BITE OF THE GALE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1237, 20 September 1911, Page 6

BITE OF THE GALE.

UNUSUALLY SEVERE. TRYING TIME AT SEA. CREW QUIT BARQUE. WHAT SOMES ISLAND REPORTED. FLOODS AND WASH-OUTS. Wild, and very wild indeed, has been the lot of thoso {.hat "go down to tlie sea in ships" during the past twentyfour hours. This is sufficiently indicated by reports which appear bslow. But, inland, the position has been hardly less serious, and tho whole country, in fact, appears to havo "caught it." On Monday niglit the southerly breeze freshened into a sharp set gale, which continued throughout yesterday with intermittent showers of stinging rain. Such was tho forco of tho gale that tho seas were dashing over the down (outer) rails along a considerable stretch of the new railway track between Wellington and tho Hutt. So heavy was the overwash that the railway authorities did not deem it advisable to use the outer track yesterday afternoon, and all the traffic- was sent over the inner (or up) track.

The Rotorua, from London, got .a severe "dusting" in coming through the Strait. According to a wireless messago received on Monday she was expected in the harbour at 10 o'clock yesterday morning, but owing to have to .plug against a gale, which roso at times to hurricane force, and a big sea, did not reach port until 1.15 p.m., and it was 3.40 p.m. before she was fast alongsido tho King's Wharf.

After the exceeding mildness of tbe past month or six weeks the "southerly" has brought a "sure-enough" return to tbe heart of winter. The detailed reports indicate quite a number of wash-outs and inundations in various parts of tho country, whilo tho experience of the Danish barque Carla, when she got on a lee shore off Wanganui, must have been extremely perilous and trying. She is not out of danger yet. What may or may not prove to bo a haTbour tragedy was reported from Somes Island, and has yet to be cleared up. It was ono of the numerous happenings which occurred during the gale. ON A LEE SHORE. CREW QUIT THE BARQUE GARLA. FIVE ATTEMPTS TO TOW. (By Telegraph.— Soecial CorrcsDontfant.) Wanganui, September 19. The locally-owned barquentino Alexa and the Damsh barquentine Carla (tho latter thirty days out from Newcastle) arrived oil' the bar on Sunday, but tho tide not being favourable they beat off the coast. Tub Alexa made the bar again yesterday, and came into port, but tho Carla, which ■ arrival some hours later, was not so fortunate.

At 2 o'clock the steamer Gerlio went out to tow her in, but. the tow-rope proved a very poor' one, aud no .soontr did tho steamer take tho strain thaa it snapped. Tho Gertie got hold of the Carla again, but the rope onco moio broke, ani this was repeated no less than live times. By this time it was nearly dark, and a hard southerly gale, with a heavy sea, had sprung up, waking further operations dangerous. The Wind and sea rapidly became worse, aud tho Carla, which had drifted about three miles to tho southward and a like distance from tho coast, put out all available anchors, and wls then abandoned by her captain and crew, who took to their boat,.and came on board the Gertie. The latter stayed out in the galo all night, and came acrcsstho bar again this morning, soau after 7 o'clock, bringing the crow of tho Carla into town. Tho Carla remained in the position which she was left in all night, her anclnrs standing the strain of tho hurricane well, and if theycontinue to hold till the sea abates tho ship will be in no danger, and will be nble to make port at the first favourable opportunity.. The crew will reman their vessel as soon as tho sea goes down. ■ ' The master of the Gertie (Captain Bogers), in conversation with a pressman, said that had the tow-rope held he would have had no trouble in getting the Carla in before the weather got too boisterous. Tho rope, however, was a very poor one, and he attributed the ship's present condition in good measure to this fact. Ho referred in a very complimentary way to tho plucky action of the captain and crew of the Carla in attempting to leave their vessel in their own boat and making for the Gertie when the sea was so rough. It was,.he stated, a very daring act, and on* which deserved the success which attended it. In manoeuvring to get the tow-ropo on board on ono occasion the wind and sea caught tho Gertie, with the result that the Carla's bowsprit fouled her, smashing a boat an 1 doing several other minor dam ages. Latest reports this evening state that there is no alteration in tho Carla's position. Tho anchors are holding well, and all now depends on whether the ship can ride out the gale. There seems to }k> a fair prospect that she will do so. SHIPS CRASH TOGETHER. (By TclecraDh.—Press Association.) Wanganui, September 19. Tho Girla, with a cargo ot coal for the Wanganui gasworks, is lyiuj at anchor some miles south of the bar, in a heavy sea. The crew are in a boarding-house in town, and the fate of the- vessel is uncertain.

Tho vessel arrived off the bar on Saturday, but no tug was then available. She canio up again on Sunday, but again was unabln to secure a tug. On Monday morning sho dropped anchor, and in the alternoon the steamer Gertie wont out to tow her in, with tho result related. During tho abortive efforts to effect a tow tho foTcc of the gale rose. Tho Carla's anchors were let go, but the vessel was dragging towards tho beach. At one stage of the operations tho Gertie had to come in rather close under tho vessel's bow, with the result that the jibboom crashed on to the steamer's deck, smashing a lifeboat into matchwood, snapping off tho davits, partly demolishing the deckhouse, and nearly carrying away the funnel. Tie Carla's iibbiom .w,v also smashed, and all tho head-sail gear wrecked. Consequently she was in <i helpless state, mid when sho was drifting into great danger the captain decided to board the Gerti?, which was standing by. After great difficulty the crew got away in the lifeboat, and the Gertie, having put out a considerable quantity- of oil, the seven men' were enabled to got on lx>ard tho steaoior, which this morning brought them to shore.

To the sirrpritt! of all, the Carla, instead of bfiiifj on the beach in tlio morning, was still riding at her anchors, which have evidently found a hard bottom. A heavy sea has been rnnning all day, but ns darkness came on the vessel was still in the samo position. TRAGEDY? DRIFTING BOAT AND MEN IN IT. RAFT PICKED UP. At about 1.30 p.m. yesterday Mr. Arnold, lighthous-e-keeper on Somes Island, saw what he believed to be a waterlogged boat containing throe men drifting before the southerly gale off the northernmost point of the island, and going in the direction . of Petone beach. So sure was he that an accident had occurred that he telephoned to the Marine Department, and. on the receipt o£,tho message, Mr. George Allnort (secretary) at once dispatched the narbonr steamer Jliiritai to search for tho drifting boat and its frozen occupants. At this time there was a keen-edged southerly gale blowing, and a big sea running in the bay, and the prospect of effecting a rescue seemed no one. An hour later—at 2.1)0 p.m.— the boat wos reported to bo abopt half vray between the island and the Petone

beach. By this time word nf the accident had boon telephoned to lMono, and through the light-keeper's glasses, windblown forms could be discerned on the beach awaiting developments. It was proposed at Tetouc to launch the Volunteers' witter, but a crew could not ho mustered, and the boat could not have been handled iu such a sea without a full manning of competent oarsmen. Shortly after 3 o'clock it was reported that a big log, with roots attached, had como ashore at I'etone, and it was supposed that this might havo been mistaken for a boat drifting submerged in the flying scud. On this news being conveyed to boincs Island, Mr. Arnold said: "1 really am t believe that I was mistaken. \\<i were looking right down on it with powerful glasses." ~ r „ "Where was it when you first saw it."About 100 vards off the north point, which is about half a mile from here. I am almost prepared to take my oath that it was a boat full of water, with three men—one in the stern, one amidships, and the other hanging over the starboard side." "Was the weather thick? '■'No, quite clear. I was not the only one who saw it—all on the island saw it, and believed it to be a boat. We kept it in view for two hours." "But where would a boat come from in such a sea?" "That's what puzzles me, but I supposed that it might have broken away from Seatoun or Worser Bay." On the return of the lluritai it was reported that a raft had been picked up to leeward of Somes Island. It was just an ordinary rough raft consisting of a number of planks held together with a cross-pieco at each end. This, it is assumed, was what the lighthouse-keeper saw, but Mr. Arnold is still dubious. It is not supposed that any tragedy is connected with the finding of the raft.

SHIPPING SUFFERS.

THE BOATS THAT GOT TO SEA,

HOW THEY FACED IT.

"It's blowing a heavy gale from the south-west and there is a very heavy sea running, and no boat has a chance ol Belting out now," was the answer received from the signalman at tho Heads last night in reply to a question as to what the weather was like. Only two steamers managed to negotiate the entrance outwards yesterday. These were the Mapourika, hound tor Nelson and the West Coast, and the Jlokoia for Lyttelton. Both vessels wore seen plunging into the big head combers" and heavy gale as they slogged out The Kosamond, which loft tho wharf at 0 5 a.m. yesterday, was compelled to make for an anchorage inside the Heads ami the Kowhai and Koonya, which left during tho morning and afternoon respectively were also- compelled to anchor and there is not much chance of them getting out before this afternoon. All the - small fry" were securely tied up to the wharves and there they remained and will Temain until tho weather breaks. OVERDUE STEAMERS. The Tyser liner Indraleuia left Napier at J2.15 p.m. on Monday tor Wellington and had not been sighted at time left shortly after 1 p.m. on tho same. day,- also for Wellington, is also making an exceptionally l0 I? ETsumised that these vessels are hove-to somewhere up tho East Coast or else sheltering behind Capo kidnappers. They should show up some time to-day. The local agents state that the Wakatii, which is en route from Lyttelton to Wellington, via Kaikoura, is sheltering along the coast. "A TERRIBLE TRIP," Shortly after 7 p.m. the -Union Company's Pateena arrived in port from Picton" after what an officer describes as a "terrible trip." The vessel got away from Picton on the stroke of three o clock yesterday afternoon, and half an hour after Tory Channel was cleared she struck it." Heavy seas tossed the vessel about, and the wind blew with hurricane force all the way across. At the entrance to Wellington Heads the Fateen "caught it good and strong to use the officer's expression, and pitched and tossed about like a cork. . , When tho vessel was about 20 minutes steam from tho Heads tho Mapourika was pawed and she was labouring heavily. The Pateena's troubles were not over oven when she did get inside. As she was coming up to her berth tho wind catißht her head and swung it on to the wharf. Tho impact, which Was considerable, dented her bow" plates on the port' side, nml smashed some of tho woodwork on tho. side of tho wharf. It is hoped that the weather will have calmed down sufficiently to allow , the smaller vessels to put to ?ea to-day, but up till an early hour this morning it showed little symptom of abating. MARAROA'S ORDEAL. (By Tclccranh.-Pre?s Association.) Christchurch, September 1!). It was a wild night along the coast. Tht hard southerly gale had raised a high sea, and the weather was thick and dirty with squalls of rain and sleet. Only one steamer—tho Mararoa—was due from the north, and she had; a very rough passage. Leaving Wellington at 8 o'clock last niirht 1 she rah into the gale immediately after clearing tho Heads. She encountered high seas, and had a very dirty passage across Cook Strait and down to lutikonra. The stretch of 83 miles from Wellington to Kaikoura occupied 12 hours, steaming against tho gale and sea tho Mararoa passing Kaikoura Peninsula nt 8.15 a.m. to-day. .She reached Lyttelton this nfternoon, after an exceptionally bad passage. The gale, which has been ono of the worst experienced this year, showed signs of moderating this afternoon. RIVERS IN FLOOD. (By TelecraDh.—Presa AESociation.l Nelson, September 19. Three days' of almost continuous heavy rain have- caused flooded rivers and some damage. Portions of the low-lying land in Nelson, were inundated for a time, and some manholes of the drainage burst. Tho Maitai and the Brook have aho dono some damage to tho recent work of the Beautifying Society. At Collingwood, Stony Point redlight beacon carried away. The Nelson train yesterday was unable to proceed safely beyond Tapawera, owing to washouts on the line, and passengers booked for the further stations ._ were found lodgings for the night. It is improbable that this morning's train will get- beyond Tapawern. The Wairoa and Wai-iti Elvers are over their banks. Communication between Brightwatsr and Waimca West is cut off temporarily. At Wakelield there is three feet "of water in Burns's Brewery, and tho tennis court is swamped, and communication with Bclgrovo and the main road is cut oIF. The rain has now ceafed, and a cold snap has set in, with snow on the hills. Blenheim, September II). Yesterday's heavy rains were succeeded by a heavy fall of snow last night in the back country, thus helping to avert a flood. The land round about Tnumarina is inundated by flood waters from tho Wairau Kivcr, and the coach (o Nelson had (o return to Blenheim this morning, as the water was too deep for the vehicle to get through. The Omaka and Taylor Piivers are not flooded. / The southerly gale and heavy sea which raged all day yesterday played havoc with a section of the railway lines between Ngahauranga and Petone. A good deal of the Ixdlast has already been washed away, which resulted in tlio traffic being slightlv interrupted yesterday afternoon. It is feared that, if the storm continues very long, somo serious damage will be done by the hrp.ikcrs. So far tho storm has had no effect on tho Ilutt liiver.