STORMY VOYAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 10

STORMY VOYAGE.

BUFFETED BY BIG SEAS

SCHELDEPAS LIMPS INTO PORT

WATER WASHES'©'ABOUT HOLDS

The Belgian steamer Scheldepas arrived at Auckland at S) o'clock last night after an eventful voyage. 'The ship was like a submarine, ploughing through tho seas with only her upper deck showing," commented the captain ou arrival. The Scheldepas left Antwerp on February 21), and it has been a voyage of mishaps throughout. She called at Kingston, Jamaica, to coal, onlv to be n-|il ti|) by a strike of watersiders. Captain Nepper described a chapter of a series of mishaps that dogged the steamer throughout the remainder of the Vn\ ■; A. ,-r passing through the Panama Canal heavy storms were met otf tne l-alapagos Island. A derelict was ft ruck one night, which the captain considered was a semi-submerged wooden vessel, and following this mishap water found its way into No. 1 hold and thonce into tlie engine room. The opinion was that tne stem of the, ship ha been strained. The Scheldepas put into Tahiti for temporary repairs. She then visited Rarotonga, after which several gales were encountered, one very severe one lasting for several days. In the course of this storm one of the lifeboats was smashed from the davits and swept overboard, while damage was done to railings, deck gear and cabins. Captain Nepper expresses the opinion that he was fortunate to have tyeen able to bring his vessel into Auckland before to-day's heavy storm arose. The Scheldepas was examined by the marine surveyor this morning. '