THE WATERLILY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1932, Page 8

THE WATERLILY

CRUISE OF SOUTHERN SEAS

LONG VOYAGE ENTERED UPON

Although the idea of the cruise of the ketch Waterlily, at present visiting Auckland beiore setting out on a voyage to the South Sea Islands, was born m Auckland, the schemefinalised in Christchurch, where three young men who wanted to see the world diecussed details and made plans for two or three months before the vessel was bought or even before it seemed likely that success v.as possible for the project (writes All - L. W. P. Reeves, ol Christchurch,, a member of the crew, in the “Auckland Weekly”)- After SsOtti'ing the , various ports of New Zealand, however, they at last found the Water lily in inveVcargill, and what had been an absorbing subject for midnight discussion became a concrete reality and a part of their lives.

The Waterlily, a ketch-rigged vessel of about 43 tons, 66ft long, with a beam of 16ft., and drawing a little more than 6ft of water when ballasted and loaded with stories and fresh water, was bought in Invercargill two days before Christmas and the original three members of the crew then set out to sail her to Lyttelton. One other members of the present crew had already joined the party, but u - as unable to take part in this first stage of die voyage settling down in the ship later at Lyttelton. Lyttelton had been chosen as the port in w hich to relit because the crew, being all from Cantermi y,'felt that they would be able to buy stores and do the work more quickly in their home port. A s it turned out, their hopes were fully realised. The venture was never extremely wealthy, but thanks to the kindness of the people of . Lyttelton and to the help given Dy a number of business men of the town, . especially Lieutenant-Commander H. A. lthind, R.N.V.R., whose advice and personal assistance was invaluable, the fittingout and provisioning of the ship was carried out at much less expense and much more thoroughly than the crew' had expected, even in their most optimistic moments.

The voyage is being begun with rew definite plans. So much depends on wether tne ship turns out:to be entirely sea-worthy and suitable for the purpose—a discovery which can only be made after actual experience at sea —and so niuch on whether- the crew, only one of whom has any deep-waier experience, finds the life congenial and profitable. All opinions gatheied so ar from master mariners and sailors of all grades have been that the Waterlily is ideally suitable lor the cruise and the crew is confident of its ability to handle the ship in all weathers. Flans for the future are indefinite but they take the ship es far as Suva, by way of Tonga, the first landfall after Russell, and Samoa. This course lias been chosen in the hope of taking full advantage of the trade winds prevailing at this season of the year. If all goes well visits vyill be made to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, the Caroline Islands and the Solomon Islands, the general course of the ship being along the north-east coast of New Guinea to-ward the Dutch East Lelies and the Federated Malay Staten. If all still continues to go well and the t lew’s present vague ideas are not changed by more attractive proposals, an attempt will be made to cross the Indian Ocean, by way of Ceylon, to the east coast of Africa and, after cruising south to Capetown, the Waterlily will strike northwards again up Africa’s'west coast, and so make there way eventually to England.

How long will it'all take? There again the crew has; no plans and, fortunately, no need for plans. No one of them has any time limit set and so long as the ship can be kept in condition and expenses paid, and the party does not break up, there . seems no reason why the cruise should not last two or even three years- It is a cheap and interesting way of seeing the world.

The Waterlily is one of the bevitknown trading vessels in New Zealand waters. Everywhere the present crew has been they have found old sailors who rcnieml>ercd her many years ago —old sailors who, if they had not sailed in her themselves, had sailed in competing vessels. One of the most interesting visitors to the boat in Auckland was Mr Spraggon, a son of a pariier in the old shipbuilding firm of Henderson and Spraggon. Mr Spraagon senior designed and built tli- Waterlily in Auckland in IS6-5. and .Mr Spraggon junior brought to the ship some interesting data about the vessel which he had unearthed from bis father’.- papers.

The Waterlily has changed hands frequently during her long life, gradually working her way down the coasts until just before the wai\ when she was purchased by a Port Chalmers firm. In Port Chalmers in 191.1 she was practically rebuilt, being cut in half just aft of the how section and lengthened from her original ‘lf ft to her present (ifil't. She was then rejigged as a ketch, in place of the , utter rig with which she was first equipped. At the same time she "as redecked and several beams and ribs were replaced. Thus, ;t is (air to sav that she is considerably younger than her fi7 years of service indicate.

When the present crew bought her they found Hint the hull and si nditn) ringing were wonderfully sound but that: the running rigging and sails were pretty well worn out. The running gear was all replaced ;n Pvt "It. r ■' d snare head sails were purchased there.

Nearly half'the canvas in the mainsail was replaced ancj fi trysail, to act as

a spare mainsail, wr>- boepdit in Aueklarnl, :is well ns n spare mi/.Keii. Also, (luring tlu* eight weeks that the ship lay in l.yttollon the () ! j enrgo huh! was doekod over ami skylights ami eompanion ways provided, and the ieteri r was partitioned into a saloon 12ft by Kil’t., four single-berth eahins and one double-berth on Inn. Water tanks were built in and lookers, and shelves for the ship’s library and