COOK STRAIT TIDES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 20 January 1931, Page 11

COOK STRAIT TIDES

WHAT A SWIMMER WOULD PACE

A correspondent K. W. Little, writes as follows to “The Post” : “Yachtsmen have a good knowledge of the tides, and their experience in navigating the Strait is against any swimmer being able to make the crossing. In the last yacht race to Port Underwood the writer took part in, our boat left Port Underwood at 8 a.m. for Wellington, but an entire absence of wind saw us drift south till about 1 p.m., when we picked, up a light north-wester. At this time our boat- was down off the Kaikouras, while we could see the other yachts high up the Strait, apparently making a good crossing. Wo set a course for Pencarrow, and with the freshening breeze made good time, being in the vicinity of Sinclair' Head at 5.30 or 6 o’clock. The other yachts were sailing along merrily but were in the grip of a powerful tide and were fast losing ground, being unable to sail against the tide, which carried the yachts back into the Strait beyond Terawhiti. We kept on our course, being out of the range of this set, and in the darkness made Chaffers Passage to reach the boat harbour at 10.30 p.m. The other yachts did not reach Wellington until late on the following day. This illustrates the strength of these tides and currents to be met with in Cook Strait, and about which the New Zealand Nautical Almanac has a good deal to say. This volume makes ono point plain, i.e., the tides in C'ook Strait cannot be relied upon to conform to a set time-table, and mariners are warned of this peculiarity. How a swimmer can hope to overcome what aro often troublesome to small steamers and yachts is beyond the comprehension of those who have a knowledge of Cook Strait navigation.”