A FIRST TRIP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1938, Page 9

A FIRST TRIP

EXPERIENCES BEFORE THE MAST VOYAGE TO NEW CALEDONIA A “first tripper” in sail, Mr R. D. Boyd, jun., a 20-year old Birkenhead youth, vividly describes his experiences aboard the Finnish four-mast barque Pamir, which left Auckland for Noumea, New Caledonia, in February. Mr Boyd indentured for two years as an apprentice. The Pamir was towed out of Calliope dock at about 5 p.m. (he writes). On reaching midstream, the William C. Dalby let go and the Te Awahini made fast forward. In the gulf we began to make sail. The pilot went over the side and the tug gave us the customary three blasts on her whistle. How silent everything was —just the steady drone of the seas running along the lee side. AU sail, except the royals, was set, there being only a light breeze out of the south. This meant we had to sail "by the wind,” and being in ballast made little way. The meals on board were surprisingly good and plentiful—there is no stinting the food. On February 16 we put about, still by the wind, and lying about northwest by west. The wind increased and sail was shortened. Squalls swept down, making everything miserably wet. Oil-skins were welcome those first days. The foresail blew out the following day, and we had to bend a new one. We were doing about ten knots at the time.

Next day the wind moderated and all sail was set. By mid-day it was a flat calm. The watch below washed,.and soon an array of working clothes was to be seen hanging all round the foredeck. In the roll the sails slapped noisily against the backstays. In the night the wind sprang up and we were surging along again, though more rain came with it. We made a pretty fair run that day.

Next morning the rain simply pelted down, flooding the well decks and we lost the wind. The watch below appeared with blankets and very dirty clothes, which soon changed the colour of the water. Later on in the day we picked up the wind again. It increased through the night to a gale, forcing us to reduce sail again and put about. The seas ran high, ‘and though we were in ballast trim and well up forward, they broke over the forecastle head. One could stand against the wind only with difficulty. The rain squalls made it very uncomfortable for the look-out that night. After a day or so the weather improved, allowing more sail to be set and deck work to be carried on. There were new sheets and halyards to be spliced, and torn sails to be patched. .

We were 450 miles from New Zealand a week after sailing. The first week seemed long, probably on account of incessant rain. The wind was strong and steady, allowing tis to carry all sail barring the royals.

One day I was aloft on the lee side of the mizzen lower topgallant yard when my knife belt became unbuckled and sailed down to leeward. I saw the belt and sheath catch on the crojack footrope, minus the knife. I rescued the belt and was going up again when I noticed the knife perched perilously across the yard above. I didn’t take long in collecting it! On February 26 we sighted the island. The day was fine, and the wind fresh, but it was doubtful whether we could sail through the narrow entrance to the lagoon. However the pilot came aboard and pronounced it was possible. We were close hauled on the port tack, and had to go through an entrance not much more than a quarter- of a mile wide. We scraped through, and after a 30-mile run dropped anchor a mile outside the harbour to discharge the ballast.