News Of The Small-Ships

flarch Weather is Risky—Viti II for Yasawas Cruises— Iwners Say Hong Kong Cheaper than Australia—Renovated ►hip for Loyalties Service—Gilberts Mission Ship Lost

It Happened In March:

[arch has been an eventful month l the maritime history of the 3uth Pacific, and especially in the iji area, with its hurricanes. Paine, . his Ships & Sailors of Old Salem 924) tells of the loss of two Salem lips on a single day—March 31, 31 —when a hurricane swept the iralau area. The Glide, Captain enry Archer, with 30 men aboard id 22 months out of Salem, Mass., is lying at “Bonne Rarah,” Ovalau, len the blow struck. She had just mpleted loading a cargo of beche -mer at “Miamboaa,” along the ast. When the ship was blown the reef all hands got ashore fely. Thanks to the good offices a New Bedford seaman named ivid Whippy, who had deserted )m another vessel some time rlier and had, through marriage, some virtually a chief, the men re not molested, but the Glide s literally torn to pieces by the ;al people and carried away as sty. The vessel, incidentally, had 'her in her voyage been attacked natives at Penrhyn, Northern oks.

The other ship lost was the Salem brig Niagara, which was blown onto a reef between Ovalau and Mbau. Captain Brown and his crew all escaped, and made their way in boats to Ovalau, where both crews were picked up in June that year by the Salem brig Peru and eventually reached home.

The descendants of David Whippy to-day form one of the best known families in Fiji—one member was recently admitted to the Fiji Bar.

Others are still closely associated with the sea and ships, many of the inter-island fleet having been Whippy-built.

As a matter of interest, it may be mentioned that old whaling re cords disagree as to just when David Whippy did land in Fiji.

For Research Work:—Ln

stitut Francais d’Oceanie has pur chased the 90-tons motor vessel Orsom 111, ex Bateman’s Bay, from Mr. Roy Gubbay, of Santo. The ex-trawler, which was built in a NSW boatyard in 1947, is now based on Noumea and will be employed for scientific survey work in the New Caledonia area. She is

powered with a Caterpillar diesel.

Charting Continues:—As In

the past several years, HMNZS Lachlan will do some coastal sur vey work in the Islands this Autumn.

She is scheduled to clear Welling ton early April, going first to Niue to survey anchorages and erect survey beacons ashore. Then she

will proceed to Apia to take approach and harbour soundings.

The survey ship is due back in Auckland on May 6.

NG LOSS:—The launch Destiny , owned by Mrs. Gilmore, pro prietress of the Madang Hotel, took fire and was burnt out m Madang Harbour on January 30.

Attempts by a shore party to halt the blaze failed and the craft be came a total loss.

Retired—In A Sense;—Cap

tain L. C. Boulton, QBE, who re tired after long service as master of the NZGS Maui Pomare in the Samoa-Niue-Cook Islands trade, was reported to be delivering the steam trawler Waipu from Auck land to Sydney, late February.

Waipu, which has been purchased by Red Funnel Trawlers, of Syd ney, was the vessel in which an Auckland syndicate planned to seek the General Grant gold hoard at Auckland Island last year. The plan appears to have fallen through.

Stjll Going Strong:

Skipper Hugh Wililams and en gineer Les Livingstone have com pleted another year of useful work in the Cooks inter-island trade with the converted Brixham trawler In spire. The twin-screw ketch arrived in Auckland for annual re fit and a new motor in mid- February, with a crew of passage workers taking the opportunity of

an inexpensive ride south. Inspire is a handy-sized vessel for the Cooks trade and has done a con siderable amount of work since she arrived there from Sydney several years ago.

Following the recent loss of the D. C. Brown vessel Rannah, the

inter-island fleet has been redu« to Inspire and the A. B. Don & Co. 300-tonner Charlotte Done now in Papeete refitting.

Incidentally, the Donald orgj isation this year issued a most tractive calendar —a reproduction a painting by the well-kno

icific artist Charles McPhee, owing that vessel lying in Avatiu arbour, with the mountains of arotonga in the background.

For Yasawa Cruises:—The

ji Government motor cruiser Viti recently offered for sale, has been irchased by Captain Trevor ithers for his Lautoka-Yasawa ands “Blue Lagoon” cruises.

Visitors from all over the world ve come to enjoy this interest l and lengthy cruise to Fiji’s >st unspoiled islands in Captain thers’ Turaga Levu, a former aerican military crash-boat which purchased after the war. It is ieved that Viti 11, equipped to *ry ten passengers, a Fijian crew 4, and skipper, will replace Turaga vu. ’OLURRIAN BACK: —Bougaine Co.’s 339-ton Polurrian returned Rabaul on January 27 after hav -130 ft of her bottom plating re ced in Hongkong. Damaged in een Carola Harbour when she it on a reef on November 1 last, vessel left Rabaul for Hongkong November 21 with 8 Europeans I a volunteer crew of 14 Rabaul inese landsmen. A company rep mtative, who was aboard, said t the repair job was done in 3 iks. He estimimated that it would e taken 6 months in an Aus ian shipyard and cost 3 times as :h, with poorer workmanship. A nace had been built for the ship 5 Chinese shipwrights in a week, about half the Australian cost.

AMIR AWAY:—The 4-masted que Pamir, well known in the ific and mentioned last month, red Hamburg for Buenos Aires February 11 on the first voyage new life as a German merchant me officers’ training vessel. She return to Germany with a cargo rain.

RAMPING: —Burns Philp’s twin w, 434-ton steel Hongkong t-and-registered Yanawai> largest el in the Fiji inter-island trade,

Top Left: “Destiny” ablaze and sinking Madang Harbour—Photo; W. B. Wood [?]an.

Top Right; Progress on the new Govern [?]ent slipway for the Noumea inter-island [?]et.—Photo: Robert Laubreaux.

[uit her customary beat in January d make a couple of special voyages o Apia and Nukualofa. Bound Apia, he ran into the heavy weather that ras then being experienced over a ide area of the South Pacific, but “ached port safely. The same blow ad demolished one of Apia’s navi ation light pylons and had greatly indered the loading of Matua, hich was at standby throughout er stay in port.

FOR CANTON: —Two Island laids-of-all-work were to visit anton Island in February. Tas an Steamship Co.’s 299 ton Vasu as heading there from Suva with j-go for that aviation touch-down ise, and for the British residents, he Eastern Samoa Government’s 8-ton Manu’a Tele, following an igine overhaul in Pago Pago, was so to visit the island, with a 11 at Swains en route. This vessel 11 later make chartered voyages >m Apia to the Tokelaus, in arch and June, for the New Zea id authorities. She is scheduled make runs to the Manu’a Islands, rt of E. Samoa, in April and ne. This converted Yard Mine r eeper (YMS) is available for arter voyages at all times, rrom Canton, in January, came ptain “Dusty” Miller and his ndering fishing vessel Joyiia call : at Apia en route to Suva.

)F Solomons Interest;

e British Solomon Islands Pro

tectorate’s former flagship Kuri marau, 288 tons, sold to Mr. Sverre Berg, of Palm Beach, Sydney, last July, is reported to be still lying at Ballina, northern NSW. Pur chased at a very reasonable price by her present owner, she is said to be for sale again.

Also in Ballina, and soon to make yet another attempt to reach Honiara is the BSIP Government patrol vessel Kovala, launched in Sydney in February, 1949, and still not in service after endless altera tions there and at Ballina, which she reached three years ago.

Noumea-Loyalty Service;

—Philante 11, beautifully converted ex-Fairmile naval launch, which Messrs. Rusden and Baker, of Auck land, brought out from - England and sold in Noumea in 1953, is now operating a passenger service to the Loyalty Islands under Government subsidy. Owned by well known Noumea pharmacist, F. Martinet, this 99-tons vessel was built 1945 with double diagonal mahogany planking by the well-known English yard of Camper & Nicholsons Ltd.

She is powered by a pair of 225-hp Gray Marine diesels and has ex cellent accommodation, including a spacious 28-ft by 12-ft deck lounge.

She is available for charter to parties of tourists who wish to cruise the New Caledonia coast and on-shore islands. Information is available through Noumea Tourist Bureau.

Noumea Slipway:—Good Pro

gress is being made on the con struction of a slipway for the New Caledonia inter-island fleet. The slip, which is owned by the Public Works Department and located on He Nou, Noumea, will take vessels of up to 1,000 tons deadweight. At present the only slipway at Noumea

is a small one owned by the Nickel Company, mainly for the use of its own launches.

STILL UNSETTLED:—There was a reminder of the stranding of the Mangola on Kar Kar Island (NG) in February, 1953, recently. Mangola it will be recalled, was hauled off the rocks by Bulolo and Malaita.

Salvage claims are involved. Burns Philp & Co, owners of all the vessels, anticipate that the claims will be settled by arbitration. How ever, when such claims have not been settled within 2 years of the event it is necessary to lodge a writ with the High Court to keep the matter open. This was the explanation of a February an nouncement in Sydney newspapers.

Mariposa Sails Again:

The well-known former trans pacific Matson-Oceanic liner Mari posa, withdrawn for war service in World War H, and eventually sold after a long post-war lay-up, com menced a new life late January when, as the Homeric, she cleared Trieste for New York as flagship of the Panamanian Home Lines.

The 26,000-tonner has been modern ised, with a new bow. She now carries 1,000 tourist-class and 147 first-class passengers, and a crew of 450, and will operate on the trans-Atlantic service and on cruises. It is possible that she will be seen in the Pacific again.

Second Thought:—Captain

A. H. Ferguson, recently appointed new marine superintendent in the Gilberts, who w r as to have arrived at Tarawa early in 1955 from Eng land, has resigned that position.

PERSONAL ITEMS: —Cap t a i n Carl Johnson, after leave in Syd ney, which included some work in

Australian coasters, flew back Auckland to again take comma of the Tonga Government ke; Hifofua. The vessel had gone sot for refit under command of mate, and was to return to Nuki lofa in February.

Mr. Willie Schutz, late skipper RCS Kia Kia, of the Gilbe

rtained his second mate’s ticket the January examinations in r dney.

Fiji Naval Reserve:—Officers

the revived Fiji Naval Reserve it have been announced. Lt.mmander G. R. Woods, a Suva siness man, who has been Naval hson Officer in Suva since the r. is in command. His officers ; Lt. S. B. Brown, late of GEIC er-island fleet: Acting Lt.-Com mder L. S. Whysall, late of Fiji fD engineering department: Lieu ant H. H. Hemphill, one of Suva’s mest amateur yachtsmen: Lt. f. Goldsmith; Lt. H. G. McLardy; b-Lt. J. B. Wisdom, Manager of AL’s Suva office: Sub-Lt. C. A. nson, well-known Suva photo pher. ’he unit’s flagship, a 72-ft. Sea rd Defence launch, will arrive m New Zealand later in the r.

REPORTED LOST:—Though no ails were available in Sydney in iruary, advice was received that Ua Teretia, Catholic Mission sel in the Gilberts, had become Jtal loss while en route to Suva her annual refit. The mission chased this Australian-built 75r essel as the Halgard early 1949, aming her after an earlier flon craft. In the latter part of !, returning to Tarawa after re in Suva, Santa Teretia went are on a Fiji reef. She was aged and repaired again in a. This was her first run south e that event. She had a cargo acity of 30 tons.

STILL: —T hose who :e navigation a hobby as well i job will find star navigation further simplified with the *al of AP-3270. These tables -only recentl y been published HM Stationery Office, London, igh they have been available in Tica as HO-249 for some years.

P contain in a single volume the pre-computed atlitudes of groups x stars, suitable groups of stars ng been selected to cover all tides. The full title is “AP3270, :h. 1955.0, Sight Reduction es for Air Navigation, Vol. I,” the price in London is £ll/-.

FOR SALE: —Tenders for the pur chase of the Tasman Steamship Co.’s 299-ton single-screw wooden motor vessel Vasu have been called,

to close April 29. Of very heavy construction, she was built in Italy in 1947. She has a hold capacity of 16,000 cu. ft and is powered by

“Melanesia” which Captain H. Frewen recently sold to Mr. C. F. Cliffe. She is on the Suva-Lau service.

Photo: Jack Thornton.

“Orsom-III” recently recetly Durchased by Institut Francais d’Oceanie for scientific surveys in New Caledonia waters.

Photo: Robert Laubreaux.

■3OO hp Ansaldo diesel. She is in

rvice, operating from Suva, at the

•esent time, and appears to be a ieful type of Islands vessel. Due

i the parent company being in

mkruptcy, Vasu has been operat g under a sibsidiary known as lands Trading Co. The company’s ti is still also in service and was cently in Sydney and Melbourne.

News of Cruising Yachts

I ARIES, 92-ft. gaff schooner owned American tobacco baron Richard J. molds, expected in Tahiti waters last iter, is now expected about July this r, via Panama. This beautiful English- It vessel will be based on Tahiti, where Reynolds has purchased a seaside perty as a holiday resort. i FELICITY ANN, and English owner i. Ann Davison, who sailed the At tic in 1953, should enter the Pacific Panama late March. Mrs Davison ed to clear New York late October, Miami, Nassau, Havana, and Kingston, m Panama she planned to sail direct Paneete, where she should appear >ably late May. Further ports are n as the Cooks, Tonga, Fiji, New idonia, and Brisbane, thence probably Moresby by late this year.

It will be remembered that a stir caused in Papeete and Honolulu last when Mrs. Kim Powell and her Iren, of the yacht WIND’S WILL, ienly left Papeete aboard the Boston it VENTURER, arriving some time ' at Honolulu. Mr. Powell flew to

Honolulu where legal action for possession of the children develooed, and received a great deal of publicity. Mrs. Powell was eventually given custody of the children.

In January it was reported from Honolulu that Mr Powell bad departed by air with the children for Florida, where he plans to reopen the case. • SEVEN SEAS II and “Stainless Steel” Murnan were brought to mind recently by receipt of a note at PIM office from Bill, at a US Pacific Coast address—still dreaming of Island days (and nights!). He mentions that he is constantly on the move—presumably in the land-cruiser which be exchanged for

Seven Seas 11.

• LANDFALL 11, after a rugged voyage from Auckland, reached Sydney on Feb ruary. 20. Formerly MAVOURNEEN, the 50-footer has taken part in two Trans pacific Races. • KYLIE of Sydney, reached Auckland February 12, on th-e first leg of a voyage to Tahiti. Some heavy weather was ex perienced but the 39 ft. steel yawl arrived in good shape. Owner Fink and com panions plan to move on at the end of March—after earning a little money ashore in Auckland. • Some will remember the American yacht CRUSADER which cruised the Islands in 1939. Skipper J H. Evans, now resident at Alverstoke, Hants., England, recently wrote to Oscar Nordman in Papeete and his letter indicated that he was acting as agent in England for Mr.

Reynolds, of ARIES. It is possible even that he is skipper of ARIES, though the

letter did not say so. ARIES is due Papeete in July (see elsewhere).

• Seven Seas Cruising Associa

TION:—We again draw the attention of world-girdling yachtsmen to the Seven Seas Cruising Association and its valuable and interesting monthly BULLETIN of letters from members. Every cruising yachtsman should be a member. Essen tial requirements are that he actually live full-time aboard a yacht and at least have the intention of going cruising. He must be recommended by another mem bcr and a letter to the Commodore in charge of the Bulletin, at P.O Box 163, Coronado, California, USA. will tell you where the nearest member is located.

Non-live-aboarders will NOT be accepted.

Every member is expected to regularly contribute useful and current information on conditions at ports of call advice and warnings on anchorages, and every kind of local information that is not available in the Pilot Books but which can save a yachtsman money or trouble and add to the smoothness of his cruise—the ship-chandler to avoid, the man who is likely to be helpful, the PRESENT leading marks (not the ones in

the 1950 Pilot!) etc. There are now over 50 members of all nationalities, includ ing many yachtsmen recently cruising in the Islands. Membership fee, which in cludes the Bulletin is, we believe, $3. An Association burgee costs §1.50, and back numbers of the BULLETIN 25 cents each (35 have now appeared). We repeat that only persons owning and actually living constantly aboard a yacht qualify for membership. 9 SOLACE, Commander Victor Clark’s 30-footer is, apparently, still undergoing repairs at Palmerston Island where she was thrown on the reef last year. Up to February we had received no word of a relaunching, and probably Commander Clark will not in any case attempt to move until April and the end of the hurricane season. • Rarotonga Sailing Club has been very active this season. On last advice the Ayson Cup and the Sails-and-Covers Cup (donated by the Auckland firm of that name, for MOTH-class boats) were each being battled for in regular week end heats.

NARROW SQUEAK: When the motor of the New Guinea coaster JABEROO broke down off the Madang coast last February, the vessel had a narrow escape from the reef. Efforts of the crew to tow her seaward with a surfboat seemed in pain, when an off-shore breeze fortunately sprang up, and she got away.

In The Gilberts: Captain G.

Douglas, lately of RCS TUVALU, left the Gilberts for UK on leave in February.

Captain MacAdie (who arrived there with

bis wife and family in January) took over

Tavalu.

WANDERER 111 and the Hiscocks re ported to PIM by airmail in February that they are snug in Capetown after a boisterous voyage down across the Indian Ocean to Durban. Arriving late October, they remained 2Vz months in Durban before heading “round the corner’’. They planned to sail in mid-March for St.

Helena, Ascension, the Azores—and home

in July. Eric Hiscock says WANDE 111 will be only the fourth English y to make the circumnavigation s World War I. The others were O’B in SAOIRSE, Muhlhauser in AMARYL and Worths, last year, in BEYOND, including the Hiscocks, were member Royal Cruising Club. The Hisc« incidentally, are members of the S Seas Cruising Association, mentioned where.