YACHT'S ROUGH PASSAGE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3052, 13 April 1917, Page 8

YACHT'S ROUGH PASSAGE

FROM' AUCKLAND TO WELLING- ' , TON. • • Very unexpectedly yesterday, afternoon the Auckland yacht Wanderer ar- ■ rived in port, and late last night anchored in the boat harbour. The Wanderer is owned bi Mr. Frederick C. Graham. She was Built three aiuj a lhalf years ago at Kawhia, and for three /.years she has been used by Mr. Graham as a fishing boat. . Her measurements : are: Length, 40ft. £ beam, lift. •6in. ;■ depth, 7ft. She. carries three and a half tons of lead. Mr. Graham in- : tends to use the Wanderer for fishing ■'.■'at but. if his trials are unsatisfactory he intends to take i.er on i'to Akaroa. The Wanderer left Auck!land on January 9. last, and her trip ; down has been ; a most adventurous - one; . Off Cape Colville she lost lier first mainsail, and put., in to Kawau Island. Hero a new mainsail was bent ' on, and this was lost the first night at sea in a north-westerly gale, off Cape Colville again. ' A storm jib and canvas cockpit cover were then used, .and the vessel, battled up anddown between' Gisbor'ne, :Napier and Tolago Bay in a " heavy ' riortK-westerly gale. Finally she got into Gisßorno.', There another .mainsail was- fixed, and the i'aclit left a fortnight ago. .Last' Saturday week she sheltered from a, northwesterly gale at Castlepoint. 'The wind went to the north and she left on the following day. Next, the boom broke, and the sails were ripped. 'A' trvsail ■ was used and the yacht arrived'at Cape Palliser last Monday. She : was'twice T)lown to sea by westerly 'sales, and passed Palliser: again or. Wednesday, and used her sweeps in order to get into Wellington, where she arrived yesterday after lier long and strenuous passage. At Gisborne, the man who came aboard to fix the sail accidentally put a billy of benzine on a primus stove and was so hadlv injured hv the flire-np that ho is not sxpected to be able to leave the hospital for a month or more." The vessel carries a crew of 1 two besides Mr. Graham.