The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-11-12
Fishing Party in
Peril for Hours
Drift in Small Boat frCm eff Maui to
kahOOlawe When Engine Fails to
Start in the Face of Approaching
Storm.

Adrift in the open seas for 1S hours
in frail little boat, the engine of
which would not start; a single oar
all that was available for steering and
propuls on; no water or food aboard:
a storm coming up and no help in
sight; this was the trying experience
of Albert Kia and two young BOYS
Kalei Hart and Enos Lyons last Sat.
urday night and Sunday. Word that
the boat had drifted away was brought
to Wailuku Sunday morning and
throughout the day relatives and
II ends of the missing trio were in a
state of grave alarm until word was
received they had been found and all
were safe.
Albert Kia and Mrs. Kia and the
two boys went over to McGregor's
landing after noon Saturday Mrs.
kia was left ashore and the trio en-
tered the boat and went to an an
chorage for fishing with the anticipa-
ton of fish dinner when they re-
turned to shore. When darkness came
on they were ready to return, shortly
after seven, with enough fish for the
Engine 'BaIks Completely
Before raising the anchor Kia start
ed then engine and then shut it off.
The anchor was then lifted but when
effort was made to start the engin,
again it failed to respond to Their en-
deavors. They sought to anchor again
but they were in deep water and drift.
ing off from shore. For several hours
they drifted with the wind blowing
shore"ard and current carrying
them out against It. Then the anchor
caught and they lay down to sleep un-
til daylight. But the anchor did not
hold for long and they awakened to
ma themselves again adrift From
then on it was battle to reach Ka-
hoolawe's lee and safety and they
made an anchorage under its shelter
about two o'clock Sunday afternoon.
For some time previously signs of the
coming storm had increased
When the party did not come ashore
for dinner, Mrs. Kia became some
what alarmed but she waited patiently
as she could for morning when she
walked to the lighthouse and tele-
phoned an alarm to Sheriff Crowell
who organized a party, went to the
other side of the Island and secured
boat to go in search of the missing
fishers. The rescue party came upon
the missing boat and party about half
an hour after the latter had found
an anchorage. 1t was well on into
Sunday night before they We're safely
home.
PeriIous Trip Across
From daylight on Sunday, especial
ly when signs of ugly weather became
more numerous they struggled toward
Kahoolawe with their efforts at scull-
ing and they were all but exhausted
when they reached a point where the
anchor would hold. None are the
worse for the experience
Sheriff Finds Party
Speaking of his trip in search of
the missing boat and its crew Sheriff
Crowell says he requisitioned the first
sampan he could find and got the SER
vices of Lono, one of the party that
drifted from off Maui to off Kauai
few months since. There was the cap
tain and engineer and crew of two,
the Sheriff and Lono and three others
in the party.
Mrs. Kia told them where she had
seen light she believed to be the
boat about 1890 the preceding night
and Lono named the spot where the
boat should have drifted to if II start
ed after IL o'clock. Reaching that
vicinity Lono said the boat must have
started to drift earlier or later. First
they cruised up to within sight of the
McPhee ranch house and then turned
back on the coast and finally came in
sight of the boat at anchor.
The fact that the sea was so
smooth during the greater part of the
time they were adrift is all that saved