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**Alan Wheeler** · 23-11-2006, 01:11

Probably the most famously known storm to cruising sailors here in NZ. I had two personal contacts with this story.
The first was through the RNZAF. (My wife is Airforce) We know on of the crew and I had a great conversation with him way back not long after this storm happend. The main thing I remember him telling me, was that most of the crew onboard the plane actually got very seasick. Seasick? I hear you say, well yeah kinda. Apparently teh waves were so huge that even at the height that the Orion flies above the sea, the plane was being lifted up and down 80+ft due to the huge swells going underneath. It made everyone extremely uncomfortable.
The second contact with this story came just over three years ago. It was when Dawn and I were lookign for a boat. We had decided on two. The one we finally owned and another called Waitanae. If you read way down in the article Charlie posted, you will see a mention of some boats that the authorities were concerned with. One of these was the "home made 50ft Ferrocement boat" which was actually Waitanae.
Waitanae was the first boat we looked at of the two. We got to talk to the owners and they told us the story of their ordeal. This is story is what set my mind at ease on the strength of FC.
The main point that I will never forget in their ordeal was this. The husband and wife were literaly terrified by the enormouse waves. The shear height dwarfed them, but they tried not to show any worry to the Kids. Yet through the entire time, the kids played games on the Saloon floor totaly unworried by what was going on around them.
I still think Waitanae is a beautiful boat, with the most gorgouse lines and a stunning clipper bow and sprit and she steals your heart. We ended up with Liesure Lady because Waitanae was needing some big money spent on equipment and wardrobe. Oh if I only new what I do know, but that's another story. I didn't get to meet the next owner, but I heard he had fallen in love with the boat as well. Sadly he had to sell his dream due to personal issues and I did get to meet the next owner. The boat is now down in Lyttleton Christchurch if there is anyone down there reading this.

Tropic Cat · 23-11-2006, 05:14

I paid particular attention to what was written about this storm, and it had a bearing on which boat I ended up buying.

A Catalac......

Rick in Florida

Charlie · 23-11-2006, 09:20

I misspoke when I said that the rest sunk. That was not true. There were about three or four boats that sunk. Some of the boats that were caught out survived.