FISHERMAN'S ORDEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22094, 27 April 1935, Page 10

FISHERMAN'S ORDEAL

HEAVY SEAS FILL LAUNCH FORCED TO SWIM TO SHORE [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] THAMES, Friday A fisherman, Mr. Charles Burt, aged 45, of Parawai. had a narrow escape from drowning while fishing on the bar at the mouth of the Waihou River from his launch Scud. Mr. Burt was caught in the squally weather, and when his dinghy swamped and the launch filled he was forced to swim for the shore, which he eventually gained, completely exhausted, at the shellbank opposite the Parawai railway station.

Mr. Burt had his nets out near the navigation light at the mouth of the Waihou River, and when heavy seas on the bar with the flood tide caught his launch broadside on the anchor failed to hold. He still had two nets to pick up when he scrambled on board the launch a ad. set the engine going in an effort to keep the boat head-on to the seas. However, the launch still dragged and seas broke into the cockpit. With the dinghy swamped and the launch completely awash, Mr. Burt had to swim for the shore. The hard shell bar materially assisted him in saving himself from being drowned. He is still suffering from the after-effects of his ordeal, and his .loss is a severe one. The launch is now lying at Shortland Wharf, awash and battered.