Blasted Channel

Letter to the Editor: Final Word on That Blasted Channel

11/TTH regard to the Mangaia V t reef Channel (see PIM, January, page 77) I should ike to say this; Mr Edwin Gold was not present it the meeting in Mangaia during yhich the captains of the various urf-boat crews asked me to clear he Atuakoro reef channel for them, /enturies ago, there may have been , reasonable channel at this point. >ince then, however, coral heads nd shifting boulders had choked t to the extent that the passage fas gradually becoming impassable 0 all but the smallest boats.

The representative of Keia dis rict pointed out at this meeting bat his village wished to build a ew surf-boat that would be capable f carrying 4 tons of cargo at a me; there was no point in their oing so while the channel remained 1 its then lamentable condition.

Being the only person in Mangaia ho knew anything about explosives, agreed to tackle the job. A very )-operative Cook Islands Adminis ation provided me with the limited :ar at their disposal. The explosive ley supplied was Polar blasting dignite. Not having used this irticular explosive previously for iderwater blasting, I approached .e manufacturers with a request r technical data on the matter, hen this was obtained, I secured luntary local labour and went .ead with the job.

Mr. Gold writes: “The aim of asting was not to create a passage t to blow away the reef-lip that s always impeded entrance to is lagoon. . . . This was abortive”. ; is apparently unaware that the mgaians specifically asked me not cut away the reef-lip as such don would have aggravated the ngerous currents at this point. [ must apologise to Mr. Gold for 3 “feeble bangs” (of the ex •sions) to which he referred in earlier letter. Any kind of mech ical noise represents loss of 3rgy, so he may gain some satis ;tion from* learning that the nparative silence of the under ter explosions may have indicated sonable efficiency on the job. finally, if any firm cares to state h accuracy that its products were d in so-and-so connection, it is ; for anyone utterly unacquainted h the facts to question their bt to do so. n self-defence, I must add that ing the war I trained sabotage ads in the use of explosives.

Eden, NZ, I am, etc.

I. 7, 1956. Ronald Syme

Vo further correspondence will received on this subject. — Ed.)