Yacht Driven Twice on Reef

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Aug. 12.

Four Winds is a small yacht in * which the owner and his friends have been cruising about the Society and Tua motu Islands. One day, recently, they came to Anuanu Raro, in the latter group, and most of the company went ashore leaving the. owner to sail the boat off and on until they were ready to return on board.

Some accident in the motor left the vessel drifting helplessly. As is usually the case in such emergencies, there was an inshore wind, and soon the yacht was among the breakers, which cast her high on the reef.

There being no tools or materials in Anuanu Raro to repair and relaunch the yacht, the owner chartered a native cut ter and came to Papeete for a salvage crew.

The weather remained calm until the

salvage operations were well nigh com pleted. But before the launching could be carried out a boisterous north-east wind came along, sent heavy seas thundering over the reef, tore away the shoring tim bers about the yacht’s hull, and drove her higher than ever on the coral.

The owner, determined to save his boat, worked with his men in the seething waters. Finally, when the storm abated, they succeeded in making temporary le pairs, and getting the yacht into deep water. She was brought to Papeete in July for a thorough overhauling Mr. Harold Nossiter, the Sydney yachtsman who recently visited Tahiti, the Galapagos, Marquesas Islands, and Tonga, during a world cruise, will be the speaker and guest of honour at the Pacific Islands Club reception at the Carlton Hotel, Sydney, on September 29.

Mr. Nossiter will speak on his visit to the Marquesas group.