LONG JOURNEY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1931, Page 6

LONG JOURNEY

VOYAGE IN OPEN CUTTER. SWEDES’ ADVENTUROUS EXPLOIT. SYDNEY, June 16. An adventurous exploit by two Swedes was successfully concluded ou Friday last when Mr George Henson, whose home is in Bexley, a suburb ol Sydney, and Mr Johansen, of Gothenburg, Sweden, sailed the open cutter, Gullmarn into Lake Macquii-rie entrance near Newcastle, New South Wales. The cutter had been sighted earlier in the week by the Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer Katoa. out at sea. Interviewer, on boarding the vessel discovered to their surprise that the owner was a Sydney man.

Mr Benson explained that though he had lived for more than quarter of a century in Australia, he was a Swede by birth. It was when lie was on a visit to his homeland, which began two years ago, that he bought the Gullmarn for the use of his two sons, who live in Sydney. Talking casually in a restaurant in Gothenburg one evening, he said that he was thinking of sailing the boat to Australia. When a bet running into hundreds of pounds was made that he would not complete the feat, he took it up.

Enlisting the services of Mr Johanson as navigator, Mr Benson left GotlienÜbtirg ten months ago. After touching Denmark and France, the Gullmarn put i into Brixham, South Devon. While ho was there a minor explosion sent Mr Benson into hospital for more than a week, but this was not permitted to interfere with his plans. By way of Lisbon, Madeira- and the West Indies, the Gullmarn crossed the Atlantic to Colon.

After passing through the Panama. Canal, the cutter made for the New Hebrides. When she lett that group of islands a month ago she met with the worst weath encountered during the voyage. The two adventurers were hourly in danger of their lives, but their little craft rode out the storm. Their provisions, however, were by that time nearly exhausted. A lucky meeting with the Katoa made possible the replenishing of supplies. Mr Benson has not tired of adventuring, and he now talks of using the cutter for a further voyage to the Far East. Mrs Benson, however, is anxious for him to remain at home for a time after bis roving, and be will probably accede to her wishes.