Damaged Golden Hind Repaired At Canton Island

Northern Advocate, 15 November 1941, Page 6

Damaged Golden Hind Repaired At Canton Island

[Special to “Northern Advocate”] AUCKLAND, This Day. On encircling Canton Island during its trip southward last week, the Pacific Clipper crew saw a strange craft moored to the edge of the reef. On landing they discovered that the vessel which had been badly damaged in a storm, was the 93ft. ketch Golden Hind, owned by Mr. H. R. Jenkins, of Auckland. Some weeks ago Mr. Jenkins left Auckland on a clipper for Honolulu to pick up the Golden Hind, which had previously sailed out from the Dominion. With two Tongans as the crew he left Honolulu in the ketch, intending to cruise to Auckland via Samoa and Fiji. Like “Bounty” Men In daylight the Golden Hind made good progress southward. However at nights one of the natives who had met a Hawaiian girl at Honolulu and was reluctant to leave, only being persuaded to do so after some argument, altered the vessel’s course in the hope of getting back to Honolulu. When she was 28 days out from Honolulu Mr. Jenkins one evening heard breakers ahead and put about in the nick of time to avoid floundering on the reef at Canton Island. Pleasant Surprise ■ Mr. Jenkins was under the impression he was in the Samoan group and great was his surprise and relief to know his true position and to find sum complete facilities at Canton Island, since his auxiliary fuel was almost exhausted, his food supply low and his mainsail had been carried away in a recent squall. As a result of hospitality at the PanAmerican base the Golden Hind was placed in shipshape order and was able to resume the course to Samoa. It was learned in Auckland today that Mr. Jenkins left the Golden Hind at a Pacific Island to be sailed to Honolulu some time ago, while he joined a steamer for Auckland, as he was anxious to see his son before his departure overseas to join the Royal Air Force. Mr. Jenkins then flew by clipper back to Honolulu to recover the ketch.