ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 9

ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE.

ONE MAN IN SMALL BOAT. SOME THRILLING EXPERIENCES. [PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.! SUVA, March 8. When a small half-decked sailing-boat sailed through the reef and dropped anchor among the cutters and other island craft in Suva Harbour on March 3, nobody took much notice. It was not until someone noticed the name, "Elaine, Sydney, Australia," painted on the stern, and questions were asked, that it was discovered that the cockleshell craft had arrived direct from Sydney. Officials also took notice for the master of the skiff, apart from breaking records in navigation, had rather casually broken a few regulations. He flew no yellow flag, omitted to obtain pratique, had not conformed to the immigration regulations, and, incidentally, had no clearance from Sydney or papers of any sort, excepting a letter of introduction to a resident of Suva. In his own words, "he had jt;sfc dropped in on his way to Los Angeles." The master informed the officials that his name was Fred Rebelle, that his age was 45 years, and that he was a native of Windau, near Riga, in the Republic of Latvia. He had been living in Australia for the past 20 years, the last two being spent in Sydney. Anxious to visit his homeland lie purchased the boat, which is 18ft. long, has a beam of 7ft. 6in., and draws 2ft., equipped it and set sail. Man of Little Experience. To have journeyed forth in such a small boat one would have imagined that the master was a very experienced seaman and navigator, but he said that he had little experience of sailing and that he had picked up some navigation out of library 1 books a few months before he set forth. It might, indeed, be argued that had hs been an experienced seaman he would never have set sail in such a craft. Mr. Eebelle left Sydney on December 30 with the intention of sailing to Los Angeles, via Suva, Samoa and Honolulu. His plan is to sell the boat at Los Angeles, buy another on the other coast, and set sail for the Baltic and home. Bad winds drove him down nearly to the New Zealand coast and in rough weather his centreboard carried away, making sailing very difficult except in a fair wind. During the two months at sea this venturesome sailor neither sighted land nor saw a ship. Two storms sent him scurrying along under a bare mast, and about a month ago a hurricane which was recorded as having passed here caught him at its centre. He put out a storm anchor to keep the little boat head-on, but it carried away. However, he ran before the storm with safety, but only after a very trying and dangerous time. Primitive Equipment. Perhaps the most remarkable part of this lone adventure is the navigating equipment with which the master brought the little vessel safely to 'Suva through storms, hurricane and unfavourable winds, and minus a centreboard. It. consists of a small compass, a home-made log and a sextant, also home-made. The latter cost the owner 4s 6d to make, and is one of the wonders of this "Swiss Family Robinson" outfit. The sighting apparatus is made out of the eye piece of a small telescope. Two pieces of rustless steel taken from a table knife and a piece of coloured glass also aid in sightirtg. Bent round the edge of the framework is ail old hacksaw blade measured off in degrees. As the navigator sights the sun ho rotates the instrument bv » screw arrangement which works in the teeth of the hacksaw blade, 'lrulv a strange instrument and well in keeping with the craft and equipment! Three Hot Meals a Day.

Over part of the open cockpit a hood has been fitted. Under this is a stretcher which slides in. and out. Asked what he did at nights, Mr. Rebelle remarked that he lashed the rudder and went to bed He said he kept fairly dry and provided himself with three hot meals a d,iy on a small primus stove and 011 which he also made bread by a process of steaming. Ithad no crust, he remarked, but otherwise wa)» good to eat. During the long days he read and re-read a copy of Longfellow's poems. _ The boat will remain here for a few weeks until the owner fits new centreboard, when he wall head nor hfor America and then the Baltic. Local shipping men have urged him to remain here until the end of March, when the hurncane season ends. Under the best of conditions it is a dangerous venture la m boat so small, and it certainly will not any safer during the hurricane season,.