HAPPY VOYAGERS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 80, 29 December 1931, Page 8

HAPPY VOYAGERS

Men and the Tugs MIGHTY HAWSERS Tow of 13,627 Miles Although they appeared uniformly happy that the end of the long tow was reached, the Dutchmen on the two tugs, Zwarte Zee and Witte Zee, as well as those on the big dock itself, were neither excited nor talkative when the dock was travelling slowly up the harbour on the last st "es of its journey. Altogether there were 18 Dutchmen on the Zwarte Zee, 15 on the Witte Zee, and 10 on the dock, including the three respective skippers, Captain B. L. Hart. Captain B. Weltevrede,' and Captain Jan de Baar. They had brought the dock 13.627 miles at an average speed of four knots since leaving England on July, 15. The trip was a summer one all the way and passed apparently without incident. Captain Hart and many of the others speak English, which made things much simpler for those with whom they came into official ’ contact while the dock was being brought into the harbour. \ On the whole voyage the dock Itself called only at three ports. It came to rest in Port Said harbour and was at anchorage also at Batavia and Bowen. On the last occasion it was held up for a week owing to a railway strike, but it was able eventually to get supplies of coal and proceed. The two powerful tugs had nine ports of call, in order to take on bunker coal. . With both tugs on the job, one (owing line leads away from each tug to the dock. The towing lines, of which spares are kept and each used in turn, are 18in. hempen hawsers. They are attached-, at 'some distance from the tug to massive chains leading from the dock. Two of these chains come away from each side of the forward end of ths dock. They are crossed over rather in the shape of a “W” so that one chain from each of the starboard and port sides of the dock are fastened to a hawser from one of the tugs. When one of the tugs proposed to move away from the dock dr 'to rejoin it the operation called for some careful manoeuvring.

Wireless Equipment. The tugs on the voyage went away in turn from the dock, and when picking it up again the directional wireless with which the tugs are equipped was valuable. Wireless was used in the same way as it is customarily used in the .South Seas when whale chasers are. seeking their way back to the factory ship. The wireless installation on each of the tugs is of good range and the wireless operators’ duties consist in listening for weather reports from all stations, ship and shore. They also keep an ear on the time signals. • The tugs themselves are splendidly built for the work they do.' One’s first impression on Climbing aboard is of the immense 1 hawsers lying on the deck. The towing hawsers actually in use are attached to two huge steel bollards just aft of the superstructure. At the starboard side and under shelter of the deck great spindle ends of winches, whose machinery is apparently inside, project* from the walls. The Zwarte Zee has two black funnels, each with the blue band of the towing company. The Witte Zee, has only one funnel, although in other respects it appears almost the same, though smaller. The crews are obviously happy and contented. Counting the skipper. 10 of the men aboard the Zwarte Zeo were engaged also on the Singapore Dock tow. On that job, however, four tugs were used at a time. Most of the erbws have had previous experience on long-distance towing work and are all old hands at the game.

Uneventful Voyage. Not very much happens .at sea on a long tow, according to the men aboard the tugs and on the dock itself. There has been no Illness at all on the present voyage, although the weather has not always been good. From the Tyne to Port Said there was a certain amount of wind, but it was not much for the. tugs to deal with. From Port Said to seven days before Port Darwin the weather was good. At Bowen the dock was held up for a week owing to a railway strike, and when they made a start for Wellington the weather was not so good. In the tropics it was fairly cool, although in the Red Sea the heat was intense. Coming across the Tasman it seemed fairly cool. Between Java and Australia there were a few brief storms. v - When the weather was rough it was customary to make the tow lines longer and to work at a rather greater distance from the dock. The dock was trimmed by the stern in order to raise the forward end more or less clear and make progress and towing easier in a heavy sea. At other times the dock was kept on an even keel. A peculiar feature of the tow is that at normal times the dock drew a bare five feet of water. . .. Some of the men expressed regret that the tow had not ended earlier. Although well ahead of time they were hoping that they would be able to spend Christmas ashore instead of on the job. But for the hold-up at Bowen this hope would have been realised.