WRECK OF THE OMAKA

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 124, 18 February 1921, Page 6

WRECK OF THE OMAKA

NAUTICAL INQUIRY STORY OF THE DISASTER An inquiry was held yesterday into the foundering of the auxiliary schooner Omaka about a. mile, inside the Lower Pencarrow light on Sunday morning, January 30, when the entire crew of six were lost. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., presided, and the nautical assessors with him were Captains G. G. Smith and W. J. Rogers. Mr. J. Prendeville appeared for the Marine Department; Mr. P. J. O’Regan for the relatives of the deceased J. T. Weekes and H. Stapleton; Mr. K. Kirkcaldie for the relatives of Captain G. E. H. Purvis; Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell, for the relatives of William Marlow; Mr. H. E. Evans, for the owners of the vessel ; Mr. F. J. B. Stevenson for the Wellington Harbour Board. Captain M'lndoe was present on behalf of the Marine Officers’ Guild, and Mr. T. Young on behalf of the Seamen’s Union. Senior-Sergeant M'Namara represented th-e police. Ea-ide.nce was given by Captain Irwin, of the s.s. Maori, and by the mate of the s.s. Wairau, describing the weather conditions during the Saturday night. Charles Alexander Eckford, one of the owners of the wrecked vessel, said the Omaka was a wooden schooner, and had a 45-h.p. oil-engine capable of driving her at six miles per hour in smooth water. She carried a crew of six. The vessel left Blenheim soon after 1.45 p.m. on Saturday, and crossed the Wairau Ixir at 11.30 n.m. It was then a fine starlight night. The vessel was not insured. She was well found, and had been inspected in June last, and the owners received the usual certificate. To Mr. Evans: The vessel was acquired lust May. The engines were then severely overhauled. The chains of the steering gear were replaced with new chains, heavier than ordered by the inspector. The Supervisor’s Evidence.

Captain A. C. 'Smith said that he was marine supervisor for the owners of the Omaka, and supervised the vessel at Blenheim on the Saturday. Ah Ae crew were on board when the vessel left Blenheim. The weight of her cargo was about 28 tons, and the. whole of the cargo was below the hatches. Mr. O'Regan: Is it not possible to ascertain before leaving Blenheim whether a vessel would run into a southerly storm ?

AVitness: No, it is not possible.

We may take it, then, that there are no communications from Wellington as to the weather conditions? —“It is not usual.”

To Mr. Hunt: He had had no complaints from the captain or crew of the vessel as to her seaworthiness. To Mr. Evans: He knew the late Captain' Purvis, whom he regarded as a reliable, trustworthy man, and a good seaman. Experience of s.s. Wairau 1 . Captain AV. G. Deiley, master of the s.s. Wairau, said that on the Saturday he left Blenheim about 9.30 p.m., and cleared tho bar about 11.40 p.m. He was behind the Omaka. There was a light sou’-wester when he crossed the bar and no indications of rough weather in the Strait. He passed the Omaka soon after midnight, and ran. into the gale about 2 a.m. The Omaka passed the Wairau about 2.35 a.m., and, as far as witness could see, she had sails on both masts, but he could not say whether they were reefed. The Wairau was at Pencarrow about 5.15 a.m.; it was then blowing a S.S.W. gale. After the Omaka passed him he saw no more of the vessel. The sea at the Heads was very heavy. Witness saw no wreckage at the Heads, nnd did not see any signals. He could not have turned the AVairau at the Heads that. Sunday morning, for it he had done so she would have swamped. To Mr. Young: He had three men on deck when coming in on Sunday; he was at the wheel himself, and the mate was also on dock. There was no lookout on his vessel—indeed, no look-out was maintained on any small vessel. Even if he had had a look-out on lus vessel that morning he could not have seen tho mon struggling in the water. What the Lighthouse-keeper Saw. John George Dugald Hussey, said on January 30 he was temporarily employed at the‘Pencarrow Lighthouse. Ho went on duty at midnight, and it was then rough. ’ Towards daylight he observed a small schooner making towards port, nnd coming from the direction of Cape Campliell. He watched her until she was past the light. As she got near the Heads she altered her course. Theie were two sails on her foremast- and none on the after mast. AVlien • tho course was altered the fore-staysail was slack, and the other sail had all the wind. When be came out of 1 the lighthouse he noticed that the vessel had capsized. H" did not see the actual capsize, which took place between three and four minutes after she passed the light. He immediately informed the principal officer, and u telephone message was sent to the ci y for help. AVhen the vessel capsized she was about a quarter of a mile from the. <hore. Witness and another assistant secured a rope and went down to the beach to see if they could give any help, but the current carried the struggling men towards -Petone. ’Hie last V ian „ le , go his hold and disappeared in Gollan’s Bay, at a'bout 7.10 a.m. To Mr Young: He thought the Omaka capsized aboit 4.49 a.m. One Reamer eame in about twenty minutes after the capsize, and another hitei. Thomas Banks Smith, lighthouse-keeper at. Pencarrow. said he had been at the lighthouse for three months, and had been in the service for sixteen yeys- O Sunday, January 30, Hussey called witness just before 5 a.m., and told hill that a sailing vessel had capsized. Witness went immediately to the top of the hill and turned the telescope on the wreck The vessel’s masts were facing towards Seatoun, and the Omaka was lying a quarter of a mile from the shore; there were two men on the wreckage. Witness immediately had a telephone message sent to the tolls office informing the authorities of the wreck. The AVairau came in about 5.20 a.m. on the far side of the entrance. They dill all that they possibly could to attract those on the AVairau with flags, etc. lhey had no boat at the lighthouse, and even if they had one they could not have launched it. The Baden Powell camo in soon after the AVairau, and passed within a hundred yards of the wreck. Frank Edward Puddick, signalman at Seatoun Heights, said he was on duty from midnight to 6 a.m. on Sunday. He saw the AVairau -come in, but not the Omaka. AVhen he communicated with tho citv aS to sighting the AVairau, he was told of the wreck,and he was able to see the wreck through the g ass The wreqk was about a mile and a half from Seatoun. , To .Air. Kirkcaldie: AVlien he was informed of the wreck he put up an ur"ent signal for the Wairau, but she was well into the harbour. He loft tho urgent signal up for the Baden Powell, but she did not answer, as far as he could A Seaworthy Vessel.

Charles W. R- Suisted, ship's surveyor, ■Wellington, said he surveyed the Omaka from July 13 to August 5, 1920, when she was under overhaul. She was sound and well balanced, and completely seaworthy. George I’. Hall, master marine)-, surveyor of ships, said he surveyed the Omaka. He was thoroughly satisfied with her in every way, and gave his certificate accordingly. The Weather Conditions.

Daniel C. Bates, Director of the Meteorological Office, put in a lengthy report

on the weather conditions on Saturday and Sunday, January 29 and 30. On Sunday morning, between 4 and 5 o’clock, a gale was blowing at about 35 miles per hour. Ho sent out his usual forecast on Saturday morning, when there was no indication of any special weather. There was nothing to cause him to send out any special messages. To Mr. O’Regan: The southerlies often camo up very suddenly, and they were the most dangerous. Such sudden southerly storms were responsible for the foundering of the s.s. Duco and tho s.s. Penguin. / Thomas M'Leavy, able seaman on the Baden Powell, said he was at tho wheel from 4to G a.m. on Sunday. The vessel experienced heavy seas from Godley Head. They saw two flag-signals at the Seatoun Heights; the master answered these, but got no reply. The vessel came on, and got word from the AA'airau about the wreck. The Baden Powell put back to search, but was not able to do anything. Harbourmaster's Evidence. James Edward Dawson, harbourmaster, said he was advised on Sunday at 5.5 a.m. of the wreck. He immediately told the wharf foreman to inform the police of the matter. He detailed the steps taken to rescue the wrecked men. It was about 5.20 -a.m. before the motor-launch was ready, but the sea was too much for the launch. He got into communication with the AVairau and Baden Powell, but he was satisfied that neither vessel could have rendered fny assistance. It was blowing a south-west gale, which they did not experience very often, but which was a very dangerous gale. Mr. Prendeville said that that was all the evidence he could offer just then. He had summoned the captain and the mate of the Baden Powell, rnd if the Court desired to hear them they would be available on the morrow. The only question he could put before the Court was: AVhat caused the wreck? Some Suggestions.

Mr. O’Regan said that the first thing that occurred to his mind was, AVhat was the use of a code of signals if they were not to be used? He did not suggest that had tho signals been used and answered things'would have been different. The officer at the Seatoun Heights should have some assistance, for he could not attend to his duties and to the signalling. Ttie Pencarrow Lighthouse had a signal staff, and it had been stated that this staff could not be used 'because it was being painted. Further, they had been told that if there had been a launch at Gollan’s Bay it was probable that one life would have been saved. Mr. Stevenson, on behalf of the Harbour Board, said that three men were stationed at Seatoun Heights, but only one was on duty. The other two men were about 200 yards away, and could easily have been called had it been necessary.

Mr. Young said it seemed that the stability of the Omaka was not very great. AVhen she left Blenheim she was drawing 4ft. 3in. forward and sft. 9in. aft. Therefore, she did not have a very great hold of the water, although they had to bear in mind that she camo across the Straiti and was capsized in a treacherous sea. From the evidence he thought there was some degree of blame to bo attached' to the crew of the AVairau and to the men at the lighthouse. A's far as the latter were concerned he thought sufficient vigilance had not beqn exercised in directing the attention of the approaching' steamers to the disaster. The men, however, did everything possible to render assistance to the wrecked crew. Had the signal staff been in position it would have been possible to signal the approac'htiiig .vessels; lat any rate a staff should always be in position to meet emergencies. He thought the Court should direct that under no circumstances should the flag staff be displaced. In respect to the AVairau, they had it .in evidence that the Omaka capsized at 4.49 a.m., and the AVairau passed the heads at 5.15 a.m. lhe AAairau must have taken the same course as that taken by the Omuka. Mr. Hunt: The Omaka was seen to be on the lighthouse side of the entrance and the Wairau was near Seatoun. Mr Young, continuing, said there was no look-out on the AVairau. There were three men on deck, yet none of them saw tho Pencarrow signals, the wreck-a-e or the signals at Seatoun Heights. The Baden Powell did see the latter signal and hoisted- the answering pennant. The only thing that he could suggest to the Court was that there should be a lifeboat station in the vicinity of Seatoun, so that a lifeboat could be manned at a moment’s notice to render assistance. . This concluded the hearing, and the Court adjourned until 9.30 a.m. to-day, when the decision will be giv en. . THE INQUEST AND VERDICT - The evidence at the Nautical I n O u ”'y was accepted by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S3L, as evidence in connection with the inciuest on J. T. AVoekes (en<-?neer), George Marlow (cook), and AVillif.i Watson (seaman), whose bodies were recovered fiom the harbour. The Coroner found that the three men met their deaths through drowning owing to the wreck of the vessel Omaka,, of which they were members of the crew.