THE GARELOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 224, 20 September 1924, Page 17

THE GARELOCK.

- The Gareloek, a beautiful clipper ship of 1177-tons, built by Dobie and owned in Glasgow, was chartered by the Shaw, Savill ;and .Albion Cβ. to convey immigrants to New Zealand. She was launched in 1853, and two year 3 later made . a very / fast passage to Port Chalmers, sailed from Gravescnd on November 23, 1874, and met with contrary winds during the first week. She crossed the Equator on December 17, and experienced moderate south-cast trade winds, and had mostly favourable winds to the Snares, which were sighted on February 10, 1874. Two days later she was off Otago Heads, ■ and ■on .the following morning anchored at Port Chalmers, 79 days port to port; and 09J land to land, the ship on this occasion' landing over 300 passengers for Dunedin. The Gareloek had a rough experience on the passage to Lyttelton in JBBO-81: She struck heavy gales to start with,in the Channel, which continued through the Bay of Biscay, and caused a delay of many days. When in the tropics she had several days of calms and light airs, and after passing the Cape on March 1 30 encountered a furious gale, during which and while running under lower' topsaiis only she was pooped by a huge sea,'the result being that the wheel, binnacle, and skylight were smashed and the decks flooded. Tlie two men at the wheel were thrown on to the main deck and j severely injured. Twelve hours later tha crew succeeded in rigging a jury wheel. The Gareloek made another smart passage to Wellington in 1882-S of 84 days, port to port, and 78 land to land. The Garelock's records were:— TO WELLINGTON. Sailed. Arrived. Captain. Days. Kov. 17, "82 Feb. 0, 'S3 Donaldson 84 TO OTAGO. ; Nov. S3, '74 Feb. 13,75 Greenwood 82 . ... , • TO LYTTELTON. Dec. 24, '80 Apr. 9, 'SI Donaldson *06 The Gareloek must not be confused with the 375-ton screw steamer Gairlocli, which arrived at Auckland on January ; 24, 18S5, in charge of Captain Hill, who had previously commanded the AnazL when trading". to New Zealand. ■ The Gairloch (note the different spelling of these ships) was built in Glasgow for the Northern Steamship Co.. Auckland, and for many years trade* between the IManukau and New Plymouth, where she became a- favourite with- passengers. Two years after her arrival at Auckland, on May 19, 1887, the steamer, after sailing * from New Plymouth for the Manukau, had to put back to Waitara owing to her port shaft and propeller carrying away. She was later towed to Onchunga by the steamer Staffa, and she then ran for another 16 years, when, under Captain A. H. Austin, she was stranded and becamo a total wreck on the Oakura reef, three miles north of Cape Egmont. The Gairloch, on the passage out from Glasgow, was under steam for 70 days, and 45 under canvas, which accounted for the rather long passage of 115 days.