Island Boats Delivered To
p. 83 · Read in the full issue
Your Doorstep
Captain Aubrey Wyeth Who Has
been building island launches and work boats on a creek near Glad stone, Queensland, recently delivered one of them to Mr. C. H. V. Hodges, at Vella Lavella, BSI. She was the 40 ft. diesel-powered Rob Roy.
Actual sailing time of the launch was 16 days—but due to bad weather at the start, the time really taken was 10 weeks.
With Mr. Cliff Olsen as engineer, and a crew of one, Captain Wyeth started out to Cairns and expected to sail from there direct to Samarai, a distance of 450 miles across the Coral Sea, but cyclonic weather forced them to run up the coast to Lizard Island, 100 miles north of Cook town.
Two attempts to continue from here were frustrated by cyclonic gales and eventually the launch returned to Cook town for additional stores and water.
Here the third member of the crew decided that he had had enough and returned to Melbourne leaving Wyeth and Olsen to complete the journey on their own.
In heavy weather the Rob Roy took four days to run from Cooktown to Samarai where the harbour was filled with boats sheltering from the gales.
After the launch was beached and checked, it was found that no damage had been done and an early start was made for Gizo, a port of entry to the Solomons.
This run proved a picnic in beautiful weather and the final leg was completed without incident and the boat was handed over safely to Mr. C. H. V. Hodges. It will be used to carry copra.
Captain Wyeth and Mr. Olsen flew
back to Rockhampton in two days and got busy at once on the next launch.
Captain Wyeth trades under the name of Capricorn Charters. Sale of Rob Roy was negotiated by William E. Reed, Island brokers of Sydney.
The BSIP Government’s 60-foot patrol ship, MV Myrtle, arrived at Ballina, NSW, on August 20 for slipping and overhaul.
Her master is Captain A. Evensen, who took a sister ship, MV Mary, to Ballina last year. At present, Protectorate ves sels of this size and over, which require
slipping and complete overhaul, must be sent to Suva, Rabaul, Moresby or Ballina, and Ballina has proved the most satis factory. Later, the BSI Government hopes to instal a slipway at Tulagi, to carry out all essential work without the long voyages which these patrol ships must at present undertake.
Suva port facilities are to be improved as part of Fiji’s Development Plan. This includes enlargement of Customs sheds, improving roads in the area, re-decking the wharf, improvement of fences, etc.