WRECK OF A LAUNCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19601, 1 April 1927, Page 10

WRECK OF A LAUNCH.

CAUGHT wj . mmi CRAFT DASHED 0 N HOCKS, CREW OF FOUR ESCAPE. j: | -f% A RS3KY SWIM TO SHORE. A tbriEing'' experience befei four occupants os the 42ft. JauiicJj' Venture in. the -• early hours of Sunday morning, Mures.. 20, 'when the' little vessel v was dashed Ao pieces on the rocky coast oif Whai'ckawa, \ near Cleveland, at the height of a severe', , storm. Tho owners of thj Venture, Mr. J. Bcsv.or., Mr. F. Comva v ahd Mr. \V ■Alderjots and his son, have returned in Auckland after recovering the crude • osl engine, which, with the boat aftd gear, ivas valued r t £l<-lGf). The Venture sc cut from AnckjjmJ In fair weather early c» (lie e ve»mg -i." Mardi 19, on a fishing expodilion io Coromandel,' but before long a strong brec.zo v. as eucou.it ere J. ana nUer n.'ghtfa.ll this developed into a full gsiw, Ai .•■bout 9.30 it was too rough to proceed further with safety and the anchor was dropped, off' Wharekawa. The -occupant all turned in. but were "rudely awakened • sonic hours later to SUd tjie Vessel.bsxrirh ■ing lieav-iiy on. thie foc,ks" soroe distance iron the shore. ' .' - ; " . / Rushing on deck., ,it .\vas found that the anchor rope had snapped.' .. The dinghy, .had - disappeared and' hupe waves : were pounding, upon the boat aud'ihrosvinj:' it •against the sharp: rocks- H-kc a corl:. . Recovery of the Dinghy. As Mr. Couway could not swim, Mr. Benson and Mr. Alderton, ju nr.,' decided •to -recover,.the. dirigby., jf-'possibkv and set out W;;., swim for th.> shore. They eventually reached dry . land ; aftee - a strenuous ti.ssie, watched by the' two on the luinch; over which wave* were, breaking cbcitinu ally. ' 1 *• "A', A long; .search a-10-.sg the- : rocks., over which they Iran barefooted, the, growing light, -reyealkl. the -dinghy ■ to> ,;the two men, apparently intact and about a mik from the upot where the launch hadstruck. . .They .recovered the: - boat '.and, after some difficulty^set but For: the launch, whii?h in •ihe-rsseafitime the others had been itnsbie to move, in spite of the ruuning; astero of the engine.' TL.o dingliy, then. commei!c<}d .to leak; badly, but the tv.o rowers eventually" reached their companions and -turned, again . ior the shore. Engine Saved from-HulLf'"- ' • Wet through and coldj the four at 'ist dragged the di-nghy above the. water-line and set ou|> to find the nearest ,house." After an hour's tramp . over 'She hills, they .received .hospitality, at "the farm of Colonel. Adams, v.ho prC'Tided thein wi'th •food.. It was hoped.to.save'- r th.e : Venture,;; bat when the mexi^returned to.,:tl:ie;.-4pot-nest, day ..the launch was damaged -beyond repair. ;■ 4 - ' ... • Several djiys and nights;.were spent in - I removing the engine,' theparty sleeping | in<_ihe ;ope.a /md work tii when oppbrtunity offered,. . •.Th'ree;'xj?.yslvafthr .:-"tfce wreck the' fishing launch : Spray. ofTere-J „ assistance and, withythe help■ of her crew, -■ the Venture's. e»gme ; -was. finally' teanslvipped and' brohght. hack -td v AuCklantl V