LASHED BY GALES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19126, 22 September 1936, Page 5

LASHED BY GALES

KETCH REACHES PORT TRIP FROM KERMADECS (l’er Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Lashed by fierce squalls and with her decks continually swept by heavy breaking seas, the 50ft. Australian ketch Yvonne arrived at Auckland yesterday after a stormy and prolonged passage from Sunday Island, one of the Kcrmadec group. It was last Wednesday, four days before, that the rugged promontory of Cuvier Island was first sighted from the deck of the yacht. The wind was westerly and of gale force, and there was a heavy swell running from the east. The little vessel was close hauled, hut couhl make little -progress. Typical of Norwegian pilot boats, the Yvonne has very fine lines, both fore and aft. She is sturdily rigged and impresses as one of the most seaworthy craft to have visited the port for some time. Her running gear was bleached white with salt. Her spurs were chafed, hut she was undamaged. Leaving Sydney on duly 30, the Yvonne crossed The Tasman in erne ui its ugliest moods, and arrived a: Parengarenga some 15 days later. She was beached for cleaning and painting and left Parengarenga on August li. for Sunday Island. Fair winds and fine weather were experienced, and she arrived at the island within seven days. The weather broke soon after her arrival at the island, however, and for four days (he ketch had to be manoeuvred and kept on the lee side of the land. On the fourth day a landing was made and stores wore taken ashore.

The crew consisted of Messrs. If. B. Sorenson, the master, J. E. King, the mate, J. Boshier, the cook, and A. Venables, R, Ashwood, and D. Angus. Messrs. Venables, Ashwood and Angus were left on the island. They are to investigate Ihe possibilities of making the island into a self-support-ing colony. Leaving Sunday Island favoured with a fresh breeze, the Yvonne showed her true sailing qualities. She covered 230 miles, approximately a third of the distance to Auckland, in ti little over a day. From then on strong head winds were encountered.