FROM AUCKLAND TO MELBOURNE IN A YACHT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2439, 12 January 1881, Page 3

FROM AUCKLAND TO MELBOURNE IN A YACHT.

A cablegram states that at the Corio Bay (Geelong) Regatta, the Hon W. J. Clarke’s yacht Janet was first, and the Tauiwha, specially built at Auckland for the Intercolonial yacht race at Hobson’s Bay was second. It was generally anticipated that Mr Clarke’s new yacht would hold her own against all comers, so that the position of the Auckland boat will occasion but little disappointment. The voyage from Aucldand of the Taniwha, a vessel of 30 tons was rather a bold one and required a great amount of pluck on the part of those who undertook it. A distance of 1500 miles had to be performed “ aceross the'raging main” the voyage was a mixed one from Auckland, heavy gales, high seas, and calms being experienced, but the little vessel is said to have behaved admirably throughout. Only on two no casious did she have a fair chance of testing her sailing qualities, and then she made 172 miles one day and 204 the next. She left Auckland on the (3th Dec., and meeting with calms and strong N.W. winds took a departure from Cape Van Diemen on the 7th. On the 11th she lay to during a S.W. gale and high sea for several hours, then had variable winds and squally weather until the 13th, when a gale from the North West necessitated her heaving to again for two days, and she had not long made sail and resumed her course when the wind, which had been from S.W, and hauling to N.N.W., suddenly backed again to S.W., and blowing a gale created such a confused sea that she was again hove to. On the 18th she had a fair wind and line weather, but after a day of such it varied between S.W. and E.S.E. Cape Howe was passed on the 20th with a northerly wind. On the 21st she was becalmed under Hogan’s Group, but on the 22nd passed Wilson’s Promontory at 10.30 a.m., with a good breeze, which shortly afterwards became light and died away to a calm for a few hours, when a strong S.W. wind set in, and between that and south brought her to Port Phillip Heads at noon on Dec. 23.