WHALE BUMPS YACHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 November 1938, Page 4

WHALE BUMPS YACHT

INCIDENT IN MID-OCEAN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE (United Preßp Ansociaf Ion) AUCKLAND. 26th November. How his 60-ton auxiliary ketch Ronda narrowly escaped collisiou with huge sperm whales in the Pacific Ocean was described by Captain H. V. Hudson. R.N.. retired, when the Ronda dropped anchor off King's Wharf this morning after a voyage of 12 days from Suva. The Ronda, a seaworthy vessel of 70 feet, is on a leisurely world cruise. Her master is “chasing the sun.” “We were travelling a 3500-miie course from Peru to the Marquesas, which trip we did in 28 days in light i winds.” said Captain Hudson. “We had an exciting time when six large sperm whales appeared on our course and refused to get out of the way. They were so close we could see every little barnacle on them. One lifted its huge, almost square head, and seemed to look over the countre of the yacht, then dived and lifted its tail to within six feet of the stern, but apparently failed to make adequate allowance for our lOift- draught and bumped heavily against the side of the yacht. It left a patch of red in the water. We thought it had wounded itself, but found it had merely rubbed some red antlfouling off the hull. It was uncomfortable for a few minutes, and we were glad to see the last of the whales.” The Ronda left England in Novem- | ber, 1936, and came to the Pacific , through the Panama Canal. Captain Hudson expects to spend the summer I in New Zealand, probably visiting the j main North Island ports. On leaving New Zealand he will sail northward. One of the seven members of the crew is an Aucklander, Mr A. P. Pell, who, like many other New Zealanders in Fiji, was unable to obtain accommodation in any passenger vessel leaving Suva for New Zealand before February. Though he has had no previous seagong experience. :n the words of the captain he “pulled his weight admirably” and thoroughly enjoyed the trip.