TUREE IN A BOAT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1920, Page 3

TUREE IN A BOAT

DEVONSHIRE TO THE PACIFIC

Mr Ralph '.Stock, a well-known contributor to Australian, English, and American magazines, lias' returned on a visit to. Sydney (says the “Morning Herald”). Mr Stock who is accompanied by his sister, was a passenger by the Maikura. They ,vame, however, only from Auckland by the steamer. The other portion of' the journey from England was made in a ‘2l-ton cutter, by way of the Panama Canal. And a pleasant and very interesting voyage it was. too —that of two men and a lady in a boat. “When I was invalided from the army, nine months before the end of the war,” said Mr Stock, “my sister and T decided to be fishermen, and. buying the gear and a cutter, went to live on. the Devonshire coast. We were fortunate in the boat we got, a craft built by Norwegians for service as a lifeboat among their fishing fleets. It was 47ft. long had a beam of 15ft., and bad been put together strongly enough to stand anything. By find bye we conceived the idea of a round-the-world cruise, and, after taking lessons in navigation, duly set sail on .July 21, accompanied by-Mr B. A. Bundle, an army officer whom we have left behind in Samoa where he has joined the local Administration.” From the coast of Devonshire, the voyagers made Vigo, in Spain, then has Palmas, and so across the Atlantic to Barbados. The latter stage took 30 days, the cutter being at one time becalmed for nearly a week. Nearly a month was passed cruising about the West Indies until Colon was reached, and the little craft was presented for passage through the Canal. “There,” said Mr Stock, “we took everything off the cutter we could to.reduce measurements before the official measurer came along. He went about his job with the utmost, solemnity and finally wound up by saying that he ‘couldn’t make it more than 12 tons —and that will be 12 dollars.’ So we paid the 12 dollars—the smallest amount. I think, ever paid in canal dues—and were ‘locked up’ with two big steamers.” At. the canal the party saw H.M.S. New Zealand with Admiral Jellicoe on board, and attended a dance given on the big cruiser. Then they steered to the Golanngos Islands and coming by wav of the Marquesas, the Low Archipelago,- Tahiti, Palmerston Island, and Niue, reached Nukualofa in Apiil. There such an attractive offer for the cutter was made that it. was sold, and is now the property of the Island Government. V‘We enjoved ourselves immensely on the trip,” 'says Mr Stock. “All the places we visited were enormously interesting and the weather was so fine that incredible though it may appear, one could have almosF paddled: the whole way in an open boat. , Miss Stock was prfciouslv in Australia and. was wrecked on Norfolk Island, a few years ago, with her brother. while on a yachting cruise. Mr Stock describes his sister as having been the best- of the crew.” All the way out ske koot her regular watch and took her turn at'the tiller. Their intention is to buv a cutter in the north and after a cruise in- the North-west Pacific, to sail hack to their fishing on the Devonshire coast by way of Suez.