FOUR-MONTH CRUISE IN YACHT

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 147, 17 March 1939, Page 8

FOUR-MONTH CRUISE IN YACHT

Experience Of New Zealand

Woman

PASSAGE FROM CAIRNS TO

MACASSAR

Dominion Special Service.

AUCKLAND, March 16.

After spending nearly four months as cook in an Australian auxiliary yacht which is making a world tour, Miss I’. Squire, Bay of Islands, returned to Auckland from Sourabaya by the Maetsuycker. Miss Squire had hoped to accompany the yacht further on its cruise but the time at her disposal did not permit. A keeu yachting enthusiast, Miss. Squire was on holiday in Australia when she heard that Mr. Bradford Potter Sydney, intended sailing bis uOtt. vessel Fram round the world. Through mutual friends she obtained an introduction to Mr. Potter, who agreed to allow her to join the crew. She was the only woman member. The Fram left Cairns, Northern Queensland, on October 31 with seven people on board, two of whom, however, disembarked at Thursday Island. Calls were made at Merauke, Dutch New Guinea, and the Dobo Aru Islands off the New Guinea coast. The vessel then set across the Banda Sea. Progress was extremely slow as the Fram alternatively ran into strong north-west trade winds or encountered dead calms. Several islands were visited, passages between . ports sometimes taking as long as 16 days, whereas they should normally have taken only about nine or 10. Macassar, in Celebes, was not reached till February 20. As she had to return to New Zealnd, Miss Squire left the Fram at Macassar and took a steamer to Sourabay, where she joined the Maetsuycker. She said that she thoroughly enjoyed her trip and would eagerly accept another opportunity ot an ocean cruise if such ever offered. The Fram is continuing Its tour through the East Indies. Mr. Potter intends to go to Europe, either by the Suez Canal or South Africa, and hopes to be at Helsinki, Finland for the Olympic games next year.