COOK STRAIT SWIM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3897, 19 January 1929, Page 2

COOK STRAIT SWIM.

TO-DAY’S ATTEMPT,

ABANDONED OWING TO UNFA A’OUR A BLE WEATHER.

AVord was received as we go to press that Miss Gopplestone abandoned the attempt to swim the Straits this morning owing to unfavourable conditions.

At 2 o’clock this morning Miss ’Gopplestone, the plucky Ashburton lady swimmer, was timed to enter the waters of Cook Strait from a point on the .Maryborough Sounds coastline and attempt to swim across to the North Island, a feat only once previously essayed but accomplished by a European, though according to Maori legend, a Native woman years ago did conquer the Strait. The swimmer's party disembarked from the T'amahine at Okukari, near To Ahvaite, yesterday afternoon and proceeded ashore in a launch to Mr. and Mrs. F. Kenny’s home, where she slept until an hour before the time arrived to enter the water.

Her objective on the North Island will be Ohau Point, near the Makara beach. The distance from point to point in a direct line is approximately lfi miles, but owing to the strong tides and currents, for which the Strait is famous, the swimmer will have to swim a course like the two sides of a triangle, the base of which' would be the direct "

line. She will enter the water at a time when the tide will carry her south, and she Anil SAAim s’teadily to Avards her goal. The turn of the tide, it is hoped, will carry her then in ithe direction of the North Island. Howe\'er, the influence of the currents’ in the middle of the Strait is still an unknown factor, and this stretch of water is as likely to prove as full of eccentricities as is the English Channel. In making its conquest the SAvimmer will require to be aided by the best good fortune. The swim is calculated to occupy* from lfi to 19 hours.

There is no doubt about Miss Guppies tone’s ability to swim the distance, or of her capacity to make herself at home in choppy water. Indeed, if the sea is somewhat rough, Miss lOopplestone will probably be a great deal more comfortable than will be the people in the accompanying boats. She has an easy trudgeon stroke that permits her to swim very low in the water, a fact that is of tremendous advantage in. rough water in avoiding the bugbear of “a mouthful.” The chief obstacle in the way of her success will be her incapacity to stanA imniersion for so long a period in water that is much below the temperature of that in which swimming usually takes place. She is relying in this respect on her proved ability to stand cold water well, and on the assistance in this connection that she hopes to have from the liberal coating of grease with which she will protect herself. FOLLOWING THE SWIMMER. One of the launch parties following the swimmer will include Air. T. • Hartigan (Miss Copplestone’s manager), who might accompany the swimmer in the wafer for part of the distance, Mr. Half-.; ley (owner of the launch), Mr. MJjSkS; (helmsman), a swimming offlemq‘ newspaper representatives, auA fishermen. It is understood that - two of the fishermen,, will be front; Wellington and two from Pici'oa,'their inclusion in the party being’ considered of great advantage in. view of their knowledge of the pe-’~ culiaiities of the stretch of water to ■, be crossed. The possibility of some ‘ Wellington swimmers accompanying Miss Gopplestone at stages of the attempt has been mentioned, but apparently no definite arrange-* incuts in this direction have been completed. Advice has been received from Auckland that R. J. Webster, 'who failed in his attempt last year, intends to make another attempt to swim Cook Strait this season.