ADVENTURES OF VALKYRIE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1041, 4 August 1930, Page 10

ADVENTURES OF VALKYRIE

SCHOONER-YACHT AT TAHITI MORE TROUBLES IN SOUTH SEAS DEFINITE news of the whereabouts of the schooner-yacht Valkyrie, which has had a varied and adventurous career since her launching - in Auckland two years ago, and which left the Waitemata for a voyage in the Pacific, is brought from Tahiti by Mr. W. W. Meek, a solicitor of this City' who recently returned from a visit to that island.

Mr. Meek says that the Valkyrie, which left Auckland on May 8, believed by the Customs to be heading for Norfolk Island, arrived at Papeete on June 24—47 days out for a distance of nearly 2,000 miles. The vessel, of only 40 tons, bad a terrific time in storms, and arrived looking very weather-beaten, said Mr. Meek.

A city business man stated on Saturday that he had been informed it was tho intention of the Valkyrie’s master and owner, Captain E. Gilling, to make a voyage to Los Angeles, where the captain hoped to interest cinema people in Island cruises. Mr. Meek, however, states that he spoke to Captain Gilling in Papeete, and he made no mention’ of a trip to America, but expressed his intention to make short cruises among the islands neighbouring Tahiti, with tourists as passengers. “When in Tahiti, 1 noticed one day that a smalt schooner carrying a New Zealand ensign was lying out in the lagoon,” said Mr. Meek. “1 thought it very strange, and inquired at. the Tahiti Yacht Club for the name of the vessel. When they told me that, it was the Valkyrie, and that she had made a voyage from Auckland, 1 was very much surprised— aDd yet [ was not, because I had met Captain Gilling once or twice in Auckland, and knew of his previous adventure in the South Seas." VALKYRIE CHARTERED Mr. Meek made the acquaintance of several people, a New Zealand hank manager and his wife, a wealthy young Australian, an American, and another announced their intention to take advantage of an offer by Captain Gilling to take them for a seven-day cruiso to Raiatea, a resort about SO miles away, then to Borabora. 129 miles, and finally to the beautiful island of Moorea on the way back. Mr. Meek decided not to join tho party, being content with Papeete. The tourists set sail on July 2, their idea being to be back in Papeete in time for the great carnival and fete which takes place annually when the French population celebrates tho fall of the Bastille. The Tahitians join in with all the gaiety and lightheartedness of the native spirit, and altogether it is a great day for everyone. Captain Gilling had on board with him one or two boys to mah the ship, and a Chinese cook. The run down to Raiatea is always a quick event, because of favouring winds, but the trip back . . . At all events, the seven days allowed for the voyage elapsed with never a sign of the Valkyrie. Two more days passed, and Tahiti people began to grow anxious. The great fete took place, but the Valkyrie adventurers had not returned to see the carnival.

When their friends had begun to give them up as lost, said Mr. Meek, the missing tourists —or, rather, two out of the five —came into Papeete with the Valkyrie on July 17, with a story of a severe fright. The only woman passeuger told Mr. Meek that she had never been afraid until she experienced a storm through which the Valkyrie had to battle. During the whole of one day the passengers were battened below while the vessel was threshing about in furious seas That was too much for three members of the company, and when the Valkyrie did reach a haven they left the ship and returned later by a trad ing schooner, and, had they known it. might have got a passage back to Papeete by the French warship Bellatrix, which was patrolling among the islands. After leaving Borabora. the Valkyrie set out for Moorea, but bad weather forced a return immediately to the former anchorage.

Captain Gilling did not seem perturbed by the experiences through which his command had taken him. Instead of charging the tourists £1 a day for the 15 days, the old skipper only billed them for £lO each. Mr. Meek said that Captain Gilling seemed quite happy pottering about the islands, and seemed not in the least anxious to get back to New Zealand.