CHANNEL THRILLS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1929, Page 8

CHANNEL THRILLS

OUTBOARD' RACE FIASCO. 49 FRAIL CRAFTS IN TROUBLE. LONDON, June 14. At 4-30 p.m. on Saturday 49 outboard motor-boats left Dover Harbour to face to Calais and back. Had all gone well the leaders should have returned hi two iiouj£. Three hours passed, and no boats returned. When tiie starting gun went the fragile boats massed together shot out of Dover Harbour. They struck the uroken water at the harbour mouth and bounced like tennis bails. Immediately they were outside m the open sea it was evident that the chances of anyone completing the course were small. The sea was choppy the sky overcast, and the visibility poor. There was a risk that the race would end tragically through someone going far olf Jus course and losing himself. The boats spread fan wise hurrying black dots splashing over the waves, and within 45 minutes the Channel was peppered with boats in distress.

Some were upside down, some on lire, and somo going round in circles the drivers were bailing out water, some working on their engines, some rowing, and at least one swimming. VESSELS TO THE RESCUE.

Tugs, fast motor cruisers and yachts put out from Dover, Folkestone, and Deal and scoured the Channel for tuose wno were marooned, and ‘by 8 o’clock the search was widened to cover a great area of water. The chief fear was that some of the competitors •would be stranded miles from anywhere after 'darkness. Many boats had taken a completely wrong fours: from the Mart, and othws, having broken down, had drifted miles Iron the direct route. Over three hours after the race had star-ted it as announced that jhe event had been abandoned, no prizes would be given ana u reception arranged for the evening was cancelled. An official of the Outboard Motor Racing Club said Unit tlie race would prooably take place on another day. in the nun thousands of (people lined the promenade of the quayside hours after the (boats were expected uack waiting to hear something. Am 0 " the scores of mishaps one boat, the Scarlet Pimpernel, caught lire near the harbour, and the driver, l\lr Lewis, jumped into the water. The beat was overturned by rescuers to extinguish the flames and the driver was rescued and pulled into the boat. He was. unhurt.

Soon after the race was abandoned a wireless message was sent out from North Foreland at the request of the officials asking all ships round the coast to look out for motor-boats. Some idea of the remarkable way in which the boats scattered after crossing the starting line may be gathered from the following facts:—One man fpund himself at Dunkirk, another' at Boulogne, a third was landed after breaking down at Dungeness, a fourth landed at Folkestone, one even readied Ostond, and many performed circles in mid-Channel.

LADY COAIPETITORS

There were four women competitors Miss Zoc Livesey, Baby England, broke down miles from anywhere and she drifted about helplessly for some time. Another competitor, who also had engine trouble, came her way. He eventually managed to get his engine going, and towed her back. The other women starters were Miss M. B. Carstairs, Mrs C. Christie, and Miss Jean Spicer. Airs Christie, who was accompanied by Air Webb, got within two miles of Cali as when disaster overtook her. First of all the lead to the magneto had to be held for some miles, a.nd then a seam gave way-, and the boat filled with water within a few seconds up to the gunwale. Eventually a boat picked them sip a.nd took them back to Folkestone. At 11 o’clock on Saturday night it was reported fiiat six competitors were still missing. As darkness fell the search was intensified. Every available boat from Folkestone, Dover, Deal, and the North Foreland put out and carried "out a systematic search over the darkening waters. Boats al _ so left ports from the French side, wireless messages having been received asking assistance and co-operation Fears were increased by the news that there was a fog on the other side of the Channel.

ALL COA[PETITOR S ACCOUNTED FOR.

The Lady Beatty, the Deal motorboat, was the first to come across one of the disabled boafs. Dashing right across the Goodwin Sands, slie found the boat, ATiss Speed, in a waterlogged condition somo three miles east of tlie sandbank. She was in tow of another boat, the Flying Squad 11., which had on board the pilot of the ATiss Speed. One of the crew of the Lady Beatty was put on hoard Flying Squad IT., and piloted ho\’ into Dover harbour.