YACHT'S ESCAPE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23121, 20 August 1938, Page 19

YACHT'S ESCAPE

SEAWAED IN STOBM RUDDERLESS AND NEAR REEF FEW FEET FROM DISASTER CRUISE ROUND NEW CALEDONIA Helpless owing to the breaking of the rudder ami driven liv a tropical storm to within a lew feet of a reef, the Auckland ketch-rigged yacht Seaward almost met disaster recently during its cruise in the Pacific. The adventures of the crew are described in a letter received from the owner of the yacht, Mr. D. Wellington. He is accompanied bv Messrs. L. A. Clark and I\. Iwulayson.

Mr. Wellington states that at the time of writing, on August 1, the Seaward was near the end of its 700-mile trip round New Caledonia, and it was expected to return to Noumea in a fewdays. The yacht Intel called at nearly all the places of interest, keeping within tho reef whenever practicable. It had cruised through hundreds of miles of islands, channels and lagoons, New Caledonia being the largest of the many South Pacific archipelagoes. Tho mainland coast was described as rugged, tho dark cliffs being relieved by brilliant streaks of chrome yellow. In tho distance were the lofty mountain ranges, which form the backbone of the island, scarred hero and there by nickel or chrome mines. Five days previously they were in Poagoumano and were the manager's guests at tho largest nickel mine in the world.

Kindness of the French "Tho French are wonderfully kind and hospitable," states Mr. Wellington, "and on leaving Noumea our deck was smothered with shells, bunches of bananas, venison, a sack of oysters, dry and green coconuts, oranges, paw paws and salt fish. "When first leaving Noumea we broko our rudder about ten miles out, and had to put back for a week to have a new rudder fitted. The local shipwright made a wonderful job of it, and tho boat will now turn in her own length. Evidently the old stock had been split for years, and we had a tricky time of it with a tropical rainstorm coming down, and tho reef only a quarter of a mile. away. The crew rose splendidly to tho occasion, but we were only a matter of feet away from the reef by the time we had improvised a make-shift rudder.

"The heat along the whole coast has been terrific." tho writer continues, "and some days wo just movo along slowly through a panorama, of small islands, covered with coconut palms and surrounded by masses of coral reefs. Little Shelter from Reel "The reel', contrary to what one might expect, affords very little shelter in some winds, and to-night wo wore forced to anchor in a narrow pass a quarter of a liiilo wide and about 20 miles from the nearest bay. With a tropical rainstorm brewing, wo arc not in the best of positions, although the reef and mainland are sheltering us from the sea. In the morning we shall doubtless lie anchored near some hospitable village. "At Yengen wo left the yacht 011 the river for a few days and stayed 011 a cattle station during that time. The change was good for all of us. The scenery at the northern part of the island is indescribably grand, with a variety and depth of colouring unequalled by anything 1 have seen save in the volcanic districts of New Zealand. "A few days ago we stopped at Tao, a remarkable placo at the foot of some high '•mountains— rising sheer from the sea-bed, with a cascade falling 1300 ft. into the bay from Mount 'J'anic. Celebrations with Mayor "I should say that we wore towed up the coast for quite a way the second time we left Noumea. At the end of our tow wc stayed at a town and a Frenchman with some friends came down to seo our yacht and we took them out for a cruise. In the evening we wore taken to the local hotel, where the flavor was celebrating the birth of a son. We were asked to join the party. TJie Mayor came to see us off tlie next day and once again we set out on our cruise."

.Mr. Wellington concluded by stating that tlie.v intended to reinnin at Noumea for the races on August 2-1, thence proceeding first to the T.oynlties and then Port Vila, in the New Hebrides, returning to Auckland by October.