THE YACHT KIA ORA.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1031, 26 October 1903, Page 4

THE YACHT KIA ORA.

STORY OF HEB BEACHING.

INTERVIEW WITH MB ISAAC.

AN ARDUOUS AND PERILOUS

TIME.

By tho steamor Kawau, which arrived from Omaha yesterday afternoon, Mr Percy Isaac, proprietor of the Royal Hotel, who accompanied Mr Buckeridge in tho little yacht Kia Ora, which was beached at Point Rodnoy on Tuesday last, returned to town (says tho Now Zealand Herald of Saturday). Mr Isaac, although suffering from a bad cold, does not appear to bavo suffered much from what he describes as a most trying experience. In an interview with a Horald representative yesterday Mr Isaac said : “ I left in the Kia Ora with tho intention of proceeding £l3 far as Gisborne with Mr Buckeridge, where ho was to have been joined by his companion for tho long voyage to London via Capo Horn. We left St. Heliers Bay on Sunday afternoon, October 13, and made out towards Cape Colville, bound to Gisborne. Tho night was dark and stormy, but nothing out of tho way, and tho Kia Ora made good weather of it. When about half-way be • tween Colville and Cuvier a heavy gale from tho eastward, with a very high sea, set in, and tho seas began to break on board. Finding that tho yacht was making sorno water, ana the wind and sea increasing so much that it was impossible to make any headway, wo decidod on Monday morning to run for the Greut Barrier for shelter.

“ Tho yacht’s course was' accordingly changed, and under tho staysail we ran for ,tho Barrier. It \va3 turn about at tho tiller throughout. Tho soa was tremendous, and at times tho yacht was almost buried, and sovoral times I thought sbo would bo swamped as sho dropped down into tho trough of the sea ; and then again, caught on the top of a gigantic wave and getting broadside on, would heel over to such an extent that tho after hatchway was under water. Several times I thought it was 1 all up,’ as the yacht went over so far that I thought she would sure'ly capsize. It was hold on all the time, I can-assuro you, and both of us wero in tho cockpit, as tho after hatch was closed so that no more water would got below. It was pitch dark, with thick misty weather, and tho wind coming down from all parts flattened tho sails at times so that the yacht could not possibly keep her course. Finally wo gos under the lee of tho Great Barrier on Monday night and anchored. “ Going below I found that thero was a good deal of water in tho yacht, and to make matters worse, during the jumping about we had undergone a tin of kerosene had broken loose and the contents saturated all tho provisions. That is tho reason why wo could get nothing to eat ; as a matter of fact, all wo had hal since leaving St. Helievs Bay was a cup of cocoa, so you will understand that our position was not a very enviablo one. It being itnposaibla to remain below owing to tho smell of tho kerosene, we got a couple of blankets, which were also wot, and, fairly done up, _throw ourselves down in the cockpit to try and got a few hours' rost. “ But that was not to be, for at about 5 a.m. on Tuesday we were suddenly awakened by heavy seas breaking over us, and wo then found that tho yacht had tripped her anchor and had drifted out to ,sea. Tho wind and sea were too heavy to attempt to get back under the Barrier, and not daring to put out tho sea anchor, in case wo should drift ashore, it was determined to make for the Kawau. The wind still blew a gale, with a very heavy sea, and to mako matters worse it set in thick and foggy, with hail and rain, making it impossible to see any distance ahead, and we missed tho island in the darkness.

“ Early on Tuesday morning land was sighted, which proved to be Maori Island, at the entrance to Omaha. We skirted the island, and tried to weather Point Rodney, with the intention of making for Whangarei. But hero again the wind and sea baffled us, and the yacht had to be brought round, it boing a Ice shore, and very little chance of working off it. Finding wo could not weather the point-, it was docided to try and beach the yacht, and she was pointed for the beach, between the point and the island.

' “ It was an ugly-looking place, with the jagged rocks on either side of us, but it was a case ‘ neck or nothing.’ 80, taking our coats, waistcoats, and boots off, to bo ready for all emergencies, we made for the entrance. The yacht was caught by’ a tremendous roller as she passed in, and each holding on to one of the masts wo awaited the issue. Over the yacht went until the masts wore buried, but she quickly recovered herself; wo breathed hard for a moment, when another roller took lior, and she went over oven farther than tho first time. Beforo the third one caught her she began to bump, and did so badly three or four times, and then tho third one caught her and wo were on the beach. It did not take U 3 a second or two before wo both jumped ashore, and mighty thankful wo wero that we had come through suoh ■ a severe ordeal in safety. With assistance tho yacht was shortly afterwards hauled up on tho beach above high water mark, and made secure. Mr and Mrs Ton6tahi gave us a cordial welcome, and our first meal since wo left Auckland was gladly and thankfully partaken of.

“ On examining tho yacht we found that tho only damage, beyond tho straining done in tho heavy weather, was a small hole in the side, which was dona when sho came ashore. It is Mr Buckeridgo’s inlention to continue his voyage as soon as the necessary repairs are effected.” Mr W. Bailey, of Mossrs Bailey and Lowe, tho builders of the yacht, left fer Omaha last night, in order to see the extent of the damage, but it is not yet decided whether tho Kia Ora will return to Auckland or sail for Gisborne from Omaha,