Modest Captain

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 425, 6 August 1928, Page 1

Modest Captain

Rescue from Flat Rock by Master of Tofua “COULDN’T HAVE PASSED WITHOUT SEEING THEM” “If there were people on Flat Rock we couldn’t have passed in daylight without seeing them.” Captain Duncan McDonald, master of the Tofua, is very modest about rescuing a ship-wrecked crew off Flat Rock, near Kawau, on July 14. He made the above remark this morning, on his return from the Island trip. “We keep a good look-out on this ship,” the captain remarked with a smile. It will be remembered that on the afternoon of July 14, as the Tofua steamed past Flat Rock on her way to Suva, the look-out man was attracted by distress signals from the crew of the scow Herald, which had been wrecked in the gulf the night before. Captain McDonald immediately went to the rescue of the four men, took them off and turned round and brought them back to Auckland. A launch met the vessel down the harbour off Rangitoto and landed the men in the city. “But for the delay of four and ahalf hours we would have made the best trip of the year,” said Captain McDonald this morning. “I had hoped that the launch which came to meet us would have reached us off Tiri, but it didn’t.” Even with the delay the Tofua made a splendid run and arrived in Auckland this morning long before she was expected. Those on board enjoyed the trip very much. Excellent weather was experienced on practically the whole of the journey.