MOORINGS LAID IN DEEP WATER

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22534, 17 October 1938, Page 8

MOORINGS LAID IN DEEP WATER

——♦ DIFFICULT FEAT OF SEAMANSHIP QUARTER OF A MILE OF WIRE AND CHAIN [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, October 16. Reputed to be the deepest of their kind in the world, moorings 220 fathoms, or a quarter of a mile long, were laid by the bank line steamer Forthbank, for the French Government, on a recent visit to Makatea Island, in the Tuamotu. Archipelago in the Eastern Pacific. The Forthbank, which arrived at Auckland from Nauru Island on Saturday flight, completed the task early last month. . One of the chief sources in the Pacific of phosphate supplies, the Makatea Island has very deep water close, inshore, and no berthing facilities are available for ships loading cargoes. As a result, vessels moor to a buoy, being held in, position by two span chains, running to a reef, the arrangements being similar to those obtaining at the phosphate sources of Nauru and Ocean Islands in the Western Pacific. The previous mooring equipment was laid in 1932 by another vessel of the Bank Line, with the master of the Forthbank, Captain Robertson, in command. On a decision being reached to replace it, the Forthbank was dispatched to Papeete to load the new gear, and because of the unusual nature of the work, to have grappling apparatus fitted to her bow. The weight of the moorings was extremely heavy, but the work was carried out successfully by the ship’s winches. At the end of each day’s work, the gear was made fast while the Forthbank put to sea for the night, and the 1 only serious hitch was the onset of ( stormy weather after five days on the . job. Because of the exposed shore, the Forthbank remained at sea for several 1 lays, but on her return, she was able £ :o complete the task fairly quickly. . I An indication of the heavy handling c •equired is given in the size of the c iquipment. The anchor and base shack- fc

a ling alone weighed six lons, and ? n considerable proportion pf the lengtl :, of the moorings comprised eight-inct a wire. The buoy itself weighed 22 tons - When the work was completed, th« old moorings having been dumped - the Forthbank loaded a cargo ofphos a phate for Honolulu. She then went tc - Nauru to take a phosphate shipmen e for Auckland. S - ' '■ ——