FISHERMAN RETURNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20721, 14 November 1930, Page 10

FISHERMAN RETURNS.

ADVENTURES IN A BOAT. FOUR DAYS IN OPEN SEA. : ■— LITTLE FOOD AND NO WATER. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN' CORRESPONDENT.] WAIHI, Thursday. Twenty-two days after he had set out in a 16ft. open boat from his home at the Waihi Beach to tend his crayfish pots, Mr. Andrew Andersen, a Finnish fisherman, arrived back at the beach last evening after an adventurous cruise. Mr. Andersen's vicissitudes included four days and four nights in the open, at (he end of which time he landed safely at Opotiki. Mr. Andersen, who is 57 years of age, seems little the worse for his adventure, although fie had to endure considerable hardships, particularly on his unsought-for first voyage. When Mr. Andersen had not returned two days after he started on October 22 a search was made of Mayor Island, where smoke had been seen, but no trace was found of him. He was then drifting in the channel and was blown back to Mayor Island. ' Ife spent the whole of Saturday, October 25, beating up and down, using an improvised sack sail, between the island and Tauranga. Attempt to Land Fail 3. At about seven o'clock that evening the boat was blown again toward White Island, but an attempt to make land failed because of the exceedingly high seas that were running. Blown out once more, Anderson had to sit in the boat and keep her to the sea. The following morning at about three o'clock he was within three miles of Whale Island, which he unsuccessfully tried to reach. He then sot sail for Opotiki and arrived at the beach there at about 2 p.m. All this time Mr. Andersen had had nothing to eat except the luncheon villi which he set out from the Waihi Beach on the previous Wednesday. He stated that to assuage his thirst he had been obliged to drink a quantity of sea water, and that when he arrived at Ojwtiki he was in rather a weak state. His whole journey must have covered well over 100 miles. At Opotiki he reported to Sergeant McAlister and was provided with a good meal. Trouble with Outboard Engine. Mr. Andersen remained at Opotiki until yesterday week, and then decided to make for his home at the Waihi Beach, but when about two miles out his outboard engine gave trouble and he pulled into a place between Opotiki and Whakatane, where he remained until the following day. After fixing up his engine be sailed for Whakatane, where, as the weather was still bad, another day's wait was necssarv.

Mr. Andersen eventually arrived at Tauranga last Saturday morning. Misfortune again dogged his steps, for on the Sunday morning when he procured benzine and started off again for Waihi lie experienced engine trouble about seven miles off the Bowentown Heads and had to pull back to Tauranga. " On Monday morning I got the engine fixed up and was ready to start for home on Tuesday, but when I got to the wharf I found the boat had sunk," said Mr. Andersen. " I got it up again and purchased another supply of stores. I left about 11 a.m. yesterday and reached the Waihi Beach last evening." Mr. Andersen came to New Zealand 34 years ago, and has had a varied career, having been a miner, soldier, farmer, flaxcutter, painter and seaman.