AN OCEAN RACE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2017, 28 February 1907, Page 3

AN OCEAN RACE.

The barques Jessie Craig, Janies Craig, and Hazel Craig, recently held a race from Melbourne to Newcastle, when the honors went to the firstnamed boat. The skippers of the two other boats were confident they would faro better under different circumstances, and while tlie boats were loading at Newcastle for Auckland it was understood they would have another trial of siloed across tlie Tasman Sea. The boats left Newcastle on the same day, and the first boat to reach Auckland was the Hazel Craig, which arrived at 8 o’clock this morning, after a fast passage of exactly ten days. * The Jessie Craig and the James Craig were towed out together at 7.30 a.fn. on Monday, February 11, bound for Gisborne. The Hazel Craig fol-' lowed half an hour later. The voyage was commenced with light variable winds, and for the first day and a part of the second the Jessie Craig and the Hazel Craig were close together. The James Craig, in company with the lima, had dropped a good way astern. On Wednesday, the 13th, the wind veered into the south, and the Jessie Craig hauled to that quarter in the hope that the wind would prove lasting. The Hazel Craig kept a. more easterly course, and early on the morning of the following day tho boats passed out of sight of one another. The other boats were not then visible. The Hazel Craig continued to have light variable leading winds until Friday, the 15tli, when the wind came in from the west, and about seven aim. the James Craig and the lima were observed some five miles away abeam. During the day the wind freshened, and the Hazel Craig drew away from the others, which disappeared astern about nightfall. The wind hold good for the three suceeding days, and the Hazel Craig accomplished some fast sailing, tho average mileage per day being about 240. Light variable winds set in on Sunday last, and continued for tlio remainder of the voyage. For the whole of one day the vessel was becalmed, and the log registered only 33 miles. The average for the other days was about 100 miles a day. At the time of writing neither tho Jessie Craig nor the James Craig had put in an appearance. A barque was reported in the gulf this morning, and this will probably he one of these boats.