THRILLING SEA FIGHT

Waipa Post, Volume 51, Issue 3645, 19 July 1935, Page 2

THRILLING SEA FIGHT

COURAGE OF GIRLS The tenacity of Miss Cecilia Bailey, who, drenched to the skin and acutely sea-sick, clung to the hatch and prevented seas flooding the boat, probably saved the 30ft. Mona and all aboard, when the engine broke down off Manly a few days ago. The five other young women on the Mona also played courageous parts in the drama, steering the boat, bailing out, or burning the flares made of their frocks soaked in kerosene, which eventually guided the pilot steamer Captain Cook to their rescue.

Interviewed to-day at their home in Barker-street, South Kensington, the Misses Mabel and Cecilia Bailey told a thrilling story of their five hours’ ordeal of hope and despair as wave after wave threatened to upend the boat and send it down. “It was awful,’ said Miss Mabel. “We were tossed about like dice in a box. It was impossible to stand. “One second the boat stood on end and the next it dived back in a slip that seemed as though it would never stop. I thought we would never reach safety.” Saved the Boat.

“Cecilia clung on to the hatch to 3top it from going,’’ interposed the father.

“I had to,” said his daughter, simply. “If it had come off, the water would have come in. Sometimes a wave would lift it and me into the air. It all felt so terribly hopeless. “Nobody seemed to know what was happening. Kath. Anderson, who was with us, cut her foot and was standing in a pool of blood. I don’t think she realised that it had been cut.”

To her sister, the five hours seemed like 20. All the other girls, she said, did all they could while Mr G. Hilton sought to restart the engine.