OCEAN ISLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 31, 7 February 1928, Page 8

OCEAN ISLAND.

SCENE OF RECENT WRECK. TRIALS OF THE SHIPMASTER. LOADING THE THOSPHATE. Ocean Island, where the steamer Ocean Transport was wrecked last week, is but little known to Aucklanders other than those intimately connected with the phosphate trade, and for this reason the following letter from a subscriber is of unusual interest: — "To reach this valuable speck in the ocean, so aptly named," he writes, "one has to make a sea journey of not less and probably considerably more than 1500 miles. Sights to ascertain a ship's position are not always possible owing to rain and low visibility, while the ocean set or drift is anything up to 100 miles a day. With the knowledge that the island has an area of only 4500 acres, and that it rises only 250 ft from the sea-bed, one can easily realise that tne island is not the easiest thing to pick up in thick weather. "Any wind other than an easterly (luckily the prevailing one) oompcls a steamer to 'lav off* until favourable weather allows her drift to cease. Adverse conditions have been known to prevail for many weeks, and at times there have been quite a squadron of 'drifters.' On such occasions provisions and the supply of fresh water usually run low. Drifting is the only means of waiting for an improvement in the conditions, as there is neither harbour nor anchorage. "At last the dreary wait is ended by a wireless signal for the first comer to "close and make fast." The other ships must wait their turn. On approaching the island from the west, an indent in the otherwise oval shape is found, and into the tny bay project two large cantilever piers, from which the phosphate is loaded. Here are to be seen the drying sheds, workshops, Chinese and Kanaka compounds, mess rooms, private residences, hospital and Government buildings. Out in the bay are dotted two large buoys for overseas ships, and a number of smaller ones for the lighters, all linked to a network of moorings. Fast Loading. "On arrival a steamer is met by members of the Phosphate Commission sialf and secured to the moorings by means of a large slip, capable of eperating instantly. The method of loading, once operations arc begun, is very fast, and as many as 3500 tons have been shipped in a single day. It is anticipated that Ocean Island, and her sister island. Nauru, a few hours' steam away, will export somewhere about half a million tons of phosphate during the current year. "A small fleet of motor boats and lighters, manned by Kanakas, are responsible for the transfer of the phosphate. Collecting the cargo in large baskets from the tips at the end of the piers, the boats are towed to and from the ship.

"A change of wind, often quite sudden in the winter, causes a mild panic. On such an occasion the loading vessel casts off any lighters that may be alongside, slips her moorings, and gets out to sea to drift, while the launches are taken through a channel blasted in the reef, and are hauled up clear of the sea by electric winches."

"Two incidents which occur rod some time ago ara worthy of mention. The steamer Nauru Chief was engaged in trying to replace the network of moorings displaced by bad weather, when she was caught by a severe westerly gale. At the time the steamer's stern .was within a stoue's throw of the reef, on which very soon great seas were pounding, and the visibility was made bad by torrential rain. All day and well into the night the vessel 'hung on,' but then her mooring cable parted, and it was only by skilful seamanship that she got safely out to sea.

"The second incident concerned a steamer which came in to take on board provisions, and also to pick up a hospital case. A skiff, containing an officer and a number of men, was about to come alongside, when the wind sprung up, and the steamer had to immediately slip her moorings. Although the skiff was only a few yards away, the master could not wait for it. As "the surf was too bad to risk a landing, those in the skiff were in groat danger. Rapidly the conditions became worse, and the officer made his boat fast to the buoy, just previously vacated by the steamer. Soon however, the skiff was swamped, but the men hung ou to the buoy. Shortly before nightfall an attempt at rescue, although hazardous in the extreme, was attempted by the Acting-Resident Commissioner of the Gilbert and Ellis Colony, with a crew of native police, and the venture was a success.

"Yes, little does the farmer realise the effort to produce the phosphate .which ho so willingly scatters over his paddocks."