CRUISE OF TEDDY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1931, Page 5

CRUISE OF TEDDY

/ NORWAY TO NEW ZEALAND. The story of the voyage of the 40foot yacht Teddy from Oslo, Norway, to Auckland was retold last week by her master, Captain Erling Tambs, to a large gathering of yachtsmen in the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron rooms. Auckland. Commodore X. if. Mucky introduced the speaker and mentioned that the idea of making a charge for the benefit of the Napier earthquake mml came from Mr Tambs, who was on a visit to Napier at the time of the disaster, and had done good work there. Mr Tambs prefaced his talk with an ode to his little ship in which he extolled her qualities. Although 40 years old, he said, she was the embodiment of usefulness, and her lines would never be out of date as a sea-going craft. The Teddy left Oslo. on what Mr Tambs described as a honeymoon cruise. He had been married just before leaving and his wife, was the crew. The Teddy was originally a Norwegian pilot boat, 40ft overall, with 14ft beam and 7ft 3in draught, yawl rigged. As a boy he greatly admired the pilot boats and their work of putting to sea in all weathers. One particular boat had taken his fancy, and he always said that he would buy her. When he did get her she required a lot of renovation. which was done under the direction of Mr Archer, son of Colin Archer, World famous as a designer and builder of seaworthy boats, including Nansen’s famous vessel the Frnm, They loft Norway on August 2, 1928. His wife was not used to the sea, hut soon became a good sailor, although she suffered at first from seasickness. In the Bay of Biscay. Fine weather was experienced until reaching the English Channel. After , entering the Bay of Biscay they had a succession of gales until nearing the Spanish coast, when the weather clear, ed up and light winds prevailed to; the Azores. They had been nearly ten | months reaching here. A stay was made at Las Palmas, where a son was . horn and he was enrolled as first mate. From Las Palmas they made the Azores and then sidled across the Atlantic for the coast of South America, this being the shortest route. They made land near the mouth of the Orinoco., which big river strewed the sea with debris for 100 miles from its mouth. Coasting along South America they reached Panama and came through the canal. . After a stop at Balboa they set out for Cocos Island, the land of buried treasure.

Some very violent electrical storms were experienced nearing Cocos. A landing was made on the island, but all he could find was some coconuts. While ashore by himself the dinghy got adrift, ’flip sea was alive with sharks, so swimming was out of the question. His wife was asleep in the cabin and did not see the dinghy drift away. The onlv thing to do was build a raft of driftwood, 'in which; ho eventually reached the yacht. The Eastern Pacific.

The weather qucikly improved after leaving Cocos and a course was set for the Marquesas Group, in the Eastern Pacific, which was reached after a slow trip, provisions being reduced to one tin of meat. Here a stop of a mouth was made, and before leaving they were presented with a very liberal supply of fruit and vegetables by the natives.

Tahiti was the next port of call. Careful navigation was needed to avoid the coral atolls of these waters. Some time was spent at Tahiti and then a course was laid for Tutuila, Samoa.

After leaving Tutuila they visited Suva. There thd skipper was ill with influenza and a poisoned finger, and for the first fortnight of the run down to New Zealand the ship practically steered herself, sail being reduced to foresail, trysail and storm jib. Although he did not sight the Kertnadees, their peculiar odour of volcanic origin was noticed. Shortly after this he made land .just where he expected to. sighting the Poor Knights and later Cape Brett light. The yacht proved her good seagoing qualities on many occasions. Frequently she had to be hove-to, and under storm canvas she always head reached and worked up to windward. Her best run was 800 miles in 41; days, on which a small square sail helped a lot. 1» several watches she did 36 miles, equal to nine knots. Some Narrow Escapes .

Very narrow escapes from disaster were related in a casual way as if all in the day’s work. The modest way anything of the kind was referred to, and credit given to the good qualities of the ship rather than to his own good navigation, was characteristic of Mr Tambs. He certainly possesses an almost uncanny gift of scenting unseen danger just in time to avoid accidents. On one occasion, when crossing the Bay of Biscay during the night, he was half asleep. On a small boat at sen there always are multitudes of sounds, blocks and spars rattle and banging sails slat and bulkheads creak. After a time the sailor becomes used to them, and able to account for each one. On this night, he distinctly heard an extra sound, which was repeated three times. At the third time he was fully awake and i saw dose at hand a ship showing him I her port light (which gave her the right of way). In a few seconds she would have cut the vaeht right down. Ho 'bad only time to jam the helm hard clown, and she came about under the ship’s bow. A figure on the fo’c’s’le said. “Von have luck with yon. Monsieur." Good Luck With Him. Mr Tambs admits good luck has stuck to him. At the same time, after hearing several incidents recounted of getting clear of difficult situations, his audience could clearly see that liis

“luck” was his good seamanship and skilful navigation. Tt might he asked, why did he this trip? Certainly not for (record breaking or for money, hut just out o' a love for the sea and its liberty. ... From here the yacht will go to Syd ney and up the coast of Australia, through the islands north of Australia, and eventually to Capetown am home to Norway. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Captain Tambs on Mr Macky’s motion. Lieutenant-Commander W. C. Jul er. of the Melbourne yacht Oimara. which is also in port., added a tribute to the Teddy’s performance, which, h - said, made their trip seem quite a short cruise. The sum of £l2/3/- will he hander to the Mayor’s fund as a result of the lecture.