Yacht’s Sea Baptism

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 710, 9 July 1929, Page 7

Yacht’s Sea Baptism

VALKYRIE’S VOYAGE TO SUVA

Trying Time in Two Heavy Gales

TRIM and tight despite the battering of two heavy gales, but with her water supply seriously depleted, the Auckland yacht Valkyrie arrived in Suva on June 23. Her appearance set at rest the fears that had been growing since a week or two after her departure from Auckland 33 days before. Three of the passengers who endured the rigours of an exceptionally trying maiden voyage returned to Auckland on the Tofua last evening. They are Mrs. Scott-Shaw and Miss Constance Scott-Shaw, of Manurewa, and Mr. C. Paget, of Epsom. Their story is one of excitement not unmixed with hardship.

Built in Auckland, last year by i Messrs. C. Bailey - and Sons tor the owner, Captain E. Gilling, the Valkyrie left to receive Iter sea baptism a few months after her launching. In the trial that followed she came through admirably, riding giant waves like a duck and generally proving herself a good and pleasant seaboat. Those on board the Valkyrie when she left Auckland on the Suva trip were:—Captain Gilling, owner and master;* Captain Townsend, aged 6S years, mate; J. Martin, and a boy o£ 15; Mr. C. Paget, of Epsom, owner of the Auckland yacht Maru; Mr. F.. Lowe, Devonport; Miss D. Wilson, Auckland: Mrs. Scott-Shaw and : Miss Scott-Shaw, of Manurewa. Leaving on the. afternoon of May 20 the yacht put in at Kawau for the night and left the next morning only to be forced back by the first of the bad weather. A fresh was’made on the following morning and the weather held fair till Great Barrier was passed. Twenty-four hours later the scene had changed, and the staunch Valkyrie was being tested to the fullest. A thunderstorm was racing, lightning played round the ship, and Captain Gilling stoi&d out to sea in case worse was to follow. It was well he did so. Before many hours had passed the yacht was hove-to in a howling gale. Despite the size and strength of the seas the Valkyrie gave her crew no anxiety, breasting the wind with the confidence of a storm-bird. Below deck the passengers were having their first real taste of ocean adventure — they were sick. For a day and a night the Valkyrie was hove-to; then she continued on her way despite the heavy seas which made progress deadly slow. The skipper hoped for a westerly wind which would put him on his right course, but this did not come. Three days later the yacht was fast in the grip o£ another big storm and for three days she lay hove-to. The wireless aerial was carried away, hut this was the only damage, although the seas were the biggest ever seen by Captain Gilling. At last calm weather came the way of the adventurers, but their luck had by no means changed. Calms and light, variable winds now hampered

the voyage and prevented the making of any material progress. So the Valkyrie crawled along until she was three days from the Fiji group. There the edge of a cyclone was struck. “Just before the storm, there was a sunset, horrible yet fascinating,” said Mrs. Scott-Shaw. “Heavy clouds on the western horizon were stained blood-red, pierced at intervals by flashes of lightning.” Captain Gilling stood away from the storm centre and succeeded in avoiding trouble. Then he ran for Suva.

When he arrived in the harbour his stock of provisions was still ample, but the water was. low, and all hands had been on strict rations for some time. A cup of water a day was the allowance for washing. “Yes, we were fed up.” That was Mrs. Scott-Shaw’s excuse for leaving the yacht at Suva —that and the terrible experiences she had endured oh the long voyage. Mrs. Scott-Shaw has lost, a stone in weight since she sailed from Auckland. “What made you go on the trip?” she was asked. “Just the spirit of. adventure, hut I’ve had enough of it now,” she replied.