ADRIFT IN THE CHANNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 2 (Supplement)

ADRIFT IN THE CHANNEL.

KETCH'S ROUGH PASSAGE. NO FOOD OR WATER. A thrilling story, of the sea was related by the cre%v of the British sailing ketch Leading Light, which was assisted into Ramsgate by Deal boatment recently. The Leading Light had encountered terrific weather in the Chaftnel. Huge waves washed over, and so flooded the vessel that the crew had been without food, water and sleep for three days. The master, Captain Albert Vince, had been at the wheel for over 60 hours, and when Deal boatmen boarded the disabled craft the hungry crew of the ketch soon devoured what little food the boatmen had in their lockers.

The ketch had both starboard and port bulwarks stove in. Her only boat was torn from its davit, the first night the vessel was at sea. Spars and boom were smashed and sails in shreds. Interviewed on board his vessel. Captain Yince said he had never experienced such terrible weather. The crew were loud in their praise of the captain. "It was skill, pluck, and expert seamanship which saved us from foundering." said one of them. "At times we thought it was all up with us. "We ran into a gale soon after leaving Teignmoutli. The mountainous seas washed us fore and aft. The salt water even rushed down to the drinking water pump fixed on tho deck aft, so that that was useless. We were not only without food or water, but had to keep the pumps working day and night without rest. We have not had a dry strip of clothing oil us for three days. "We drifted miles out of our course, and got as far down as the Channel Islands. The wave which carried away our boat nearly wrecked the wheel house also. Our cgmpass was also wrenched from its base and carried away. We are all battered and bruised and our hands are blistered with pumping." The ship, which carried a cargo of china clay, belonged to Ipswich, and was bound for Gool»