IN THE GRIP OF A GALE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1164, 27 June 1911, Page 4

IN THE GRIP OF A GALE.

WIMMEKA HAS A STORMY TRIP. (By TeleEraim-Prcs3 Aseocia.tion.l Auckland, June 26.. The Iluddart-Pnrkor Company's intercolonial trader Wiiiinicva, which arrived Mm Sydney early this monun ; ,-, encouu■i'lvd exceptionally heavy wuatiiur lor the iifsi 21 hours sho was at sea. The vessel mil not leave Sydney until li p.m. ou Wednesday lust, and, in reaching Auckland between tureo and lour o'clock this morning, »lie lias made a lait passage, all Lin n S s considered. , Tliu Wimmera met with strong winds and seas long bolore t.Jic Sydney Heads closed behind her, and by 0 p.m. was in the grip of u heavy s.iuth-wost gale, which raised a high beam tea. The gale continued to increase in lury, and great seas broke on board, doing much minor damage. At 1.30 a.m. the vwa-el was hove to, and was not put on her course again until six hours later. The- gale had (lien, moderated, but had not spent itself unlil the. evening. While the gale was at its height liaskcngcrs and crow suffered iio littlo lnconvanicijco. The well deck was Hooded all the time, big green seas conetanlly coming on board. The skylight over the engineers' alleyway was stove inletting great nuantilics of water belowso that the alleyway and oliicers' room* were flooded, (hero being several feet of water in the alley. The- water found its way through a dividing door to the ladies' cabins, and baling operations had to bo resorted 10, I hough no damage was sustained. The. breakwater at the after end of the saloon deck was damaged, and the covering of the steam pipes was badly bent, through tho breaking in of two ports. The storeroom was Hooded, and water also found its way into the forecabin, but no damage was sustained. The ladder leading to tho boat deck was swept away, and some woodwork on the saloon, dock and a few feet of the handrails on the starboard side, where all the tlurango was sustained.