‘Cavalry Charge’ helps overdue fishermen

Press, 29 January 1986, Page 6

‘Cavalry Charge’ helps overdue fishermen

PA Wellington The bugle strains of the “Cavalry Charge” wafting up a rugged Titahi Bay cliff early Monday morning was the last sound two overdue fishermen, Messrs Michael Ward and Trevor Sergent, expected to hear. But after a few moments the pair, tired and hungry after stumbling across boulders and up a huge cliff face, knew help was close. Mr Sergent, aged 32, a sales representative, said yesterday that he and Mr Ward left Titahi Bay in a five-metre runabout to pick up two nets from Little Titahi Bay.

They planned to be home in daylight, but after picking up the nets the engine refused to restart.

The boat started to drift in the northerly wind, so they decided to try to guide it inshore. They scrambled ashore just south of Boulder Point. A high tide and big boulders prevented them from taking the shore route, so they climbed up a 40-metre cliff face to take an alternative track through Pikerere farm. "We were walking over the farm, and then we just heard this bugle call. We knew as soon as we heard the bugle who it was,”

said Mr Sergent. Mr Colin Simpson, a Titahi Bay Boys’ Brigade lieutenant and a friend of the pair, had heard they were overdue, and with two others decided to search the coastline. “I knew they might have a bit of trouble seeing or hearing us, so I took my bugle along too,” he said. The three were on the beach and at first mistook the flares high on the cliff top for stars. When Mr Sergent and Mr Ward started waving the flares, and Mr Simpson started playing the bugle, everything fell into place, said Mr Sergent.