A TRYING TIME

Southland Times, Issue 19896, 15 June 1926, Page 8

A TRYING TIME

WRECK OF THE KOA CREW ARRIVE AT AUCKLAND TRAGIC END TO AMBITIOUS SCHEME. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, June 14. Deprived of all he possessed, but thankful for his escape from the plight in which the squally weather near the North Cape on Friday last placed the launch Koa, Mr Vere Harrison, owner of the ill-fated craft, arrived with most of the members of the crew by the Waiotahi from Parenga -on Saturday night. Thus ended the ambitious scheme of the master of a harbour passenger launch who set out to make an ocean voyage of 800 miles to engage in an industry at Norfolk Island. Mr Harrison says that when he failed to join up with the Resolution he resolved to make for Norfolk Island independently. He set out quite confidently, but the conditions were such that it would have been impossible for an experienced mariner to have guided the launch successfully through the ordeal. While an angry sea did its best to capsize the craft, Mr Harrison strove to keep his course. He changed his mind when 20 miles out. “We would certainly have been lost had we gone any further,” he remarked. The craft was turned, and it took six hours to retrace the distance the vessel had covered. Two great seas broke over the ship, which was kept on a straight course only with extreme difficulty. The water rolled all round them, and there was a huge swell. “Just before we beached the Koa,” said Mr Harrison, “the members of the crew were playing cards. I left one game and went on deck, where I noticed a heavy sea coming up the bay. We immediately decided to make for the shore. The vessel reached it on the crest of a huge roller. Had we remained in our position we would have been swamped.” The following day assistance came to the crew from the Te Paki station. That night was spent in a tent improvised from the sail of the launch. They found the following day that the launch, which had been beached, had been turned round by the pressure of the sea, and the keel had been ripped from the craft, and big holes were found in the starboard side. The Koa was a complete wreck.