STRUGGLE WITH THE SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18324, 14 February 1923, Page 9

STRUGGLE WITH THE SEA.

A TWO-HOURS' SWIM. COMPANION DROWNED. To fight with death for two hours and conquer in the end was the thrilling experience of Lieut. -Colonel W. L. Arrell, of Brisbane, a visitor staying at Brunswick Heads, who was carried out over the river bar by the outgoing tide, writes the Byron Bay correspondent of a Sydney paper. By/ almost superhuman efforts he overcame the merciless breakers and the swife-flowing current, and eventually, throwing himself on the rocks on North Beach, was pulled into safety. Tragically sad was the fate of his brother-in-law, Mr. W. J. Kendrick., aged 29, his companion on the fishing excursion, who,.being a weak swimmer, disappeared in the river, and has not since been seen.

Arrell and Kendrick set out together fishing earlier in the morning in. a flatbottomed boat. Mrs. Dave Gardiner and her daughter, of Lismore,' were lunching in a shelter on the South Beach, when they heard calls for help at the river entrance. They saw an empty boat in the channel outside the bar, and at once despatched a small boy to the hotel for help. The Mullumbimby police were communicated with. Mr. Mason and Mr. H. C. Walrosley hastened to the beach. They saw the. head of a swimmer struggling in the breakers, who waved his arm to them. The boat had been washed on. to North Beach,, and the oars were missing, but the fishing tackle was still in the boat. • ,''■.-." Mr. Mason sought other assistance, and Messrs. A. T. McDoupall, Sydney Tideswell, J. Kunkler, and J. Martin went' to the help of the struggling swimmer. McDougall twice attempted to get out to the swimmer, but each . time he was tossed back and badly buffeted on the rocks. Eventually Colonel Arrell struggled into safety, and was pulled in by McDougall. Notwithstanding nis strenuous two hours in the breakers, Colonel Arrell appeared /resh and active, and was able to stand and converse with the small group gathered round, although he showed nigns of contact with the rocks. His first concern was as to the fate of his comrade. Colonel Arrell's story was that he and Kendrick got into difficulties when the boat was at the mouth of the channel, and pulled hard toward the south side. Finding it impossible to reach the bank, they both decided they would plunge into the" stream together and endeavour to swim ashore. * After struggling for a while, Arrell asked his companion how he fared. The reply was "a bit tired." Seeing his plight, Arrell went back and took his aim to help him, and had not released his hold when both found themselves in the breakers, which ultimately separated them, Arrell now swam hard toward the southern beach, but as he found that both current and breeze were against him he decided to cease battling and float for a while. Soon he found himself drifting toward the North Beach, and by swimming and floating alternately he eventually got on .to the rocks. As proof of the length of time Arrell was in the water, his watch was found to have stopped at 11.55, the time he jumped into the channel, and it was 1,5b when he was pulled out safely.