Evening star., 1937-10-01


Atlantic one of the most thrilling sag,
town ever has known
Standing on deck as the Americ
calm waters of the Solent was Ned f
skipper. who, 20 days ago, was swept
overheard in an Atlantic hurricane.
caught loose wire and pulled himself
back to complete the epic 2,700-mile
voyage under sail.
For the last 20 miles of the voyage,
up through the Needles and down the
Solent, Capt. Heard had nothing to
do. The yacht Viva II, from which
he cut loose OF Nantucket September
Is, had picked him up again and
towed him home.
Two hours before he arrived Gosport
was exulting. The quayside was strung
with Stars and Stripes and Union
Jacks All imaginable types of craft
in full dress rig lined the channel.
First official greeting was given by
T. o. M Sopwiths yacht Philante,
which met the Endeavour at the
channel entrance. Sopwith. the En-
deavour's owner, was aboard.
AS the Viva, with the Endeavour in
tow. passed the royal yacht squadron
at Cowes, the historic club unfurled
its flags and paid tribute to what will
60 down as probably the most famous
yacht ever to represent Great Britain
in the most famous of racing events
on the high seas.
Reception Given Crew.
A special reception for the crew
at local hotel was ordered by the
Mayor of nearby Portsmouth.
Heard, acclaimed as a modest hero,
conceded the hurricane was pretty
bad" but minimized the fury of the
storm and his own narrow escape.
Il was not washed clear of the
boat at ALL" he said; "just over the
side"
His crew said, however, that the
captain was pulled back just as he
was dangling in the water. The storm
hit them at 10:30 pm, September
13, the sailors said, and lasted through
out the night.
I'VE did not know We had lost
the Viva until next morning." Heard
said, "and then we could not rouse
anybody because of the limited range
of our wireless"
A glance below deck indicated
something of the severity of the storm
The mess steps were torn away and
the cabin table, which had been
bolted to the floor, was torn loose
and dashed to bits.
Heard was somewhat annoyed by
the excitement as he arrived with a
crowd of some 10000 persons lining
both sides of the channel
Case Holds Lard-N0t Rum.
Smiling Joe Uglow, the second cook,
told graphically how the crew was
imprisoned in the hurricane-tossed
steel hull for nine hours, but he in
sisted the most dismaying moment
of the amazing 18-day voyage was
the discovery that their last case
of rum was just tank of lard.
eve were at the mercy of the waves
for nine hours" Uglow said. Water
rushed in on us like a Niagara. We
we're just ship of steel-under water
most of the time-with gigantic
waves breaking over U.S."
The good-natured cook said, "It was
every man for the pumps" when the
trim craft broke her tow line of
Nantucket on her return voyage to
England after the Americas Cup
races.
I'VE worked frantically, the sweat
rolling of us, during that nine-hour
hurricane, which none Of us will ever
forget.
ut was just unthinkable for any
one to lie down, and, even if we had
wanted to, it was physically impos-
sible. We were thrown about like
ninepins. We were like rats in a
trap, utterly helpless and at the
mercy of the raging sea.
MY end of the job was to keep
the fellows in good heart by get
ting meals ready for them, and they
never went without q hot dinner
until some meat went bad.
when at last the hurricane passed
over and it was possible for the men
to 60 on watch on deck, the seas
were still so rough it was neces-
sary for them to be attached to
life lines and lashed to the wheel.
Even then they were waist deep In
water for many hours"