Evening star., 1939-11-26
District Couple Safe
On Storm-Battered
Schooner Pinta
Adventure Ship Limps
Into Port After BEING
Tossed Three Days

four companions were safe aboard
the badly damaged schooner Pinta
in Georgetown, S. c., last night after
riding out storm off the Carolina
coast which put their little vessel
out of commission and for three
days left it rolling in the trough of
the sea.
The local residents are Mr.. and Mrs.
John De Groot of 1400 Oglethorpe
street NV. Mr.. De Groot is news
paper artist and his wife an employe
of the Treasury Department.
The schooner was spotted yester-
day by Coast Guard aviator flying
out of Charleston, S. c., after pass
ing steamer had reported it in dis
tress off Frying Pan Shoals
The boat is owned by Austin Gill
mour. 33, Richmond newspaperman
In addition to Mr.. and Mrs. De
Groot and Mr.. Gilmour, her amateur
crew consisted of Robert L. Young,
Richmond attorney, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Vance Goddard of California.
Story Told by Gilmour.
The Associated Press quoted a
dispatch from Gilmour to the Rich
mond Times-Dispatch:
Against the advice of waterfront
men and officials, we decided late
the afternoon of November l6 to
take the outside route south along
the Atlantic Coast on the first leg
of the projected dream cruise" to
the West Indies.
For 48 hours we had almost ideal
conditions. Friday and Saturday
we were in the warm waters of the
Gulf Stream.
Our first warning of trouble came
late Saturday afternoon-mare' S
tails, and mackerel skies; light,
uncertain winds. But by then we
figured our position as we'll south
of the stormy cape and came around
to head in for the run down the
coast. Sundays dawn was lousy.
A stiff wind from the southeast and
rain. All morning the wind in
creased The motion of Pinta be-
came uncomfortable, then violent
The mainsail and jib were taken
in and still the sleek black hull of
the schooner raced through the
breaking waves. Hopeful, we told
each other, 1t won't last. 1t won't
blow harder
Decks Cleared, Gear Lashed.
THE heavy fastenings for the
matches were put in place. The
decks we're cleared, lashings placed
on the dinghy and other gear, and
we raced on into the gathering
darkness.
John De Groot was at the wheel
when the first heavy sea boarded
U.s. Over Pinta went, her decks
aWash and water coming almost in
a flood through the tightly closed
matches. Edythe De Groot appeared
suddenly at the door of her cabin
a surprised expression on her face
1T threw me right out of the
bunk" she said.
Vance Goddard, equally puzzled
complained that water from the
bilge had come up inside the hui
and flooded his bunk.
Bob Young and the skipper divee
for the companionway and clam.
bered on deck, where John was at.
tempting to control the wheel.
Pinta Plunges Ahead.
THE sequence of events in the
next few hours is not clear in the
minds of any of us. The staysail
was taken in and Pinta plunged
ahead, nursed along by Bob, the
best helmsman on the ship. But
even he could not nurse her suffi-
GENTLY. Other seas boarded us
sweeping the decks of some gear AND
breaking the cover of the forward
hatch. Suddenly, rip appeared in
our only sail set. Pinta fell into the
trough OF the seas. The motor was
started to keep her head up, and fol-
a while we had control.
Meanwhile, the water we hac
taken aboard had crept up in the
bilge. We tried the pump and il
failed to function properly.
Another bad moment. The en-.
gine began to smoke and soon wa!
useless. Then it was that Pinte
took charge and proved she coulc
take care of herself and crew. We
could set no sail that would steady
the schooner much and the impro.
vised sea anchor made from a spare
light sail and a ladder did little tt
keep her head into the wind-the
safe position for any ship.
Ship Rolls Three Days.
HChn rn1lpI
fully picking her way over the grea
combers, which as the wind switched
into the north, following the pat.
tern of cyclonic storms, grew
larger.
only for a few hours at a time
when the gale piped up to full force
did any of us feel Pinta would no
see US through if we took care o
her. We did all possible. The spill
foresail was reefed and this aide,
somewhat in steadying the schooner
We built another sea anchor, whicl
soon was lost. We tried to ease he
by adjusting the wheel. Our chic
fear was that she would open he
seams.
Below decks was a sodden sham
bles, dimly lit at night by two oi
lamps, all we had left after tn
electric plant went out of commits
sion. Those of us with a mind TO
food contented ourselves with coll
stuff, as the coal stove was on tn
blink and pots would not stay on tn
kerosene stove. The carpet wa
clammy with bilge water, the bunk
damp. Moisture glistened on tn
woodwork.
GLADLY would we have called TO
assistance from the Coast Guar