AUCKLAND GALE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 73, 19 December 1935, Page 12

AUCKLAND GALE

Havoc Among’ Pleasure Craft EXTENSIVE DAMAGE Steamer Breaks Away and Drifts Ashore By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, December IS. Havoc was caused among the pleasure craft on the Auckland harbour by a north-easterly gale early this morning, followed by boisterous conditions and heavy seas later in the day. Sev- ,■ eral yachts and launches were swept from their moorings and most of them were damaged extensively when they ran ashore. The steamer Apanui, which belongs to the Northern Steamship Company, and which has been laid up for some years, broke from her anchorage in Shoal Bay and ' drifted across the harbour, running aground on the Ponsonby foreshore. The 3Gft. launch, Katherine R, struck a reef at Devonport and was badly holed. The damage is estimated at about £lOO. Considerable damage was done to the deck of the 22ft. L-class boat Mowai, which was driven under the Ponsonby wharf after breaking from her moorings. A smaller boat was dashed to pieces on the outer wall of St. Mary’s Bay boat harbour. ' A small keel yacht which broke away was discovered bumping on the boat harbour wall at St. Mary’s Bay, but was salvaged before any.serious harm resulted. Ben Bolt, a 10ft boat, moored at Bayswater, also broke adrift. She was missing from her moorings in the morping and has not been located. The steamer Apanui was seen early in the afternoon to have dragged from Shoal Bay. Caught by the wind, she was carried right across the harbour, and went ashore off Curran Street. The Apanui was hauled clear by a tug and was labor berthed.