LAUNCH IN DISTRESS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18468, 6 August 1934, Page 11

LAUNCH IN DISTRESS

LIGHTKEEPER’S LONG ROW TWO MILES TN CHOPPY SEA The crew of a inolor-launeh, which broke down outside Port Stephens!, New South Wales, while on its way from Tea Gardens to Broken Bay recently', was for several hours in some peril. With the assistance of the head keeper at the Port Stephens outer lighthouse, Mr L. R. McGregor, who rowed two miles to their assistance in a small dinghy, the three men aboard the launch succeeded in restarting the engine. The launch then returned to Port, Stephens for the night. Mr McGregor first noticed signals of distress coining from the launch at about 3 p.m. A shirt suspended on a stick was being waved violently by ono of the crew, and it was obvious that the launch was being carried out to sea by a strong current. The direction of the wind was such, at the lime, that assistance could not immediately be sent from Port Stephens. -A message was sent -to Captain Moore, of the Commonwealth Navigation 'Department, at Newcastle, and Captain Moore arranged for the steamer Tyalguin to hasten its departure from Newcastle to the North Const- so that the men could be picked up before nightfall. Later the wind abated off Port 'Stephens, and Mr McGregor took the risk of rowing out to the launch across a choppy sea.