking fancy sailing around a scries of buoys.

Days of calm followed, and with listless canvas flapping on the masts and yards, tho damage was temporarily re paired. It was found that the peak of the heavy mainsail and the main hoist halyard had been carried * away, and cloth was also blown out of the jib. While the plans of tho master are uncertain, it is probable that the Land’s End will remain in New Zealand waters until late spring. After spending a month in Auckland, she will visit the Bay of Islands and then proceed to southern porth, including AlilforJ Sound and fctowart Island.

Late iu tho year a courso will bo set for Sydney, New Guinoa and the Dutch East Indies. The ultimuto route to be followed from tho Indies to South Africa has not yot been determined, but it is expected that the yacht will be fully two years absent from Durban.

If the outward appearance of the yacht iu her trim yet sturdy Brixham linos gives an impression of seaworthiness, comfort below far surpasses the accommodation that would be expected ou a essel of her size. There is surprising head room in the spacious saloon cabin and kitchen, while from aft space is taken up by a suug charthbuso immediately forward of the wheel and engine room, which houses a 40 llorse-power Diesel motor. Electric lighting, a radio receiving set, refrigerating equipment and a batb-oom aro a few of the facilities provided.