COINCIDENCE AT SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21885, 22 August 1934, Page 8

COINCIDENCE AT SEA

SAILING SHIP'S PASSAGE SIGHTED TWICE ON VOYAGE MOTOR-VESSEL'S INTEREST A rare coincidence of the sea—the sighting of a safling-ship, making for England, by one of her more modern sisters when the latter was both homeward and outward bound —was an experience of those on board the Commonwealth and Dominion Line's motorvessel Port Gisborne, which is at present in Auckland. Thti following account of the two meetings has been supplied by the master, Captain W. G. Higgs. On March 2, 1934, the ship Grace Harwar, grain laden, left Port Victoria, South Australia, for Falmouth. Built in 1889, she had flown the Red Ensign until the war years, anfl was then purchased by Captain Erickson, the Finnish shipowner, like many of her sisters at that time. On May 2, two months after the Grace Harwar left Port Victoria, the motor-ship Port Gisborne dropped her pilot off Lyttelton, and set her course along the same watery road with London as her destination. The Horn was rounded on May 15—out of sight, for the weather was thick and had been so for a week previously. Save for a glimpse of Trinidad Island £in the South Atlantic, and not the Trinidad of the West Indies), neither ship jr land was seen ;since her sailing from New Zealand until, at 10 a.m. on May 27, just 49 miles north of the Equator, a sailing-ship was sighted on the port bow. Course was altered to pass near the stranger, and preparations made to give her provisions if,.they were needed. As the motor-vessel came up astern «of the ship, those on board of the former could read the name under her counter, Grace Harwar of Mariehamn. No Provisions Wanted The wind was light from the northeast, and she was making perhaps two or three knots through the water, closehauled on the starboard tack, her sails flapping aback and bellying full as she rolled idly to the swell. Obviously she had her fair-weather canvas bent, as is the custom in this region. It was patched and of several different shades, while some of her yards departed a good deal from the horizontal. As the Port Gisborne passed by on her starboard side, the blue-and-white flag of Finland was hoisted and dipped, while her crew, grouped on the poop and in the weather riceing. gave three cheers. This last was somewhat unexpected. but those in the Port Gisborne did their best at such short notice, and hoped that their answering cheer was heard. No request was made for provisions, nor did the sailing-ship's navigator ask his longitude, as might have been supposed. A little more than an hour later the ship was out of sight astern. The Grace Harwar that day was 86 days out. The Second Meeting The Port Gisborne reached London on June 6, and reported having passed the sailing-ship. After over five weeks' stay, the motor-ship left London again for New Zealand, via Panama, on July 13. Stopping an hour off Plymouth for documents next morning, she continued her journey to the westward and passed the Lizard at noon. That evening, at 8 o'clock, a sailing vessel was sighted ahead, and course was altered to pass near her It could be seen that the stranger was a ship, and not a barque, and therefore could be none other than our friend of the Homeward passage. The sun had just set as the Port.Gisborne ran by her, and all doubts were set at rest, for Grace Harwar could be read on her bows. But there was nothing untidy or slipshod about her now. Best canvas aloft, and all sails drawing to a moderate westerly breeze, which was sending her along at a good eight knots, her bow cleaving the water in a purposeful way, yards all shipshape, deckwork gleaming with paint and varnish —she was a picture to be remembered as she passed onward, silhouetted against the western afterglow. Her crew, recognising their acquaintance of 48 days earlier, gathered on the forecastle head and cheered with a will, while the motor-ship's siren sounded a cheery message of welcome and goodwill. The Grace Harwar was 134 days out when seen on the second occasion, and would probably have reached Falmouth the next day. >.