SEAMEN’S ORDEAL

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 244, 16 July 1928, Page 8

SEAMEN’S ORDEAL

TWELVE HOURS ON EXPOSED ROCK SCOW CRASHES ON TO REEF STEAMERS PASS WITHOUT NOTICING Dominion Special Service. Auckland, July 15. Four castaway seamen, who had been clinging for twelve hours to Canoe Rock, a notorious danger spot in the Hauraki Gulf, and only four feet above high-water mark, managed by signals to attract the attention of the Tofua soon after the commencement of her voyage to Suva yesterday afternoon, and were brought back to Auckland before she resumed her outward voyage. Their ship, the scow Herald, bound from Wliangarei to Coromandel, struck a rock in the early hours of yesterday morning, but .soon afterwards floated away," and is now a delelict somewhere at sea, a menace to shipping.

It was dark when the Herald bit Canoe Rock, but the automatic light installed on it was burning. The scow was tacking in a southerly direction against a strong head wind, and when close to the rock mis-stayed when going about. During the few moments in which the ship was out of hand, her sails helpless in the wind, a squall drove her side on to the rock, which she struck with a grinding crash. It was in the expectation that the vessel would quickly break up that the crew abandoned the ship. The master of the Herald wqs Captain E. Sellars, of Edinburgh Street, Newton, and there were three seamen with him (H. Hansen, K. Prodig, and J. Davies). After being taken on board the Tofua they were transferred to a launch outside the Rangjtoto Beacon and were landed in Auckland soon after dark.

Captain’s Narrative. “Wo left Oiierabi about 1 p.m. on Ffiday with the wind blowing in squall's from the south-west, and we had to reef down,” said Captain Sellars, who wjth Seaman Hansen was on deck when tbe accident happened. “At 3 o'clock in the morning we were sailing clbpe-hauled down the eastern coast of Kawau Island, trying to keep in to shore to have the benefit of smoother water. In coming about we inis-stayed. The ship wap in iron’s for some moments, and during that time we were driven by squalls on the rock. From the sound of the crash I should say the hull was damaged fairly badly. It was blowing hard, and to save the vessel from being driven with greater force on to the rocks, we dropped her sails. She seemed to be fast oil so wc lowered ourselves to the rock from tbe fore boom. We could not lower the ship's boats because it was at the side facing the rocE It must have been three-quarters of an hour afterwards that a squall coming up suddenly from a different quarter drifted the ship off.”

In the darkness, with blinding spray enveloping the rock, the four men had little chance of seeing anything at all. Knowing their ship was gone, all they could do was to hang ou until daylight, hoping then to attract the notice of a passing steamer. Canoe Rock is only •1 feet: above high-water mark, anil in weather like that: of yesterday is drenched with lifting seas, which render foothold difficult. There is no shelter beyond that which is furnished by the tower carrying the light and the remains of the old beacon. The men saved nothing from the ship and had neither food nor water with them. IJnnoticcd by Three Vessels. Before the Tofua picked them up at 3 o'clock in the afternoon three vessels passed within easy distance of the rock without seeing the marooned men. They had despaired of being picked up that day. when the Tofua, which left Auckland soon after midday with passengers, mail and cargo for the Islands, hove in sight. One of the men climbed to the top of the light tower and waved a shawl frantically.. Tbe Tofua passed on, and it was thought she had failed to see the signal, when, to the great joy of the shipwrecked men, she turned and lowered a boat. Owing to the heavy sea running considerable difficulty was experienced in getting a boat, close enough to the rock to take the men off, but the feat was accomplished successfully. On board the steamer the men were given food and hot drinks —their first for 22 hours. The Herald was a wooden vessel of 73 tons register, built at Auckland in 1802, and owned by Mr. A. IV.. Bryant, coal, lime, cement, and shingle merchant. As a drifting derelict is deemed a menace to navigation, the trawler Simphon was dispatched at. 4 a.m. today iu an attempt to locate it. SCOAV APPARENTLY SUNK. Dominion Special Service. Auckland, later. The tug which was engaged in searching for the Herald returned to port this evening. All she saw was floating timber. which was Identified as being from the scow. This is taken to indicate that the scow has sunk.