TINY CRAFT BUFFETED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 51, 28 January 1938, Page 11

TINY CRAFT BUFFETED.

ESCAPE FROM DISASTER. Per Press Association. WHANGAREI, Jan. 27. Striking a hurricane about 120 miles off Cam Maria Van D omen the Wayfarer had a narrow escape from disaster, and had to put hack to Whangarpa.

“When about 30 or 40 miles off the cape the wind began to rise, but we kept going and eventually ran into wliat seemed like the centre of the cveione,” said Mr K. G. Reid, one of the crew. “The wind seemed to hesitate and then came round in the opposite—northerly.—direction. The conditions -were so bad that we could get only one sight on the way back to the coast, and instead of striking the cape we made landfall about five or six miles down the Ninety Mile Beach.”

i The sea had been rising all the time. Air Reid said, and the worst stage of the storm was reached with waves 25 to 30 feet in height. The waves were steep and short, with only a few breaking. The Wayfarer behaved well, however, but one or two seas were shipped, a skylight frame on the starboard side being stove in. At the height of the storm a fault developed in the steering gear, but this was not serious, one screw coming adrift, and being soon repaired. It was soon seen to be useless to continue the race and it was decided to turn back, reaching Whangaroa yesterday, added Mr Reid.