A Dinghy and a Dredge

Temuka Leader, Issue 10056, 19 February 1927, Page 3

A Dinghy and a Dredge

TEMUKA' PARTY'S EXPERIENCE THE O'GOTiPiAiNTS' VERSION.

lOoßsi'dierdißJle"; ...excite rn-e nt was caused, at 'Tiinaru on Thursday afternoon, wlrei* the rumour Avas spread that a party, of five picnickers who attended the annual picnic of the Tcmuka District High School at Caroline Bay, had been blown in a dinghy out to sea, in the squall which arose in the latter part of the afternoon. The rumour, which travelled -with remarkable rapidity, .■sooftr assumed, a very serious aspect, ras -it was freely reported that the accusants of the boat were- drowned, and this Avas given- Aveight by the fact that the Harbour Board's -launch, the "Elsie Evans," under the coirimand of the .Hatbourmaßter Captain'. MaeDpugall,: put out . ■..ln. give.. assistance. .'■ -Reports state that the party while v " ; rowing about the calm Avater were caught by the fierce gale that came up and blown out past the mole, and for some time their struggles- were- watched by a large and anxibus crowd who ■congregated on -'the'"- /wharves and other vantage points." By this time V racing Wa w-as running, and the gale, Avas increasing •in force, and considerable relief was felt Avhen it became', known that' the Timaru dredge, which was Avorking in the was in the immediate vicinity, of "the dinghy, and that the party was aboard her. As tho dredge .returned' to the wharf, the crowd swarmed to i the ship's Side and congratulated the party on their safe returil, Avhile the ''Elsie Evans", went back to her moorings. The parly consisted of Misses C. Carter, N. King, and N, Gale and Messrs.T. Paiki and T. Waaka. On the following day-(yesterday) In an interview with the , men of the party they put a some what different aspect on the affair, for they state that they set far 'a pleasure jaunt in :the harbour about .three o'clock: and when -ncaring the dredge; which was- at work in the roadftead, Paiki, who is an expert signaller, semaphored for •, permission to. come aboard in order that they might have -a "close-up" of the dredging operations. On ,pei>. mission being signalled back they were taken aboard up a AJacob's ■ladder-at about,, twenty past 'three. They were invited to remain aboard until, the dredge proceeded to the dumping ground,: an invitation which i was, gladly accepted/ the novelty appealing to them all. An ugly squall blew; tip > from; a sou'easterly quarter giving rise, to .anxiety to the crowd on shore- as to the safety of the party. It t was while the dredge wae at the dumping grounds that'two of the ship's boats were fastening their mooring chains', to the floats, and on the return o'f the dredge these boats Averepicked; up,, the crowd ashore thinking; that it was the Temuka party being'' -'-taken - 'aboard. The Harboiir'Board launch, Avhich went out inj search of the missing craft,, returrijed immediately it was learned that the 1 'party and dinghy had been iiboaa4 the dredge in safety all the time. .; '■ In "conclusion one of the party stated'; that the experience was thoToiighly enjoyed by all; and Avords: were difficult to find' to express adequately their thanks' to the creAV -of the"' "dredge for their spontaneous courtesy. While not neglecting their duty the raen ; were pleased to explain the detail working of the dredge, kud-during' the, time the gale Avas at 'its height, the party'had the unique opportunity of seeing:- a splendid piece of seamanship by tW crew. This was the hoistipg aboard of.- ; the. : ., mooring' boats "in aHaening 7 sea" ahdU cane -gale.