SMASHED BY WHALE

Waipawa Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue 149, 7 September 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

SMASHED BY WHALE

LAUNCH ATTACKED YACHTSMAN’S TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE An amazing story comes from YepPoon, Queensland, telling how a whale wrecko:.’ a launch, and liovv the three occupants fought for their lives in shark-infeste t d watcrs.

Although his shin had been frighttTilJv gashed by a barnacle on the whale’s tail, one of the men swan i for the launch’s dinghy, and succeeded in rescuing the other two. One of these had suffered a crushed toot, from which he died in hospital. The men were in the water for hours otf ><\> being taken on board the ..iiiigliy. Some remarkable stories of sea ad- ' no res have come from Yeppoon in recent years, notably those concerning the auxiliary yacht Raata. which was stolen in Now Zealand waters, and the experiences off the Gladstone fisherman Corbett, after trying privations on a lonely island off the coast. But none was more remarkable or sensational than the story which reached Yeppoon in the small hours of the morning, when a party was landed, comprising a well-known fisherman Yeppoon. N. Barton, owner of the pleasure launch Nellie: Frank Glazebrook, an employee of the Commonwealth Bank at Rockhampton, and Jack Horton, an employee of the Railway Department. The party left Yeppoon in the launch Nellie about 9.30 on a recent Monday night for a pleasure cruise and fishing. That night they anchored at Stockyard Point. Next" day they continued leisurely under sail until 1.30 p.m., when they were about, a mile from Quoin Island, which is 38 miles from Rockhampton. Smashed to Pieces A whale 40 to 50 feet long suddenly rose 30 feet out of the water and crashed across the launch, which was smashed to smithereens and sank immediately, the sea being strewn with wreckage. Fortunately the dinghy, which was lashed aboard the launch, broke away and floated with one oar. Horton had received severe injuries to one foot, and Barton had a frightful gash on the shin, caused by a barnacle on the whale’s tail. Glazebrook. who escaped injury, kept Horton afloat while Barton swam for the dinghy. Barton, under great difficulties, brought the dinghy to Glazebrook and Horton, who were in the water for hours. With the greatest difficulty, Horton was “floated" into the small boat, and then the dinghy had to be bailed from outside to keep it afloat. Eventually the other two got aboard the dinghy, but it was swamped. Thanks to Barton’s seamanship, it was righted again. Barton then made a rowlock with his belt, and they started on a five miles’ journey for Port Clinton. Horton was lying in the bottom of the dinghy in terrible pain and half submerged in water. While Barton rowed with only one oar Glazebrook desperately bailed out the boat. Launch to Rescue Within half a mile df Port Clinton, ind to their intense relief, they caught sight of the launch Viking. Glazebrook signalled by waving his shirt, and Carpentier and Cambridge at once made for the dinghy. Horton was taken aboard the Viking and made as comfortable as possible. Barton, Horton and Glazebrook were then taken to Yeppoon. Horton was admitted to Yeppoon Hospital suf faring from a compound fracture of the foot and other injuries, from which he died.