Wreckage found in NZ raises hope

NZ raises hope for lost yachtsmen

By a staff writer

Wreckage suggesting that three

missing Australian yachtsmen

might still be alive on some un inhabited island in the South Pacific was found near the northern tip of New Zealand

recently.

The yachtsmen are Hedley Nicol, Gus Baldwin and E. Van Bommell, who sailed from Brisbane for Los Angeles in the 36 ft trimaran Privateer on August 17, 1966, intend ing to pass to the north of the North Island of New Zealand and to follow the Great Circle to the south-east of Tahiti and onwards.

The last contact with them was a radio mesage two days after their departure saying that they were 300 miles out and that all was going well (PIM, Dec., 1966, p. 117).

News of the discovery of wreck age from the trimaran was sent to PIM in November by the father of one of the yachtsmen, Mr. Hunter Nicol, of Princess Street, Cleveland, Queensland, who has previously appealed to PIM for help in locating his son.

Messages found

Mr. Nicol said the port float of the trimaran, with several messages scratched on it, was found on Sep tember 2 this year near Te Koa, on the eastern side of the northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island.

The messages on the float include: “Caledonia due east”, “gone back to boat”, and “I’ll be OK, Guss”. Other messages have not yet been completely deciphered.

Mr. Nicol said an investigation by New Zealand police had revealed that the float had been severed from the remainder of the trimaran by a saw.

The messages had been found on the float under marine growth.

A marine biologist estimated that the marine growth indicated that the float had been in the sea between six and 18 months.

Mr. Nicol believes that a gale which lasted for 55 hours about the time that Privateer disappeared may have dismasted and overturned the vessel, and that one float was sawn off so that the boat could be turned

over by flooding the other float and loading it to excess. This could cause the remaining float to sink under the main hull and make the hull roll and return to its normal position.

A glance at the map shows that there are many uninhabited islands and reefs to the east of New Cale donia where a disabled vessel could be washed up. These include Wreck Reef, Cato Reef, the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Reefs.

Considering that a party of cast away Tongans lived on uninhabited Ata Island for 13 months until being rescued in September last year ( PIM, Oct., 1966, p. 101), and that another party of Tongans were rescued after more than three months from un inhabited Minerva Reef several years earlier, Mr. Nicol appears to be justified in believing that his son, and his companions, may still be alive.

He says the main hull of the catamaran was well stocked with food and water.

“Another appeal to PIM readers may yet bring some news of the main hull and remaining starboard float, and of the crew being located,” he adds.