ALL NIGHT ON A REEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18051, 27 September 1920, Page 6

ALL NIGHT ON A REEF

VICTORIAN FISHERMEN'S ADVENTUiiK

(Feom Oub Own Cobeespondent.) Th™ n i S ? D . NEy . September 15. Ihrce GeoloDg fishermen—G. J<\ and ]Cl 1,3118 and son)- and W Dunk—hud an extraordinary escape from drownmg last week. Only S mind and iorethought saved them Iho men had been away along the coast ft if Otor boat fi3hiQ S- Oa WednSday last they set out on their return to the httle port of Queenscliff, but the trfo took them a little longer than they electee' knew their boat had clashed on a reef The tion. They were on a half-submerged rock exposed to the full wash of the seaT The' rising tide would put from 4ft to sft of water over the rock, and there was deep water all round. The promptitude with which they acted undoubtedly saved their lives. Instead of trying to save the more valuable objects from their sinking boat they ramped for and obtained a couple of grarphng irons, with long rope s attached., With these the three of them got out on to the rock jnst as the motor boat sank lno tide was risinc. and the rock was awash The three men went carefully over the rock, and found a deep broken crevice Into this they wedged the grappling irons as firmly as they could. They tied tho ropes together, and then each man was tied to the ropes. Then they sat down and grimly awaited the oncoming tide. It was a night of bitter cold, and their plight can bo imagined. The rising water did not worry them; it was the tearing rush of the waves over the reef which they feared. The water rose to their knees and to their waists, apd as it became deeper the great waves plucked savagely at them, and tried to tear, them from their precarious hold. But tho grappling irons held, and the ropes did not break. Again and again they were washed off their feet and disappeared under water, but they always got back on to their feet again, and secured another breath of air. After some hours the tide began to fall, and they did not have to fight so hard. When the light came they were still standing in water, almost completely exhausted. The lighthouse keeper fortunately saw them almost at once, and he put off in a boat and resoned them from their perilous situation. All three, although extremely exhausted, made a rapid recovery.