Fishermen’s “Luck”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 664, 16 May 1929, Page 1

Fishermen’s “Luck”

WRECKED AND RESCUED Thrills Afloat and Ashore (Prom Our Own Correspondent) WHANGAREI, Wednesday. TO be adrift in a launch in a howling gale, to be wrecked on the rocks, to have the roof of their rescuer’s home blown off, and then to be involved in a motor-car accident—thus were thrills provided for two Whangarei fishermen who are thoroughly convinced of the truth of the adage, “It never rains, but it pours.”

An amazing story of a chapter of accidents which befel two men while on a fishing expedition in a launch in Whangarei Harbour on Monday morning was recounted to a Sun man. The boat, which was owned by Mr. Bert Brown, was in charge of Messrs. J. Earp and M. Gillespie. Passing the entrance to McLeod’s Bay, the hatch cover blew off, and they put about to recover it. when the anchor line blew overboard and fouled the propeller, stopping the engine. This put the launch and crew in a precarious position, as the gale was at its height. Waves were surging 12 feet high, and whipping spray 100 feet into the air. Daylight was just breaking, and they drifted into the bay. After four and a-half hours of drifting in the driving rain and spray, the launch was dashed on to the rocks in McLeod’s Bay, and the bottom stove in. The two men jumped for safety, and

Mr. Gillespie was just pulled out of the way by his companion when a wave lifted the boat bodily and threw it on to the rocks where he had jumped. A nearby resident, Mr. Hogwood, seeing the men’s plight, took them to his house and gave them hot food and dry clothing. They had hardly got settled when a terrific squall lifted the roof off the house and all turned out to assist in fixing up a lean-to. This was completed, and next morning the two fortunate fishemen set out to walk to Whangarei a distance of 2.2 miles, but jvere fortunate to be offered a lift by a passing motorist. They had proceeded to within three miles of Onerahi, when they turned a sharp bend in the road and crashed into a motor-car. The car was badly damaged, but the one in which they were travelling escaped lightly. Eventually they arrived in Whangarei on Tuesday afternoon, and, excepting for the loss of their personal effects, little the worse for their experience.