ORDEAL IN STORM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19311, 29 April 1937, Page 5

ORDEAL IN STORM

S BARQUE IN BASS STRAIT

MONTH! ON TASMAN TRIP

FINNISH SAILORS PRAISED

NEW ZEALAND VOYAGERS

(Special 16 the Herald.)

AUCKLAND, this day

The voyage of tne Finnish barque "Winterhude of 31 days across the Tasman. and a vivid account of ft storm which she encountered in Bass Strait were related by two New Zcalanders who sailed on March 3 with the vessel from Auckland for Port Broughtou. They were Messrs. A. C. Fowler and J. J'. Hooper, of Hamilton, who signed on as nominal members of the ship's crew in Auckland and who returned from Sydney by the Wanganella.

"It was fair weather for the first fortnight of the voyage, but it never proved monotonous," said Mr. Fowler. He explained that there'were days of calm when, with hardly ,a ripple on the easy swell, the barque lay motionless. There were other'days, when wind and rain combined and "tho vessel heeled over like a yacht.

■■ "On the day that Flinders Island in Bass Strait was sighted a heavy south-westerly gale developed," continued Air. Fowler. "The vessel was beaten off her course and unable to make progress against the heavy weather. Several sails were blown out and when the storm abated tho barque was 250 miles from Sydney. The ship was light as a result of being in ballast, her cargo of guano from the Seychelles having been discharged at Auckland. Heavy waves broke over the deck."

Describing the Finns as the "finest people in the world," Mr. Hooper said that the master of the vessel, Captain Holm, and the members of the crew extended magnificent hospitality to the two New Zeaiandors. He mentioned that although Mr. Fowler and he*were nominally members of the crow they were treated as passengers, and only on exceptional occasions were they asked to help trim the ship or to assist in other work.