TRAWLER “GIRL PAT”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 126, 29 May 1936, Page 7

TRAWLER “GIRL PAT”

SLIPS TO SEA AGAIN Believed to Be Making for Capetown HER VOYAGE FROM ENGLAND (By Telegraph—Press Association—tSl'pyrightj 1 Received May 28, 10.40 p.m. LONDON, May 27. The Daily Mail’s Dakar correspondent says the Girl Pat is now believed to be heading for Capetown. When she called at Daxar Captain Osborne came ashore and told the harbourmaster that he wanted bo re-stock the vessel with food and have the engines rei paired. The authorities were discussI ing what action could be taken when i suddenly the trawler slipped out to I sea again, leaving behind the mate, I Harry Stone, and also unpaid bills, i Stone, interviewed, said: “When we | set out from Grimsby we did not go fishing, as supposed, but made straight for Dover, where we put the engineer ashore because he was becoming restless. The engines broke down soon after leaving Calais. We managed to patch them up but they broke down again and we were forced to use sail. The vessel called at Luges, Spain, where we bought a sixpenny atlas, with the aid of which we managed io reach Vigo. We then went to Concubion, where we stayed fifteen days and had a grand time. The maritime authorities lent us money. We slept all day and spent the nights in cafes. We then struck some uninhabited islands and .stayed on one for three days, mending the sails, after which we hugged the African coast to Cape Blanco, ‘where we renewed provisions, but these -were all stolen, and also part of the vessel’s equipment, while we were ashore. We tried, to get more food at Port Etienne, but were unable to do so because we had no money. All we had aboard before calling at Dakar was three bottles of water, a little wine and a tin of milk for five men. I am through, with adventures and glad to be out of it.” Stone is reported to have told the Dakar port officials that the crew intended to sell the vessel and divide the money. A. message from London states that the insurance company is paying out on a total loss for the Girl Pat. A cable message published on May 16 said that Lloyd’s agents throughout the world had been instructed to watch for the North Sea trawler Girl Pat, 'which the Admiralty declares has been I pirated. She left Dover on April 4 'and put in to Corcubion, Spain, on April 12. She left nine days later after extensive repairs, without stating her destination. The owners, the Marstand Fishing Company, notified the underwriters on April 27 that the ship was a total Joss and explained that they had engaged a skipper a few months ago who had picked his own crew, with the exception of the engineer, who he left at Dover.