A NARROW ESCAPE.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 12, 20 September 1901, Page 3

A NARROW ESCAPE.

A Riwaka correspondent supplies, the following; The new yacht Meteor of lliwaka while on a trial trip last Sunday moi-n:i:g met with an accident winch might have been fatal, we left the wharf with nine young men aboard, looking forward to having a good time There was a, Lght sea-breeze at the tune we left, but we had not proceeded iar, when one of the crew, looking lack exclaimed, "look at the South "West scud coming!" and looking hack we saw the water churned into" foam, and making a terrible noise. Then the c.-mmand lang out "Let go the peak halyard" and in less time"than it takes to tell, the command was carried out. When the full force of the gale struck us. with a roai- like the spray fiew over us, wetting us through. The yacht seemed to be a terrible pace We were running before the wind, id o a stag before the hounds, when a Leavy sea, much larger than the rest, struck the yacht, thus making her jibe! Every one who knows a bit about yachting can realise the danger jibing m a gale. The boom a splendid ' stick swinging round, caught the running gear, and snapped in two. The sharp broken end, swinging in caught one of the crew a, nasty crack on "the face, gaging cut a po:r:on of the cheek' It he bad not put rut his hand to save khnself, he would now be in the Sweetbye and bye, for it would have nierced Ins. neck, like the Ke-w Zealanders pierced the Boers on N.Z. Hill. Soon alter the anchor was dropped, and we all set to work and spliced the broken h^ m - Tiu * wi ' Rl f Ih-.ed with men all eager to know the result of the accident. Two of the spectators, wiser than thereat, put off in a boat to give us assistance, which we declined with thanks. Another yacht was caught mi toe same gale and had to lav to. until the gale abated. After splicing the boom, we double reeled her, and naue tracks for the wharf. At times ,; e yachts deck was six inches under vaier, owing to the pressure of wind m toe canvas, which made her cant ••ver Mofiii after we reached the whar*, and tlms ends an eventful trip.