SURVIVOR’S STORY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 12 January 1944, Page 4

SURVIVOR’S STORY

HIGH SEAS ON RETURN TRIE DESPERATE FIGHT FOR LIFE The story of the sinking of the Warrigal was given to a "Mail” reporter who interviewed Mr Taylor at the Public Hospital this morning: "On the 21st or 22nd December.” he said, “Mr Nesbit, owner, and Mr Haldane brought the pleasure launch Warrigal across the Strait from the Hutt river to Pelorus Sounds. We joined the Warrigal on Sunday afternoon at about 3 o'clock at Yncyca Bay for the return to Wellington. The party consisted of Mr Nesbit, Director of Vocational Training for Disabled Soldiers. Mr E. W. ,R Haldane, solicitor. Lower Hutt. Mr R. I. M. Sutherland, solicitor, Wellington, and myself. "We left Yncyca Bay at 11.40 o'clock on Sunday night. We struck a westerly outside the Pelorus Sounds and sheltered at Melville Cove, anchoring at 10 minutes past midnight. Next morning at 7 o'clock we left again. rounded Jackson’s Head and arrived in Queen Charlotte Sound in calm w»ater at 11.30 a.m.. anchoring near the farm of a Mr Scott. At 4.30 in the afternoon we were off once more, heading for Tory Channel. which we reached at 6.55 without any untoward incident. WEATHER CONSULTATIONS “Mr Perano lent us one of his moorings and said he would give us a weather report next mornipg. Mr Nesbit went with Mr Perano to the top of a hill and Mr Perano said the sea was a choppy one, but he thought that if we wailed for an hour or an hour and a half after the tide ran out it might calm the seas down. He also told us that if we found it rough in the rip to run lip the coast during the tide change. Before we left Mr Perano warned us that the Union Shipping Company had phoned asking for a report on the weather to see whether it was suitable for one of the Union Company’s boats to sail. LAUNCH FOLLOWS TWO YACHTS "Just about that time a keeler and another yacht bound for Wellington headed out of Tory Channel, and alter further consultation we decided that with the power we had we would have a better show of crossing than the two boats which went out. We sailed out at 11.35 in the morning, and after getting clear of the channel we found clear sailing water lor about an hour and a half. We then ran into wind and a heavy sea. The seas were so high that it was impossible to make any distance towards Wellington and we kept her head into the weather, out to sea. The waves were so high that occasionally the boat slid off the top and it is to that 1 attribute the mishap. SINKS IN TWENTY MINUTES W e made fair time until we reached the first rip and at 2.25 Mr Haldane, who was in the forward cabin, told us that we had sprung a bad leak. The water poured in and buckets and pump made no impression. Seeing the boat was doomed we lashed together empty oil drums and tied them to the dinghy and had just completed this when she sank nose first at 2.45 o'clock in the afternoon. THREE CLING TO DINGHY, ONE TO LIFEBELT "We had a bit of‘trouble freeing the dinghy as she was going cfciwn. When the dinghy came up there were three of us clinging to it—Sutherland, Nesbit and myself. Haldane had one of the two lifebelts and was some distance away. The waves kept breaking over the dinghy, causing us to change position as she turned and with the three of us hanging on to it it was always awash or under the water. After about ah hour Nesbit, who had transferred his hold from the dinghy to one of the drums, told us he could not hang on much longer At that time he would be about 20 yards from the dinghy. After a short While he released his hold on the drum. Wc watched him for a while, but it was difficult on account of the breakers. When we looked a second time he was gone. That left Sutherland and myself hanging on to the dinghy. ALL BUT ONE DISAPPEARED "The tide at this time was carrying the dinghy towards the shore, and Sutherland and I discussed the possibility of clinging on till we were washed ashore. However, after two hours approximately, Sutherland must have been suffering very badly from cold, because he found it difficult to retain his hold on the dinghy and he was unable to talk to me. Twice he lost his grip and I went after him and got him back with great difficulty. A huge wave broke over the boat and carried us both under and when I came up he was about 20 yards away. He remained on the surface for only a few moments and disappeared. I maintained my hold on the dinghy while being washed towards the shore. At about sundown both the wind and the tide appeared to shift, and I found myself carried out of the rip. into comparatively calm water. From sundown onwards I was able to keep my head above water all the time.

"It was completely dark until the moon came from behind a cloud, and I could see there was no possibility of my being washed to the land. I had lost all sense of time by this time and was just determined to hang on to the dinghy hoping that a tide opposite to what was taking me out to sea might bring me to the shore. shouts to mmAnmm “I took one of my very few glances behind me and saw' in the distance a white and a green light coming towards me. I started to shout and was able to keep shouting until the boat came level with me about 200 yards further out to sea. I saw' it had turned and come back. A light was flashed from the and I called out "Can you see me?” and got the welcome reply, “Yes, hang on!” "The first time th|e ship came by I was apparently not favourably situated and she went right past me, leaving me very much in the rear. A voice from the boat told me to keep shouting. The next.tune the water was calmer and the boat came alongside and threw me a flare with a buoy. It was about 40 yards from me and I left the dinghy to swim to the buoy, but the advice from the ship was to get back, which I did. The dinghy drifted closer to the ship and they threw a line, so I abandoned the dinghy. “A REMARKABLE FEAT*’ ’ Some men on the ship performed a remarkable feat in sliding over the side with ropes, catching hold of me and tying a rope round me. Once I was tied I went flat out. One of them held me and I was pulled aboard, helped over the rail and given a strong whisky. They pummelled me a« over to restore the circulation, gave me some strong coffee and wrapped me up in bed. They couldn't do enough for me on the ship, and when we arrived I was brought to hospital wheee they are treating me very well. “I last saw Haldane still holding to the lifebelt, about 200 yards from me. at the time when Sutherland sank.” The launch was 32 feet long with an II feet beam. Messrs Nesbit, Haldane and Sutherland were all well-known and experienced yachtsmen in Wellington. Mr Nisbet was formerly secretary to the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association and secretary of the Aero Club.