Yachts smash on to reefs
ON October 20, 1970, news of an Australian-owned yacht, Lagune, and American-owned trimaran, The Seeker made the front page of The Fiji Times.
According to the article, the 30ft Lagune was abandoned on Moala Reef after it ran aground on it.
The Fiji Times highlighted in the article that an American couple was preparing for the salvage of their trimaran, The Seeker
which ran aground on Nasilai reef on the night of Saturday October 17, 1970.
“Lagune went aground on Moala Reef at 3:40am on October 13, 1970, after having sailed from Tonga on October 10,” a Marine Department official said.
After staying aboard her until 4:30pm, the crew, the Australian owner-skipper, Ross Chimes and Normal Gilbert rowed three miles to Moala in a dingy.
This newspaper reported that they salvaged what they could from the Lagune, which was so badly damaged that Mr Chimes decided to leave her where she was.
He and Mr Gilbert were brought to Suva by the government ship Kapaiwai,
which picked them up from Moala on Thursday October 15.
The Marine Department ship Daucina left Suva for Nasilai early on Monday (October 19) after a report that a trimaran which was empty except for a live kitten had been seen stranded on the reef.
The report read that later it was discovered that the crew, Mr and Mrs Ralph Martin of Berkeley, California, had gone ashore at Nasilai and visited Suva to arrange for the salvage of their yacht.
Suva police said it was understood that the couple returned to their yacht on Monday (October 19) afternoon.
“The Seeker struck the reef on Saturday (October 17) and was driven 300 yards across it towards the mainland,” a Marine Department official said.
On Sunday (October 18), a man from Kiuva Village reported to Nausori Police Station that the trimaran was on the reef with only a kitten aboard.
“Later the Martins had arrived at the village and found the villagers had salvaged most of their trimaran’s gear,” the official said.
The Fiji Times reported that after visiting Suva, Mr and Mrs Martin returned to Nasilai hoping to have The Seeker dragged up on a beach so that holes in its hulls could be repaired.
The Marine Department ship Daucina left Suva for Nasilai early on Monday (October 19) after a report that a trimaran which was empty except for a live kitten had been seen stranded on the reef.
– The Fiji Times (1970)