ADVENTUROUS TRIP IN YACHT

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 81, 29 December 1934, Page 12

ADVENTUROUS TRIP IN YACHT

Wellington to Lyttelton TWO CHRISTCHURCH MEN An adventurous sea trip ended at Lyttelton this week when Major A. H. Carrington, of Christchurch, in his twenty-six foot yacht Haerere, arrived from Wellington. Major Carrington, who was accompanied by Mr. K. W. Burrowes, of Christchurch, experienced his first thrill in Cook Strait when making the crossing to Tory Channel. A north-, erly gale was whipping up a big sea, and when about five miles off Cape Terawhiti the lashing holding the fore hatch cover came adrift, flooding the vessel with water. Before effective steps could be taken to remedy the breakage the yacht was half full of water and labouring heavily, says the “Christchurch Times.” Her head was turned southward 'before the wind, and more than an hour elapsed before everything was again shipshape and it was possible to resume the course. Wearying Struggle. . The long beat northward was begun, but it was soon, clear that it would be impossible to make Tory Channel. Eventually anchorage was made in Port Underwood after more than 12 hours of wearying struggle. Everything was very wet, and the next day was spent in drying out and resting. There followed an easy trip up to Tory Channel, and a fortnight amid the beauty of Queen Charlotte Sound. The historic places, such as the land-ing-places of Captain Cook, the old whaling stations, and lastly Jackson’s Bay, oiib of the oldest settlements in New Zealand, were all explored. At Jackson’s Bay, Tory Channel, a pleasant evening was spent talking with and enjoying the hospitality of the third generation of the original family that settled there in 1830. Fifteen Hours at Sea. The trip southward was a. curious mixture of no wind and gales. Major Carrington said that the first day, one of wallowing in the rolling sea to Port Underwood, was concluded by - towing the yacht with the dinghy for about four miles and_ anchoring at 1 p.m. after fifteen hours at sea. There was no wind the next day until noon, after which a reasonably fast trip was made to Cape Campbell in four and a half hours. The north easterly died away for a couple of hours and then gradually strengthened until by 10 p.m. it was of gale force. A big spread of canvas was being carried and the wind became so fierce and the sea so rough that the two on board the yacht preferred to take the risk of tearing along in front of the wind to attempting to take in a reef. At one period the yacht was right away from land across the inter-island steamer route, and the southward-bound steamer appeared to leave its course and go over to look at the.small craft thrashing through the big seas. With the dawn tlie weather abated and a halt for a couple of hours was made in the lee of the Kaikoura Peninsula to take off the big mainsail, affix storm sails and boil the billy. Enormous Seas. Light W’inds brought the yacht along the coast to the vicinity of the Waipara. A very strong easterly wind then sprang up with enormous seas. Fast progress was made, but Godley Head could not be negotiated until a long board was made out to sea. For more than forty-eight hours Major Carrington and . Mr. Burrowes were at sea, two hours on and two off. during which time they experienced every wind excepting south-west and two at least of gale force. Even though there were long periods without much wind the sea was at all times so rough that the boat was in violent motion, making rest almost impossible. The yachtsmen were very pleased to moor at Lyttelton .after what they described as an arduous but by no means unenjoyable experience.