NARROW ESCAPE.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1923, Page 2

NARROW ESCAPE.

YACHT IN PERIL OFF LYALL RAY. STRAIT CROSSED SINGI.K-HANDED IN GALE. WELLINGTON, Oet. 24. Captain Cooper, an experienced seaman, who arrived in the Dominion a fortnight or so ago from India, and . who intended sailing the Muritai (a 32-foot yacht well-known to the members of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club) which he purchased in Pioton, still further afield, had a narrow escape from going on the rocks at I.yall Ray on Monday. With a broken spar, his running gear fouled, and the engine out of working order, he lay from 7 a.in. till l p.m. off' Houghton Ray, with one anchor gone, and the cable of (lie remaining anchor stranding. After being visited and a good deal comforted by ;i surf boat crew from the I.yall Ray Surf Club, lie was given a tow in by a launch from Island Ray. On purchasing the Muritai at Picton, Captain Conner determined to sail her over the strait single-handed, being unable to .get anyone to go with him. He left Pieton on Saturday, an! got on well until the yacht was struck by the tierce northerly and disabled, lie came abrca.-i the Poncarrmv oglu at midnighl on Sunday, and being unable to make the harbour owing to the howling aim!, and not knowing the coast, put in towards I.yall Ray. He pulled no off Houghton Ray, with the rocks not far off on his lee. 11l his disabled state the position was an unenviable one. as very scam ono of his anchors carried away. From 7 a.in. he tried to communicate with the shore by living distress signals, and at 1 1 a.m. the I.yall liny Surf Club's recently acquired whaleboat put off with a crew, and managed to get aboard the Muritai, whose owner was much concerned, as the cable of tlntj. remaining anchor was stranding badly. Enable to attempt the towage of so big a craft, and as the skipper refused to leave the yacht, the whaleboat had to return without him, getting ashore after several exciting attempts mi a big breaker. It was now l p.m., bm word n;is got to Island Ray, and a launch soon afterwards took the Muritai out of trouble.