COLLIER BUFFETED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 146, 22 June 1945, Page 7

COLLIER BUFFETED

MANY GALES** ENCOUNTERED

ISLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATED

; WELLINGTON. Thursday.

The collier Wingatui. which left Wellington in ballast nearly a month ago for Westport to get coal for Wellington, arrived back in port last night without the cargo of coal but having circumnavigated the North Island. She has come into this coal-hungry port to get coal for her bunkers. The Wingatui left Napier on Saturday afternoon with enough coal to take her to Westport had the weather been fair, but until 6 p.m. on Tuesday, when she was north of Castlepoint, she was still encountering the heavy southerly that had been the cause of all her troubles since she left Wellington. The ship left Wellington for Westport on May 25 and arrived at Auckland on Saturday night. June 2. after eight days at sea. She was only 60 miles from Westport when she first met the gales late on Saturday, May 26. The ship had been forced north as far as New Plymouth by May 30. On that day another effort to steam south met with a further gaJe. The Wingattii could not put into New Plymputh so. with her coal dwindling, she was turned stern to the storm and sailed around the North Cape to Auckland, 700 miles from her destination. The vessel was replenished with stores oil her arrival at Auckland, and she was bunkered with some of Auckland's precious coal. . Leaving Auckland, she ran into some of the worst weather of the whole voyage and was five days between Napier and Cape Kidnappers. On June 12 she out into Napier for more bunker coal. Although there was a scarcity of coal at Napier she took in enough to take her to Westport, but the consumption smce she left Napier has been above normal. She still has enough to take her to her destination but it has been thought prudent to increase the supply before proceeding.