Rumbelow Boats
The Swallow

Builder: McFarlane, A. Jack; also McFarlane, A. Jack &Sons; also McFarlane, A. Jack &Co; also McFarlane
Built: Birkenhead, Port Adelaide, SA; also Happy Valley, Port Lincoln, SA
Operations: 1881 - 1957
Types: Fishing: Yacht
Material: Wood
Rig: Sloop, Cutter
Propulsion: Screw, Sail, Aux screw
Engine: Motor

Cain Jelliff Rumbelow purchased the Swallow in 1907. He sailed the Swallow to victory in many of the sailing races at Victor Harbor on New Years Day, as well as many fishing trips to Kangaroo Island, and along the local coast. His son, Hubert James Rumbelow (Hube) joined Cain on the Swallow as a partner.

During the Second World War Cain Rumbelow and his son Hubert were an official part of the Naval Auxiliary Patrol. The Swallow, normally painted white with the registered number “28” was repainted battleship grey and renumbered “82” for wartime service. They patrolled the coast from the Bluff to the Pages and on his return would signal the “all clear” with flags to the Voluntary Defence Corps volunteers standing sentry duty on the Bluff.

His cousin, Ken Rumbelow was often on this duty.

NAVAL PATROL FORMED.

On a recent visit to Victor Harbour by officers of the Navy Department and the Naval Auxiliary Patrol, it was decided to form a patrol and the following were medically examined and enrolled: Messrs. W. Jeffery (skipper), C. J., H., and L. Rumbelow. Mr. C. J. Rumbelow's well-known fishing cutler, "Swallow," has been mobilised as the official boat. Another visit is to be paid here again shortly when several more persons will be examined and enrolled if fit. Any information required in connection with the patrol can be obtained from the Harbour Master (Mr. Walter Jeffrey), Victor Harbour.

Swallow After Storm

Well known to Victor Visitors After the buffeting she received on he run from Victor Harbor, described in yesterday's "News," the fishing cutter Swallow lies at Port Adelaide awaiting her turn to go on the slipway at Mclcarlane's yard. She is undamaged after her exciting experiences. She voyaged up to have a 15h.Ip. Ielv\in oil engine fitted, so that she may be independent of the wind.

The Swallow is familiar to visitors to Victor Harbor, her mooring place usually being near the old jetty inside the Bluff. She is owned by Mr. C. Rumbelow, one of the well-known family which has lived at Encounter Bay since the early days.

The Swallow goes as far as Kangaroo Island on fishing trips, and she is responsible for most of the schnapper caught in the vicinity of Victor Harbor. August and September are the best months for crayfish, and Mr. Rumbelow is anxious to get out with his pots.

After local demands are satisfied the fish and craps are railed to Adelaide In the summer months the best catches are made with Seine nets from small rowing boats, mullet, whiting, and salmon being secured.

Lines are used in the cutter for schnapper fishing - referring to the smart run made front Rapid Bay to the Outer Harbor.

Mr. Rumbelow said that besides having three reefs in, the mainsail was lowered, but the gale, accompanied by :htck rio.n and squalls, drove them north at steamboat pace. Leaving Rapid Bay at 12.45 a.m.. they reached the Outer Harbor before 7 in the morning.

A Perilous Voyage

Messrs C. and H. Rumbelow, and J. Theissenger left the Bluff, Encounter Bay, on Friday in Mr Rumbelow's well-known fishing cutter, 'Swallow,' and it is a wonder they are alive to tell the tale (says the Victor Harbor Times}.

Messrs Rumbelow, writing home to their people in Encounter Bay, graphically describe their adventures and say, interalia, that they got into a fluke of wind after they left the Bluff, setting them back, and had to beat all the way to the Passage. The boat got a lead up to Cape Rapid Head, and arrived in the Bay by 9 p.m.

As a heavy roll was coming in, the anchor was lifted at quarter to 1. It was pitch dark, inky black, and the crew could not distinguish land from Carrikalinga. The sea was running high, when the squall, coming from the south-west, struck, and swept the deck clean; the anchor was precipitated into the stern of the boat; the dinghy which was formerly trailing behind now executed all the capricious vagaries imaginable; now it was in danger of striking the helmsman, it would take a turn at racing the yacht, the smaller boat was all over the deck ; the men in the cabin could not stand up, and were afraid to stir out for fear of getting washed overboard. Many times the captain was ail but swept out of the cockpit ; innumerable times the men thought they were going down, never to come up ! Encountering another squall in the morning, the sailors were compelled to heave to, lower the throat halyard, and take in three reefs.

However, despite the now limited area of sail, the 'Swallow ' was abreast the Outer Harbor in 7 hours 10 minutes ; this Mr C. Rumbelow says, just about constitutes a record. Going up the Port River the voyagers had a head tide and a hail squall was struck, and for five minutes the River was a boiling mass of foam. It took four hours to navigate this stretch of water.

Three Boatloads of People Saved

CAUGHT at sea between Wright's Island and the mainland this afternoon by the gale, three boatloads of people had a narrow escape from being swept out to sea.

They were rescued by Mr. Cain Rumbelow in the cutter Swallow. Mr. H. R. M. Holder, his wife, and nephew, accompanied by Dr. E. J. R. Holder, were in one boat, and Mr. A. H. Scarfe and Mr. Ern Limbert, an engineer of Adelaide Electric Supply Co., in the other. Alan Gilbert, aged 20, of St. Peters, and two youths, John and Vernon McDonough, aged 19 and 16 respectively, of Springfield, were rescued when there canoe capsized in Encounter Bay. The three youths were spending a holiday with Mr. Rumbelow, and had taken with them their canoe, of wood and canvas, made by Gilbert, who is a carpenter. The canvas portion of the canoe was made from part of the sail of the former Dorothy H. Sterling.

QUARTER OF MILE OUT

When the storm struck them they were about a quarter of a mile out from the shore. According to the story told by Vernon McDonough tonight, they tried to get back to the shore but did not know how to do so, and were consequently blown out to sea. They were towed towards the shore, but a short distance from the beach they were struck by a big wave, and the canoe, which was shipping water, overturned. The occupants, how-ever, managed to scramble to the beach. Tents were blown down at the camping areas at Port Elliot and Victor Harbor. All games and sporting fixtures were abandoned at Goolwa and Victor Harbor.

Mr. Walter Rumbelow, fisherman, of Victor Harbor, had one of his dinghies swept to sea by the sale. He later re-covered it three miles from its moorings, but safe on the Port Elliot beach. So high were the waves that the causeway was washed with spray, and Mrs. George Honeyman, contractor for the tram across the causeway, would not make a trip after 3.30 p.m. as it was too dangerous. He feared that the high wind would blow the empty tram over. He described the gale as the fiercest he had experienced in his 21 years of travelling between the mainland and Granite Island.

CUTTER WASHED UP ON ROCKS.

During the heavy blow on Friday night last the well known fishing cutter "Swallow." owned by Mr. Cain Rumbelow, of Encounter Bay, parted from her mooring chain and drifted on to the rocks near the Bluff. By Saturday afternoon the craft was high and dry, and it was not until the high tide on Sunday afternoon that she was towed from her precarious position. This was made possible with the help of fellow fishermen who kindly placed their boats at Mr. Rumbelow's disposal. The "Swallow" was later lowed to the slip at Granite Island and the extent of the damage will be ascertained by a shipwright.

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