Unsinkable Joyita Spends Two Days

Another Adventure

On Horseshoe Reef

The Islands vessel Joyita has refused to oblige headline writers by ending her days on a Fiji reef, but sometime during the night of Jan. 9-10, floated off unaided after being on the notorious Horseshoe Reef for two days. She was towed to Levuka.

THE Joyita was on a trading run when one engine broke down off the Taveuni coast; she was continuing the voyage on one engine when she went aground on Horseshoe Reef. The Burns Philp vessel Yanawai was diverted to her aid and picked up her passengers and crew who had taken to the boats and were sheltering behind the reef.

A salvage ship Kadavalevu took on a load of drums to go to Joyita’s aid but she was delayed by heavy weather.

When Kadavalevu reached Horseshoe Reef on January 10, she found Joyita floating clear of the reef in spite of a hole in her starboard side near the keel, About 50 drums were put in her

hold to aid buoyancy, and the tow commenced.

Kadavulevu handed over to Adi Kevu when the tow-line began to part, and returned to Levuka for another line, Kadavulevu later re suming the tow. it is believed in Suva that Joyita carried little insurance, j n the unlikely event of any reader not already knowing it:— Joyita caused a world sensation over a year ago when she was missing for six weeks on a short run between Apia and the Tokelaus and was later found, abandoned and waterlogged north of Fiji, Fate of the 25 neople on board her has never been solved. Joyita was salvaged, sold at auction to a Fiji planter, Mr. David Simpson,

and is now used in inter-: trading. Captain David Elli her present master.

Horseshoe Reef is a subm ring of coral about a mi diameter and 12 miles NE o Wakaya Light. The reef is pletely unlighted although v brought disaster to a numb ships and is regarded as o: the most dangerous reefs ii Pacific. In 1934 Hoegh 2 went up there; and it was closed later that the reef was a mile NW of its charted po In 1949 an island auxiliary Island Queen Lailai went ont reef and sank in 15 minutes in 1950, after catching fire in ocean between Panama and Ivor Jenny added to her tr by running on Horseshoe She was refloated and g( Suva where claims arising fro two mishaps kept insi . companies and consignees for years.

Other Ships Have

Reef Trouble

r:E 1957 season of storm cyclones in the South Pa< already producing the crop of maritime adventures, other ships were in trouble the same time as Joyita.

In New Caledonia waters, ai tons Panamanian freighter Antonio, bound for Japan froi Zealand with scrap iron, loi propeller, and in cyclonic w was, on January 7, driven c reef 100 miles NW of Noumea crew was taken off by the 1 Navy vessel Vulcain on Jam and flown to Sydney by chs Qantas airliner.

A representative of the agents in Sydney flew ove Antonio; he said on his to that she was hai fast on the reef and “can come off.”

The Burns Philp ketch M of 80 tons was refloated on Ji 7 after three flays on a ree Moturiki, Fiji, She was semi-submerged to Levuka, she was to be examined.

IS THIS WHERE WE CAME IN? Reminiscent of 1955 photos of "Joyita"—only this time she is on Horseshoe Reef. "Yanawai" top left of photo.