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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16364, 11 June 1927, Page 5

BACK TO THEIR HOME

STRANDED LAUNCH PARTY

UNENVIABLE EXPERIENCE

(Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day

' The members of the fishing party which was marooned ou Whaie Island until picked up by the auxiliary scow Motu yesterday have returned to their homes with the exception of Messrs. Allan Abott and Harold .Tones, who have gone to search for the missing launch, telegraphs the Herald 's Whakatane, correspondent. The party was stranded on the island as a result of their launch, the Scout, breaking away from its mooring in a heavy gale and drifting to sea. The party, which left Kutarero on Friday, and intended to return on Monday, consisted of three Europeans, Messrs Abbott, Jones, and H. King, and five Maoris. The latter were Henry Aromona. his sou and daughter, and two other Maori women. The to Bnarimu Islands, and with a good to Rawima Islands, and with a good load of fish called in at Whale Island on Sunday on, the way back to Kutarere. • They stayed the night on the island. Unfortunately a storm sprang up and they found the launch had broken from her anchorage and had drifted toward Rurimn Islands: There was then nothing to do but to make the best of the situation and settle down j until they? should be sighted by a pnss-'j ing vessel* '• ' I

SHORTAGE OF FOOD.

The party stayed in huts on the island. They had no bread or tea, and apart from a few kumaras and the. fish, they had nothing else in the way of provisions. Later, after an exciting chase they caught a young goat. Mr. Abbott at'onee took charge of the [food supplies and in yiew of a stay on Ithe island that possibly might lie long he decided on a rationing policy. Although this did not appeal to the natives there was no serious trouble, and the partv set about smoking a quantity of the fish.

1 Supplies of tobacco ran out, and the party had reeourso to dried fern and ti-tree leaves as a substitute. They found the smoke was hitter, but it was considered bettor than nothing. ! On the -whole the members of the party were fairly comfortable during their four days' stay on the island, but tliov were over-joyed at being taken on "hoard the Motu. The first thing the men asked for was tobacco. After a smoke a good meal was enjoyed. Great anxiety had been experienced by relatives at Kutarere as they had expected the party to return on Monday. This anxiety was accentuated by the fact that the* natives at Kutarere assorted -that they saw a boat in flames out in the Bay of Plenty. It is j considered that there is little hope of the launch being recovered as. the j storm which prevailed for two or three | days must have carried her well out to . sea.

ADVENTITBES BELATED PAETY NONE THE WORSE (Special to Mto Herald.) OPOTIKI, this day. Shortly before noon yesterday a telephone message was received from Kutarere stating that the motor ship Otimai had entered Ohhva harbor, and was proceeding, to Kutarere with the party from the missing launch, the Scout, aboard. Herald correspondent immediately" left Opotiki, arriving shortly after the Otimai berthed at Kutarere wharf. Mr. King, interviewed, gave the story of the missing party, which left Kutarere on Friday, June 3, on a fishing expedition. On Sunday last the party was fishing alongside Mr. H. L.i P.* West's launch from Whakatane, off Whale Island. They told Mr. West that they would not return until Monday, a day later than they intended. Instead of five members, as supposed, the party comprised Alan Abbot, Harold Jones, Henry Ammoano, his son and his daughter, Mrs. Tawhaio, another young Maori woman and himself. On Monday the sea was too rough for the launch to return to Ktitnrere. The weather conditions 'became worse, Tuesday being a very bad day. The launch anchored a short distance from shore, opposite the landing place. During the night, at about 1 o'clock, the launch commenced to drift, the party fortunately being on the island. The launch continued to drift, and daybreak on Wednesday could be seen in\ the distance drifting towards Matata. In the afternoon, at about 3 o'clock, the launch disappeared from view. When last seen drifting it was towards the Baurimu Islands, dangerous rocks north-west of Whale Island. Qn Thursday morning the members of the party climbed to the top of Whale Island in order to look for the launch, but there was no sign of the drifting boat,

Mr. King stated that when the launch was seen in the morning an attempt was made to reach the drifting vessel in a dinghy, but owing to the rough sea it had to be abandoned. Later on Thursday morning the Motu was scon in the distance, and the party sent up a heavy smoke signal in an endeavor to attract the attention of the vessel. The signals were seen, and the Motu, which had been instruct to look out for the missing party, drew into the island. , The party went out in the missing launch's dinghy and were taken aboard. Shortly before dusk the Motu arrived off Whakatano Heads and signalled the harbormaster that the party was ok board. Although the light was poor the signals were successfully picked up, and the vessel then returned to the island for shelter over night. On arrival it was found that the Otimai, which put out from Oliiwa harbor, had arrived with a search party. The two vessels were joined by Mr. W. Walker's launch, Waihou, which left Opotiki to search near the island. The three vessels remained at anchor leeward of the island during the night. Yesterday morning the party transferred from the Motu to the Otimai, which then left for Kutarere, arriving at the wharf shortly before noon. Members of the party are all well, but provisions were running short, and they were glad to get back to the mainland.

The party, had no idea that people on the mainland were anxious concerning their, safety. They purposely abstained from lighting signal tires at night, for fear that those on the mainland might, think that they were in a serious position, and thus cause undue alarm.

Soon after the arrival of the party at Kutarere, Mr. Abbot, owner of the Scout, with Mr. Jones, left in the launch Waihou'to search for the missing boat. ' Should it not bo found Mr. Abbot will be a heavy loser, as it is understood the launch was not insured. The Waihou had not returned this morning.