ANXIOUS NIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23259, 31 January 1939, Page 11

ANXIOUS NIGHT

yacht in_ storm DRIFT to the shore obdeal op the chew f [RESCUED EXHAUSTED Drifting helplessly in a high wind and tig seas which constantly pounded the fleck, while one by one the sails were torn to shreds, a holiday yachting party of four persons had an unenviable experience in the gulf between Kawau , B d the mainland in the early hours vesterday. When the yacht Daisy, a 36ft. B class koeler, finally went aground on the mainland about eight miles from she was dismasted and badly damaged, and the crew could not be rescued for several hours because of jn angry surf. The party left Auckland on Saturday afternoon for a week-end cruise to Kawau, which they had not previously visited. Tho yacht was under the command of her owner, Mr. John Ellison, of Wellington, who has been in Auckland for about three months. He was accompanied by Miss Isabel Kirk by, aged 21, of Stratford, who is on holiday jn Auckland; her brother, Kenneth Kirkby, aged 19, a ship's boy in the jtearnor Kapiti, which is at present in Auckland; and Peter Turner, aged 15, of 39 Owens Road, Epsom. Dragging of Anchor

Light winds on Saturday made it impossible for the party to get further than Whangaparaoa, where they anchored for the night. Similar slow Bailiig was experienced on Sunday, when part of, the day was spent in tow-

ing the yacht with the dinghy. Fog made it necessary to use the compass , -to S ail the course to Kawau, where they arrived after nine o'clock, and anchored outside Mansion House Bay. Water washing over the deck awakened Mr. Kirkby at about 3.30 a.m. yesterday, and on investigating he found the anchor was dragging and the yacht was drifting in the hard northeasterly wind some distance away from the island. The others were called and the mainsail, with two reefs, was hoisted, but immediately blew out, and the same happened to the staysail and jib, which were hoisted in turn. Finally the sail from the mizzen was bent on to the mainmast, but it was useless. The Dinghy Disappears In the meanwhile an attempt was lnade to run into the shelter of Pine Island. The crew was forced to negotiate a reef on the southern side, going through the only passage, which is narrow and shallow. There was scarcely 2ft. of clearance on either side of the yacht, and considering the state of the seas, the party were in luck's way by escaping with their lives. _ Waves swamped the dinghy, which disappeared when the painter parted. Unable to anchor, the yacht was forced towanf the mainland. It was almost impossible for the crew to keep their feet on deck. Water was breaking over them the whole, time, and as dawn came they drifted inshore in Baddeiev's Bay, situated between the mouth of the Lower Matakana River and Lagoon Bay. The keel jarred heavily on the sandy bottom, and the two masts snapped off at the decklino. The rudder broke off, and the sternpost was driven forward about eight inches. Rescue Hade at Last At the mercy of a boiling surf, the yacht shipped many seas, and bailing was of no avail. It was too dangerous to consider swimming ashore, and it was not until eight o clock, when there was 3ft. of water in the cabin, that the party's plight was noticed by Mr. C. Li Baddeley., He put off in a surf boat with Sirs. Baddeley, but was unablo to effect a rescue until the fourth attempt at about four o'clock yesterday afternoon, when there was a temporary improvement in the weather. When rescued, the crew was practically exhausted and stiff with cold, their clothing having been saturated for manv hours. All enjoyed hot baths at Mr. Baddeiev's home, and the three younger members returned by bus to Auckland from Warkworth last night, being cheery and little the worse for their experience. Mr. Ellison remained as the guest of Mr. Baddeley, hoping that to-Say he nrav be able to salvage the hull of his yacht, which was not damaged beyond repair.