# Search for sailing ship



## dom (Feb 10, 2006)

NZ widens search for missing schooner
December 6, 2007 - 8:06AM
Source: ABC 
Maritime authorities in New Zealand have widened their search for a missing sailing ship which has four Australians on board.

An aerial search yesterday failed to find any sign of the schooner, Alvei, which was due to arrive in New Zealand's Bay of Islands from Vanuatu on December 1.

Maritime New Zealand's Julia Lang says a New Zealand Air Force reconnaissance plane has joined the search but there is no sign of the Alvei yet.

"We've got a New Zealand Air Force Orion which has left New Zealand at first light this morning and will be searching an area towards Port Vila taking in the west and heading back under the New Caledonia area. 

"So we've widened our search this morning," she said.

The Alvei is fitted with a distress beacon which has not been activated.

"The distress beacon hasn't been switched on, which is a good sign," Ms Lang said.

The schooner's American owner says it is known to have travelled slowly in the past and remains hopeful it will turn up in a couple of days


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## PKiddell (Aug 17, 2005)

Alvei located 760 km off North Cape NZ. All board safe and well, delay due to unfavourable weather conditions.


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## John Crossland (May 11, 2007)

dom said:


> NZ widens search for missing schooner
> December 6, 2007 - 8:06AM
> Source: ABC
> Maritime authorities in New Zealand have widened their search for a missing sailing ship which has four Australians on board.


Hey dom,

We had it " ...... with one Kiwi on board ..... "


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## dom (Feb 10, 2006)

*dom*

4 Australians and some other poor souls(Thumb)


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## roymuir (Feb 24, 2006)

Helluva lot of fuss for a sailing vessel that was only about 5 days overdue I think. Anyone ever hear of the "Denbigh Castle". I think she still holds the official record for the the greatest time between two ports? Something like 13 months, due to "unfavourable weather conditions".
Regards, Roy.


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## PKiddell (Aug 17, 2005)

Re long voyages to get nowhere. The Union Steamship Co vessel SS Wingatui left Welligton on 23/5/1945 in ballast for Westport normally a 5 day voyage for her. 38 days later she arrived back in Wellington after cir***navigating the North Island of NZ as she was unable to make any headway in the Cooks Stait. A lot of coal burnt for nothing!!!


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## John Crossland (May 11, 2007)

I'm sorry, but I can't get my head around the above.

Surely if she went all the way round the North Island, she would have been able to head for Westport when passing New Plymouth ?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Quite a few times sailing from Port Chalmers for Sydney on Australian Trader we'd make no headway through Foveaux Strait and go back north and pass through Cook Strait. It added a bit of time on, but what the hell, it was duty free.

John T.


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## Phil Saul (Jan 20, 2006)

The skipper is going to get hit with a massive invoice for search and rescue when he arrives in Opua.
Appears he was sailing with his radio switched off and NZ maritime rescue are not amused.
He's not broken any laws, but common sense should come into the equation somewhere.
You got to believe that there are some right idiots out there on the high seas.

Regards Phil (Thumb)


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

I visited the ship in 2004 whilst berthed alongside in Nelson, New Zealand and you can find some pictures as follows:

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=1214


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## RBH (Oct 18, 2007)

It all reminds me of the lone yachtsman who left Auckland quite some years ago for Australia. He was found many weeks later stranded on Middleton Reef, I think it was. Apparently his idea of navigation was to sail north for 1,000 miles and then turn left....
As to the Wingatu. That story is quite true. Making headway from north to south against a strong southerly swell, with a not too powerful coaster, would be all but impossible, hence ducking back into Cook Strait and Wellington. I'm surprised they made it that far.

Rodger


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## PKiddell (Aug 17, 2005)

For John Crossland, the Wingatui actually made it into the Tasman but then headed out into the Tasman due to the weather and being on a lee shore, he did hope to make New Plymouth for bunkers food & water, but the weather again deteriorated and he couldn't make it so headed North for North Cape and down to Auckland, a week there for repairs. Then again further bad weather down off Napier, and a week there for repairs and bunkering. Then down to Wellington for more repairs,which was another week and like the other stops had to wait on crew replacements. Finally set out for Westport and this time made it.!!


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## John Crossland (May 11, 2007)

Thanks PK,

Just found your reply.

It's obvious when you read it, but I couldn't get my head round it originally.

I thought if she couldn't get through Cook Strait, she could always go back to Wellington, no need to go up the east coast and round the top.


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