A NARROW ESCAPE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8452, 3 January 1913, Page 7

A NARROW ESCAPE.

(Per Press Association.)

1 ■■■■'■. AUCKLAND,January 2. The small steamer Akaroa of a- vcnty tons, was just rescued in time to save her from drifting on to the r.-ef near the mouth of Cox's Creek on Tuesday. The Akaroa came down the gulf ia the morning hauling a raft of logs, iw'.-il at an early hour the raft was ant adrUt and anchored. The captain and crew then dropped the stea. ior s author about 400 yds off Sloan's Beach, aid left the vessel in apparent safety. Towards 11 o'clock, however, the north easterly breeze became a gale, a:.d this, coupled with an abnormally high tioe shortly after noon, caused the Aiiaroa's anchor to lift, and the little vess*i with'

no one on board, entered upon a dangerous drifting course towards the mouth of Cox's Creek. The weather in the meantime became worse, and it was apparent, from the course which the vessel was taking that very soon she would drift on to the reef, which runs out to the right of the mouth of the creek. Two residents in the vicinity of Sloan's Beach, realised the danger which the vessel "was in, and tried to obtain a boat to tow out to her, their intention being to get aboard the vessel to lower another and a heavier anchor. Their efforts to obtain a boat, however, failed, and the next best course which suggested itself to them was to hurry to the residence of one of the '.owners, (Messrs Cashmore Bros). Mr Cashmore obtained assistance, and rowed out to the; steamer, a,nd managed to lower a heavier anchor just in time. The vessel had drifted broadside on to a heavy sea and wind for., nearly a mile, and another few minutes must have meant serious damage, if not her destruction on the jagged reef.