BARQUE PAMIR, ALL SAIL SET, HAS MADE HER DOMINION LANDFALL

Wanganui Chronicle, 18 August 1948, Page 4

BARQUE PAMIR, ALL SAIL SET, HAS MADE HER DOMINION LANDFALL

Due Auckland Today Or Tomorrow; Great Round-World Voyage

(Press Association) AUCKLAND, An<r. 17 One hundred and eight days out of Antwerp, with a full cargo of cement and basic slag, the New Zealand four-masted barque Pamir made her Dominion landfall at the North Cape at 2 o’clock this afternoon.

Running full and free, with a crisp north-westerly wind on her starboard quarter, the Pamir slipped smoothly through the ruffled blue sea at 10 knots. She should enter the Port of Auckland, if the fair wind holds, late tomorrow, or on Thursday.

When the Pamir was sighted a few, miles south-east of North Cane by an! aircraft chartered by the "New Zea-' land Herald," all sail was set to take advantage of the quartering wind, The clean black hull, the freshness] of the deck paintwork, and the ship-' shape general order of the barque at-,' tracted the eye as the Pamir, heeling j a fraction to port under the weight of pressing canvas, began the last ■' short stage of her round the world' voyage.

The master (Captain H. S. Collier) i and members of the crew waved ac-‘ knowledgment of a salute from the Auckland aircraft and watched its! manoeuvres while photographs were! taken of the ship. When the Pamir enters Auckland! harbour on her first visit since early 1 in 1938 she will have completed one of the most memorable voyages in: New Zealand shipping history. For the first time for many years the New Zealand flag will have been taken round the world by sail in a journey , that has aroused sentimental regard , not only of those interested in the sea, but of the general public of Britain and the Dominion. The story of the Pamir’s voyage from Antwerp, via the Cape of Good Hope, the Great Australian Bight,! Bass Strait, and the Tasman Sea, was given to the “New Zealand Herald” I by her master, Captain Collier, in a radio message. Captain Collier is a Union Steam 1 Ship Company officer who transferred I from the command of the motor-ship Waiana to the Pamir two years ago. He has been a ccompanied on the i

round the world voyage by Mrs. Collier, who signed on as a member of the crew at one shilling a month. On th" departure of the Pamir from Anti. great interest was taken in whe .s. probably the last squaie-

rig. ship to be towed down t ie tlch. , stated Captain Collier. Weather .orceasts promised nothing useful, either for the north of Scotlaml route or through the English Channel. Gale fore winds forced the barque to anchor off Flushing ov’ermpiit, minefields and wrecks in the area restricting the towing to fine weather. "On Sunday morning, May 2, ..<• resumed the low, and having dropped the Belgian pilot off Ostend we co tinued towards the English side through the swept cnannei, coptin go the message. "That evening, the winds having veered northwards, we started making sail with the sun still hig.r over the cliffs of Dover. The ship must have presented a fine sight. “The wind petered out 10 miles past Beachy Head next day and we then started five days of beating and tacking down the Channel. Ships of all nationalities showed great interest and a Finnish steamer gave us a cheer and dipped his ensign to our own red. New Zealand Ensign. "Winds in the North Atlantic were very disappointing, and we went through the Doldrums in a week. South-east trades carried us on to latitude 42deg. south, where we got our first westerly. ’ Captain Collier did not comment o:r stages ol the voyage until (he Pamir reached Bass Strait. "Conditions in Bass Strait were good, the ship doing over 12 knots,” Captain Collier's message continued. "Rogerson, a bov fr..m Nelson, steered the ship to Scull Rock, when Clare, of Gisborne, took over. Both were very proud boys. “Only moderate progress was made across the Tasman and a stationarydepression located north of New Zealand during the week-end made progress impossible. All hands enjoyed good health throughout," concluded Captain Co.lier.