New-York tribune., 1921-01-02
Deep Sea Canoeing
The Of THO Famous Youngsters Who Fortunotel,
Lived TO Tell the Tale

in which 1t is hold by all sailormen.
The Americas Cup racers, .fearfully
wallowing at anchor on q day set for
racing, and the Esperanto's skipper,
heating down to Halifax with prayer
in his heart for "hell of q blow
these contrasts should bring to an end
the period Of precious decadence into
which yachting has fallen.
II we are to be a seafaring people in
practice, as we are at heart, let us take
leaf from the great book of war,
which cost us SO dearly, and make our
sports square with our national duty.
Let US turn the yachtsman's blue rip
bon event into struggle of vigorous
men upon tossing water, and thereby
set fashion which will restore to tho
character the hardy qualities of its
clipper-ship days. Let that even oe
a winter event, 60 bo sailed i1or1 our
own coasts to those Of Great Britain
and back, In the months of January, or
February or March. Let US put danger
hack into yachting and make of our
yachtsmen seamen as we'll. The navy
also, could advantage by taking the
same lesson to heart and executing its
mld-Wlnte1 maneuvers in the North
Atlantic and Pacific oceans, instead Of
in tropical waters, where future bat
Ties are probably not to be fought.
Here should be denied the suggestion,
often heard, that a craft is unsafe
me-Nly because it Is small. The mat
ters of grub, water and sleep aside,
there are many circumstances in which
the small craft Is the safer, as 1t is
usually the stronger structure IN
shore, it can take bump and get off
where the other would stay; it can
steal along in fog safely, feeling its
way, where bigger vessels, In fear,
would drop their hooks, while in the
open seas rough and tumble the little
fellow rides lightly over the water
hammer that smashes the big fellows
bridge and carries of his boats. When
the wind put the Typhoon beyond con-
troll, Its crew went below, pulled to
the hatch and let the mad sea have its
will Of their diminutive craft, which
did no harm at all The men they had
lost overheard we're recovered, while
the man washed from s liner in the
same blow was never seen again; their
gear was not hurt, while that Of the
liner was partially wrecked, nearly
eighty feet above water In resisting
the sea lies the danger, which is avoid
ed by parrying its fist In skillfully rid
ing the waves and seeming to yield to
their blow at the critical moment.
l speak from experience, having
driven canoe by sea-Mrs. Wood and
myself-from New York to Prince Ed
wards Island, we having done in all,
back and forth off the Atlantic coast,
more than l,70O miles on the paddle
and under sail. in an eighth-inch cedar
and canvas hull, measuring sixteen
feet, weighing ninety seven pounds,
and drawing eight inches Of water.
Although We went substantially upon
schedule, in wind and fog, once travel
ing for night along 8 course near
three leagues off shore and never put
back to a port once cleared, We suffered
no Injury. Upon only three occasions
did we lose control OF tho situation end
have to depend solely upon tho sea-
worthincss Of our craft. Then q gale
piled US ashore in Nantucke, Sound. q
Fundy tide rip took US in charge for a
moment and terrific white equall spun
us across Northumberland Strait, to put