NOTABLE VOYAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23256, 27 January 1939, Page 8

NOTABLE VOYAGE

YACHT'S PERFORMANCE CHATHAM ISLANDS AND BACK HEAVY SEAS ENCOUNTERED CREW OF FIVE CARRIED [BT TELEGBAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCBURCH. Thursday Believed to be the first yacht to make the voyage from the mainland to the Chatham Islands and back, the auxiliary yacht Faith arrived at Lyttelton at 3.30 p.m. to-day from Port Hutt, Chatham Islands. During both the outward and the homeward voyage, and particularly while at the islands, the Faith encountered some of the worst weather experienced in that stormswept stretch of ocean in the neighbourhood of the Chatham Islands. Tribute to Vessel Those who made the trip were Messrs. W. H. Marsh (owner), G. Mouncer (navigator), F. Friedman (engineer), E. J. Newman and Mr. Marsh's seven-year-old son Michael. The Faith was built by Mr. W. H. Marsh, of Christchurch, and a stoutly-constructed craft of the Norwegian pilot-boat type, 36ft. in length. She is ketch-rigged and has a powerful auxiliary engine.

Of the vessel's performance in stormy weather, one of the crew said that the boat had proved herself fit for a voyage to any part of the world. Forced to put to Sea

Leaving Lyttelton on January 4, the Faith took four days to reach the Chatham Islands, meeting with moderate to rough weather. While at Waitangi the yacht met with cyclone conditions. Captain Day, harbourmaster at Waitangi, described the range as the heaviest he had ever seen. The sea became so bad on the night of January 11 that the Faith had to put to sea hurriedly, returning the following evening; Leaving Port Hutt on Sunday, the Faith ran into a cyclone next day and was hove-to all night. For the remainder of the trip to« Lyttelton the weather improved, although there was still a considerable sea.