LOSS OF LAUNCH

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 222, 18 April 1933, Page 6

LOSS OF LAUNCH

| Attempt to Cross Sumner j j Bar j ! NARROW ESCAPE OF I OCCUPANTS i . I Christchurch April 15.—An at- \ tempt made 'by two young men j to cross the Sumner bar yesterday re- ! suited in the total loss of their craft, i a petrol-driven, iron boat. For a time, ! while the boat was drifting helplessly jat the mercy of the waves, it seemed ; that the men's lives were in danger. j Hundreds of spectators lined the shore I powdered snow, and driving it eastward j and the Cave rock, and other vantage | points were thronged with persons who i witnessed one of the most spectacular ] I rescues of recent years. Shortly after 2 o'clock the boat, an j unnamed iron launch, left Redcliffs on ! a slightly ebbing tide. On board were ] Arthur Mills and Jack Coutts and a j dog, bound for Port Levy. The boat was very heavily loaded with camping gear, and on reaching the bar was un- ; able to ride the waves. ; I Whipped by a strong nor'-wester, the i | sea over the bar was dangerous lookI ing, and presented difficulties for any I j launch not possessing a cabin. As was j j to be expected, water was shipped and j . the engine was soon out of action, and those on shore,-including a member of J | the Lifeboat Institution, were quickly on j | the way to sound the alarm. When the engine stopped the boat | ! was on the edge of the channel farthest [

from the shore, and, borne by the current, it continued to drift into rougher water. About this time the tide ap-, peared to turn, and although it appeared at one stage that the boat would drift right through the rough water into the calmer sea beyond, it was brought back by the incoming tide on the shore side of the channel. Before the lifeboat Rescue I was launched, a yacht, making great head- : way before the violent nor'-wester, was observed coming down the estuary. It was thought that the yachtsmen might attempt to effect a rescue, but although the yacht passed within a few yards of j the launch, it was obvious that such an j attempt would have involved the res- j cue of two boats instead of one. The i yacht made the crossing in safety, but; only after some breath-taking pitching I and rolling. j In the meantime the old lifeboat Res- | cue I had been launched by a full crew, j All eyes were now on the two boats as I the distance between them was lessen- j ed, and on board the now waterlogged launch the dog could be seen running anxiously to and fro. Just as the lifeboat threw a line, the launch grounded in shallow water. The dinghy which had been aboard broke j away, and with a mixed collection of camping and beating gear floated near the almost completely submerged boat. Because of encountering some heavy water, the lifeboat had to go some distance past the launch, but the occupants made use of the rope to haul themselves from their submerged craft to j the lifeboat. | The dog by this time was observed making for the shore, and near Mussel I Rock was seen to be in difficulties. The | action of a friend of the crew in going j in in his clothes and rescuing the animal was warmly commended by the spec- J tators.

! The lifeboat in the meantime had re- ! turned to the shore. The rescued men immediately began a search for their belongings, which, with the dinghy, were floating in the water. The launch itself had been swept from the shallow water to a place in a deep ! channel between (he beacon and Mussel | Rock, and there disappeared from view.