ZANE GREY’S CRUISE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1927, Page 4

ZANE GREY’S CRUISE

FISHING AND SCIKNCK. AUCKLAND, .Tun. I. Members of the Zane Grey-Alma Baker sporting ami scientific expedition are beginning to assemble in Auckland in readiness for the start of tlu* cruiso in a fortnight’s time. There arrived by the Manilla from Sydney to-day Mr C. Alma Baker, the friend of Zane Grey and partner in the expedition, who was associated with the novelist in his deep-sea fish* iiej; experiences in New Zealand last yiWr, and to whom Mr Zane Grey inis < ledicated his hook, “Tales of the Angler’s Iff Dorado, New Zealand.” Mr Baker left the United States four mon ijis ago in order to look after his rubber and tin interests in the Federated Malay 'States, .and he is now awaiting the arrival of Mr Zane Grey and the remainder of the party, who are on route from San Francisco by the Tahiti, which is due at Wellington on January 17th.

Accompanying Mr Zane Grey is his brother, Mr R. C. Gray, the novelist’s 17-year-old son, who accompanied his father on a fishing expedition in the Caribbean Sea two years ago. and Captain Laurie J). Mitchell, who was at Russell with .Air Zane Grey last year. A welcome sight for Air Baker this morning, was the schooner Fisherman, from S.in Pedro, lying at her moorings a short • distance from where the Afarama anchored. The vessel will take the expedition to tho Bay of Islands and subsequently on a fishing and scientific cruise,. to the South Sea Islands. including the Kermadccs. Co'ok Group, mil other waters as far east as Pitcairn, the voyage will be in the nature of a pioneering expedition, for the islands of the Pacific have never been exploited by a deepsea. anuler, in spite of the knowledge that those waters are heavily stocked with great sporting fish. Reports tell of sa.ilfish running up to l!) and ‘ill feet in length, while tuna. hroadhiU, and make shark, and ordinary marlin swordfish, abound in considerable numbers. SCIFNTIFTC WORK. f,i order that the expedition may take on a scientific value, it is. hoped to secure the services of two scientists from American universities, who will he occupied during the voyage with a, detailed study of ocean currents and other marine phenomena, particularly with a view to mapping the warm currents likely to he infested with sporting fish, on account of the abundance of feed. It is hoped in this way o discover the best fishing grounds m the Pacific and amass data which will he of value to deep-sea anglers the world over. . According to present plans. Lie Fisherman will leave Auckland, with its full complement- of fishing experts, scientists, photographers, and "anpjators, nl)ou(> .January JOtli- jV Pacific cruise will occupy the expedition four or five, mouths, and the party expects to ho back in America by Die end of August.