VALMARIE ARRIVES IN PORT

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 194, 13 May 1922, Page 5

VALMARIE ARRIVES IN PORT

' ~ ■ HULL PERFECTLY SOUND. The three-masted schooner Valmari* arrived safely in the harbour yesterday in tow of the tug Pelican. ' Mr S. R. Lane, boat builder, of Pictoh, and Air. W.' F. Gladwin, his engineer, were entrusted with the tasic of refloating the stranded schooner. Last Alonday week the Admiral was dispatched from Picton with twov oilengines and two pumps. The, schooner was lying, on her side when the party, arrived, and even at low tide was going in and out of the back hatches. “ Captain' Holder, of ths scow Kohi, and his two brothers, assisted : Messfs. Lane and Gladwin m plugging in tho holes in the hatches and topsides. , ’ . ' . On Sunday afternoon last, after tW hours of pumping, signs of success appeared. The ship was elevated to an upright position, and she floated‘in the hole which she herself had mads in the sand. .Rough westerly weather prevailed on Wednesday night. Tho; tug Pelican, which left Wellington at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, came up to I the schooner’s stern at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, and passed a line to her. Half an hour later both vessels were en route to Wellington. Fine westerly weather with light seas was experienced until the Clyde Quay Wharf was reached at 8.25 a.m. v At the present time there are about 40,000 superficial feet of timber ,(out; of 120,000 ft.) aboard the Valmarie,- and it is understood that 30 tons* of deckcargo were washed away. An-- examination of the' Schooner shows thabth* afterhouse has gone flush with th#' deck, and, that the forward hoilSOlls practically a wreck, two sides "'hnyirqj disappeared. A large portion of th* planking of the port bulwarks is missing, as are also several planks from the starboard bulwarks. It is stated; that there' is not a split plank in the - hull. ,