PARTY MAROONED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23693, 28 December 1938, Page 8

PARTY MAROONED

SPEED LAUNCH DAMAGED SUBMERGED ROCK STRUCK NIGHT SPENT ON ISLAND (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 27. With the propeller and rudder of the speed launch Miss Sandra damaged through striking a submerged rock, 1000 yards from the shore, a party of five men on board the boat were marooned on Tiri Tiri Island on Monday night. The sinking launch was successfully paddled to shallow water, from where its occupants were able to scramble ashore without difficulty. The party consisted of the owner of the launch (Mr C. Beaver, of Remuera), his son (Mr T. Beaver), and Messrs H. L. Barrack and J. Bickerstaff, of Auckland, and S. E. Bush, of Rotowaro.

Miss Sandra left Manly in the morning for a day’s fishing off Tiri Tiri, but when an attempt was made to return in the afternoon the wind proved too strong and the launch put back to shelter under the lee of the island. Conditions improved in the evening, and a further endeavour was made to reach Manly. When about 1000 yards out from the shore, however, the boat struck a submerged rock, which stove in a plank in the stern and damaged the propeller and rudder. With the greatest difficulty, the launch was paddled towards shallow water as it was making water rapidly. It sank just as the shore was reached. After hauling the launch ashore, two of the party—Mr Beaver, sen., and Mr Bush—walked around the coast to Tiri Tiri lighthouse, from where a radio message was despatched to the Mount Victoria Signal Station. Officials in Auckland then communicated with Mr R. H. Shakespear, of Whangaparaoa, but as it was too late for Mr Shakespear to send assistance, Messrs Beaver and Bush spent the night at the lighthouse while the other three men stayed with the launch. The two men at the lighthouse were picked im by Mr Shakespeare in his auxiliary yacht to-day, before proceeding to the back of the island, where it was found that the other three members of the party had temporarily repaired the launch. It was not extensively damaged, and no difficulties were experienced in towing it to Manly.