Captain Tells Of Sadness And Frustration At Loss

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31654, 15 April 1968, Page 16

Captain Tells Of Sadness And Frustration At Loss

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 14. Captain H. G. Robertson, master of the Wahine, said in an interview that he had a feeling of “sadness and frustration” as he jumped into Wellington Harbour on Wednesday afternoon from the stern of the sinking ferry.

He said he was sad because of the lives that had been lost and frustrated because he had not been able to do better “to save my ship.”

Captain Robertson, a tall, greying veteran of the Wellington-Lyttelton run, was, in the tradition of the sea, the last man to leave the ship, which he had commanded since October, 1966.

Fully clothed and wearing a lifejacket he had donned 10 minutes before he leapt into the water after WeDington’s Deputy Harbour master, (Captain W. Galloway).

He swam a little way from the Wahine and "hen floated for about 20 minutes before he was picked up by a fishing boat. Captain Robertson, interviewed at the week-end in his new home at Lower Hutt overlooking the harbour, said he was certain no passengers or crew remained behind him on the Wahine. “Captain Galloway and 1 walked the boatdeck from the bridge to the stern before we left," he said. “There was noone aboard.” Much earlier stewards had checked all cabins on the decks below. “I’m quite satisfied in my own mind no-one was left on the ship,” he said. “Normal Run” Captain Robertson described the overnight run to ! Wellington as “entirely nor-

mal” until the ship reached Pencarrow Head, the easterly entrance to Wellington Harbour. “We passed Cape Campbell (the north-western tip of ♦he South Island) at 4.15 a.m. A 45-knot southerly was blowing. To us that’s nothing. “Across the strait the wind increased to 50 knots. Wind Report ' “We received a report from Beacon Hill signal station at 15 a.m. which stated the wind was a southerly a! 50 knots ; gusting to 60 m.p.h.” Captain Robertson empha ! sised again that this was noth ing unusual for Wellington— I “I’ve berthed the Wahine at Wellington with no trouble with the wind gusting to 60 knots." The ship entered Welling ton Heads at 6.25 a.m. “We entered Wellington Harbour on normal course with the light beacon on Barretts Reef visible to port and the light on Pencarrow visible to starboard,” he said. “It was a normal approach The main engines were on standby and there was a heavy swell. “We reduced to about half speed (10 knots) to counter-

act sheering.” (A term describing the action of the swell on the stern.) The reduction in speed and the standby on main engines were earlier than usual. This was normal in the conditions “Visibility v.as about half a mile in heavy driving rain. Unexpected Force “The wind increased shortly after entering harbour to 100 knots plus," Captain Robertson said. “There was nothing to indicate this had been expected.” Earlier, there was no concern in his mind whatever. “I was quite confident when we slowed down at the heads at 6.25 a.m.," he said. Because of the impending marine court of inquiry Captain Robertson was unable to say what caused the loss of the ship. “But I can say that 1 never thought the ship was going to go, although we were ready for any emergency,” he said. “The way things were after we got her off Barretts Reef, where she grounded about 6.30 a.m., it looked as though we would get the ship into smoother water and safety after passing through the heads into the harbour. We

power and then with the anchors out we were slowly forced stern first, with her head into the wind and seas, through the heads. “But she still handled well. She’s a beautiful ship. The w.-ter intake was not great. Finally, she was just overwhelmed by the elements.” When the ship struck Barretts Reef the Beacon Hill signal station was immediately called on radio-tele-phone and from then until the ship foundered the /signallers were given reports of the Wahine’s progress every 20 minutes. “After we got off and were drifting—the ship lost the use of the engines because of sea water flooding—there was no real danger. She handled well and we drifted from the reef to Steeple Beacon. But we had no option where to go. The wind, which gusted to 123 miles an hour, dictated that.” Under Control Captain Robertson said that Captain Galloway had risked his life to get on board the Wahine at noon to give help and advice. At that stage everything still appeared to be under control and he made a complete inspection of the ship. Captain Robertson walked with a slight limp, the result of being thrown the full width of the bridge at one stage on Wednesday. He praised the way the crew had acted in the crisis. Captain Robertson said he had not heard any criticism of his handling of the ship. “I’m sure some people did criticise me—a taxi driver who was once in mv crew told me he wanted to fight a passenger who said something derogatory about my seamanship—but my conscience is clear,” he said. Long Sea Career Captain Robertson went to sea as a 16-year-old deckboy and won his second mate's foreign-going .ticket at the age of 22. For some years he worked in tramp ships, but he returned to the Union Company in 1938. Since then he has served in about 30 of the company’s ships. His first command was the Kanna in 1952. His commands have included the Tamahine on the WellingtonPicton run: the New Zealand Railways ship Aramoana; the Hinemoa on the steamer express service to Lyttelton; and, for four months, the Maori.