The south misses the boat

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 1

The south misses the boat

Gloomy Rangatira sails for last time

From MURRAY SIMPSON, aboard the Rangatira

Sultry cloud hung over Lyttelton last evening as the Ransatira‘s last minutes in the port she had served so well slipped slowly away.

The sky mirrored the moody atmosphere which had enveloped the vessel all day. It was a parting made in haste — for the sake of expediency — without hope of better things to come. At 8 p.m. exactly a quietly spoken order — — “take in the head lines when you are ready” — drifted out from the darkened bridge. “Let go aft” — a pause — then, "full steam — all clear.” Radio Officer George West was given the nod. For the crew it was litle cause for celebration.

and the festive spirit was noticeably absent as the last of 300 passengers filed up the gangway. For the Rangatira’s master. Captain John Cleaver, it was a sad occasion — marking the close of a chapter in New Zealand maritime history. Throwing his weight on a slender line he endeavoured to drag out a response from two massive horns mounted on the Rangatira’s funnel. Steam belched out with a consumptive wheeze. Another swing and one horn reluctantly burst into life. On the next pull both horns let out a full-sided roar which echoed round the hills. The harbour erupted in

response — again and again. After a few n ore for the cars on Evans Pass, the order came “That’s enough, we’ll run out of steam.”

The Rangatira had a resounding farewell as hundreds of people turned up to watch her depart for the last time.

With an almost full load of passengers, the Rangatira slipped her moorings at 8.5 p.m. and slid out into the harbour to the accompaniment of the sirens of every other ship in port and the calls of farewell from about 200 people who packed the terminal’s viewing platform. As the ship left her berth, two red flares lit the sky.

While many of the passengers seemed in high spirits as they tossed streamers to those on shore, the crew were not. Many of them will have no jobs when they reach Wellington. One young crew member said: “I’m paid off and peed off." This seemed to sum up the attitude of the whole crew, many of whom were very bitter about the decision to withdraw the Rangatira.

At a news conference before the ship sailed. Captain Cleaver said there would be no celebrating on board, as very few had anything to celebrate. Many of the crew felt like hoisting a black flag above the ship, he said.