Surf Race Turns Into Struggle For Lives

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 12

Surf Race Turns Into Struggle For Lives

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, January 9.

Clinging to their swamped surf boats in thundering surf and heavy chop, surf lifesavers fought for their own lives in a disastrous surf boat race at a beach day on Muriwai Beach today.

Noel Salter of the North Piha Club was tossed from his boat by the surf, caught by the rip and swept half a mile out from the beach. A team-mate, Walter Coles, was struck on the hip by an oar. He was rescued by a < surf ski and brought back to I the beach for medical treatI ment. i After several conferences >’ on the beach in the morning the surf boat captains decided to go ahead with the race around Oaia-Taiapa Island and back—in spite of the violent seas and a very high spring tide. - Nearly 1500 people watched as the life-savers launched their boats into the foam and strained away on the first leg of the three-mile trip. In the close surf the Piha boat Piha broke a sweep-oar rowlock, and was forced to retire.

The Muriwai A boat Rtheineck split and lost its stroke oar—the leading oar of the four-man team. The bow oar was used to replace it and the bow oarsman crouched in the

gunwales, using his hands to help paddle the craft. Rheineck had been in front but lost the lead and was last round the island.

The leaders, Jockey (Eastern United) and Miss Rothman (Muriwai B) reached the breaking waves with a quarter of a mile to go to the beach. Buffeted side-on by a 10ft wave the Miss Rothman overturned, oars flying into the surf. The crew clung to the boat as the Jockey suffered the same fate. At the same time the Kiwa (North Piha) was caught from behind by a huge wave 600 yards from the beach. The crew members moved to the stern to add extra weight but they were flung sideways. The craft rolled several times in the foam, while ■ the crew desperately clutched at it.

Thrown well clear of the boat, Noel Salter was 100 yards away, drifting out to sea. Walter Coles was in agony after being hit by a flying oar. Distress Signal

The crew held up their arms as a distress signal to the shore and were spotted by a patrol. Kelvin Cordy, an ex-

perienced surf-ski man, attached the belt and line to his ski and set out through the surf to try to attach the line to the helpless Kiwa. The water was cleared of swimmers after one hampered the rescue by picking up the line and tugging on it. The reels were taken to the southern end of the beach because of the effects of the northerly rip. After 10 minutes of battling against the waves, Mr Cordy signalled that he was making no progress because of the weight of the line. He detached it and made his way to the boat, picking up the injured lifesaver and bringing him back to the beach.

Mr Coles was. taken by jeep to the club house for treatment by a doctor. A belt man then tried to swim out to the boat but gave up within 100 yards of the craft.

The Rheineck, coming in last, saw Mr Salter drifting helplessly in the rip and rescued him, headed for the beach after baling out water, then was swamped itself. As the boats drifted closer to the shore three beltmen swam out to tie lines to Miss Rothman and Jockey to help bring them in. Using a composite crew and replacement oars from both the Miss Rothman and the Jockey, the Jockey set out again to help rescue the other exhausted crews and brought them ashore.

Fins were seen circling the area and there was a shark scare—but Muriwai Surf Club officials said it was not the conditions for sharks. They were sure the creatures were porpoises.