ARAHURA HOVE-TO.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 119, 21 May 1924, Page 4

ARAHURA HOVE-TO.

TWO DAYS IN EASTERLY GALE. TOO ROUGH TO WORK GISBORNE. The stormy -weather of last -week-end was responsible for a prolonged trip by the Arahura to the East Coast ports of Gisbornc and Napier, and the steamer did not return to Auckland from these ports until this morning, being two and a-lialf days later than usual. When the Arahura left Napier last Saturday morning for Gisborne and Auckland, the first effects of the storm were being felt along the coast, and it was evident that by the time the vessel would arrive at the Gisborne roadstead it would be impossible to tender passengers. Accordingly the Arahura steamed out to sea, and on Saturday afternoon and throughout Sunday was hove-to in a southeast gale accompanied bj- high seas and severe rain squalls. There were fortysix passengers on board, some of whom were to be disembarked at Gisborne. On Sunday the gale was steadily abating; but, as it was still impossible to work Gisborne, the steamer put back to Napier on Monday morning to replenish her bunkers. She left Xapier again on Monday evening for Gisborne, the wind being now in the south-west quarter and the sea going down rapidly. Gisborne was worked at daybreak on Tuesday and Tokomaru Bay at 10 a.m., the voyage being completed at 7.20 a.m. to-day.