SAVED FROM THE SEA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17608, 26 October 1931, Page 8

SAVED FROM THE SEA

ORDEAL OF A FISHERMAN ADRIFT ON DECKHOUSE HELP ARRIVES JUST IN TIME A remarkable story of endurance and resource under trying! conditions is told by Mr. Alexander Mclntosh, tho Port Chalmers fisherman who was lost at sea in a gale last Tuesday morning and spent two days and two nights on the deckhouse which had been tom from his launch by a huge wave. Without food or water during the whole time lie maintained a sleepless vigil and while always prepared for the worst he was never devoid of hope. Had it not been for the methodical precautions he took, tho result of many years seafaring, it is highly probable that he would never have been saved. Considering the terrible ordeal through which lie passed, Mr. Mclntosh looked surprisingly well as lie lay in bed talking to a reporter on Friday at the residence of Mr. Edrnonston, of Moeraki. “The first thing J did when the blow came up,” lie said, “was to haul in my lines and secure everything on the boat to ensure that it would not be washed overboard. I then moved along slowly in the direction of the port for about half an hour with everything in order. HUGE WAVE CAPSIZES LAUNCH “Then I saw a huge wave approaching. In addition to being of tremendous height, its wall was so straight that tliero appeared to be no chance of riding it, but I put the bow of the boat to it in the hope that I might be able to climb it. I then slowed the engine right down and went into the wheel house in order to avoid being washed overboard. “When the wave struck mo it dropped flat on the boat and overturned her. I managed to scramble out and catch hold of the gunwale. The boat then righted herself and I dropped into the cockpit, after which I climbed on top of the deckhouse to keep a watch for other fishing boats making for the harbor. “After standing on the deckhouse for about a quarter of an hour with the boat full of water, Mr. Mclntosh noticed that the deckhouse was -beginning to weaken at one end. SEARCHLIGHT -OR TUG “I decided that the only thing To do was to stick by tho deckhouse as tho boat was so full of water that it would probably not have supported my weight.,7 lie said. “1 secured a section of the mast, which had broken off, and lashed four oil drums to the deckhouse in order to give it At that time the deckhouse, which was the only thing above water, parted from the boat, and although it was awash 1 managed, more or less, to keep iny feet out of tho water by resting them on tho mast.” Mr. Mclntosh said that after drifting in a south-easterly direction for about half an hour lie began to drift north. It would then he early evening, but he neither saw nor heard the aeroplane which was searching for him. As night came on he saw the searchlight of the tug Dunedin in the direction, of Wiekliffe Bay, hut a« he was so low down in the water lie was unable to attract attention. FIRST PANGS OF THIRST

Then, sitting on an upended oil drum he prepared to see the long night ■through. On ‘Wednesday morning, when •he estimated that he was about 12 miles off Shag Point-, lie was unable to attract tho'attention of passing. vessels, which, ho said, were just far enough away not to be able to see him. Then came another interminably longi night, and early on Thursday morning, when he was beginning to fool the first .pangs of thirst; Mr. Mclntosh noticed a fishing vessel approaching from the direction of Oanmru Point. It went out of sight, however, and although it appeared that he had again been disappointed deliverance wak at hand. Turning to the southward Mr. McIntosh saw a launch about a mile off coming in his direction and when it approached more closely ho recognised Mr. Edward Pile, of Moeraki. Taking the-deckhouse in -tow, Mr. Pile returned immediately to Moeraki, where Mr. McIntosh was removed to the residence of, Mr. Edrnonston and attended by Dr. Thomas. Although ho recognises that he was fortunate in being rescued Mr : Mclntosh regards his experience philoso-; nhically, and remarked : “When youi follow 'the sea for a living you must he prepared for anything.”