GELIGNITE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 9 December 1936, Page 6

GELIGNITE.

THRILLS ON THE PIRI. (By JACKSTAY.) After being laid up for six years in the Waitemata Harbour the auxiliary schooner Piri is being commissioned. To one who made not a few trips across the Tasman in her, the-'above news item brings back many recollections of thrilling moments and tense incidents not usually met with in the cargo and passenger vessels of to-day. Her usual itinerary was to load timber in New Zealand for Australia and bring back a cargo of explosives for New Zealand. We proved an excellent source of "copy" for Sydney newspaper reporters, our arrival being seldom unheralded. The:e was a time when two of the crew were washed overftbard. We had loaded up a full cargo of timber in Greymouth and were waiting for fourteen days alongside the wharf barbound. After a fresh on the river, the bar was workable, and, although the glass was falling and a westerly looming up, the skipper decided to take the opportunity of getting away while there was a chance. With the aid of the tug we left the wharf and successfully crossed the bar. That night we were pounding into a real westerly and we headed north in the hope of finding better weather. No improvement occurred next day, but matters grew worse. By the afternoon an enormous sea was running and the skipper decided to "heave to" under reefed foresail at the change of watch at eight bells. Word was sent down to the engine room to that effect by the ordinary seaman, and -he had just come up on deck as the relief for the helmsman was walking alongside the lee of the deckhouse. At this moment the ship rolled her rails right under, and, to onr dismay, swept l>oth the men over the side. Saves from the Sea. Lifebuoys were immediately thrown overboard as tlie men disappeared from view, and the helm was put hard down. On the crest of a. wave they were both seen clinging to the buoy, in spite of the fact that they yyere both hampered by oilskins and seaboots. A hand was sent aloft to keep them in sight while huge seas swept the decks amid the thunder of the flapping sails as the ship came into the wind. We circled right round, but came to leeward of the men, and rapidly drifted further to leeward. It was impossible to lower a boat in that sea. so" tire skipper circled round again, this time stopping the engines well to windward, and then we gradually drifted down towards the men. When they were near enough a line was thrown to them and they were hauled aboard. They were both suffering from shock, but were able to resume dnty before reaching port. I think there can be no doubt that they owe their lives to the excellent seamanship of Captain Watt.

Another eventful voyage occurred later. We had loaded timber and explosives at Melbourne, and on leaving had engine trouble before arriving at the Heads. After burning out five bearings on No. 4 cylinder, we returned for repairs, and afterwards sailed on three cylinders. After passing Wilson's promontory, we ran into heavy weather, so "hove to" for two days. At daybreak on the third day the weather had moderated and the skipper decided to get under way. The engines were started, but" it was found that the ship would not answer the helm. By hancing over the stern we could see that the rudder was broken off ut the stock. All hands were called, and we proceeded to rig a jury rudder. The foreyard was sent down from aloft and brought up on the poop and lashed across the after end of the house,, each yanlann projecting over the rails. The cargo derrick was next brought aft and a stream anchor lashed to the end. Timber and boards were used to cover the anchor so that when it was finished it resembled an enormous oar. This was then placed in the water over the stern with wires made fast to the blade and rove through blocks at each yardarm and then round the barrel of the wheel, the heel of the derrick being made fast amidships to the rail of the pooi" By 8 a in. that day we were under way again bound for Sydney, which was our nearest port. Fortunately we had fine weather, and we arrived at Sydney at sunset two days later amid great excitement. Sheltering Behind H.E. An amusing incident occurred once in Sydney. We went up to Spectacle Island to load ammunition for the New Zealand Navy. The shore gang were loading and we had about five hundred six-inch gun charges and other explosives and were taking in the last sling of one dozen boxes of live Q.F. shells. Owing to an error of judgment on the part of the crane driver, the sling eairrht the hatch coamings and down crashed one dozen boxes of live shells. I looked down the hold, fearing what T should see. Shells and broken boxes were all over the place, but not a man \yas to be seen. They had all taken cover behind boxes of gun charges and other high explosives. It was in'Milmost the same spot on the following trip that we experienced a submarine earthquake which shook the ship as though she had struck a submerged object. On our arrival at Westport. when we were allowed to enter, we found the town in ruins, and as we had explosives on board, we were not too popular, and it was some days before we could get anyone to receive our cargo, as shocks were occurring every few hours.

These are some of the most notable incidents which occurred during the time the writer sailed in the Piri.