PERILS OF THE SEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1922, Page 4

PERILS OF THE SEA.

It may lie doubted whether there is | any country in the world with a coa-ti more dangerous to tlie mariner than' that of New Zcaiand, and the wonder is! not that wrecks arc so many but that they are so icw. As time goes on, and the coast is better lighted and more knowledge is gained of its peculiarities,! the risk diminishes, but that this risk I is still substantial and tliat hidden and unforeseen perils may briug disaster, is shown by the case of the s<-hooncr[ Valmarie, now it total wreck on Farewell Spit. The ei.cnmstanecs of this] casualty are exceptional. Farewell Spit juts out in a seventeen-mile curve from Cape Farewell, and has an evil re-1 putation as a treacherous spot. The cap-] tain of the Valmarie, who ha_ been round the Spit many times, deposed at | tbe inquiry that at the point where he struck the chart showed a depth of twenty fathoms or more, and there was | nothing to indicate that he *'as getting' in to shoal water. The marine superintendent ot the Union Company in j Wellington said he had directed the j salvage of another ship at about the j same spot eighteen montlis ago, and his study of the local conditions convinced him that the chart was entirely unreliable. The bank shifted at every tide, and while the course set by the captain should have been quite safe, and was one commonly taken, it was not safe. There was a warning in the "New Zealand Pilot." but this concerned large vessels mure than sumH ones. In view of this warning, the Court held that the captain committed a slight error of judgment in standing too close in shore,! but returned his certificate, and drewi the Marine Department's attPjtiott to j the evidence. The inquiry has therefore j done this much good, that it has; drawn I attention to a peril tiiat was not mdi- | cated on the chart and was not realised, by all mariners, lite loss oi the Cal- 1 marie may prevent tbe stranding o.i larger vessels.