IN COOK STRAIT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 151, 30 June 1925, Page 4

IN COOK STRAIT

STEAMER GALE BUFFETED

SEAMAN INJURED AND OFFICER WASHED OVERBOARD. •

A severe buffeting in Cook' Strait was experienced by the Canterbury Steamship Company's steamer Gale yesterday. ■The vessel left Wellington at 1 p.m. yesterday for Wanganui, but returned to port shortly before 9 o'clock last night. The Gale was carrying a deck cargo of barrels of oil, and when the ship was off Karori Rock at about 5 p.m. some of the barrels broke loose, and jammed the steam steerinjr gear. The vessel was shipping heavy seas at the time, and this made the task of changing over to the N hand steering gear all the more difficult. While helping in this operation, Able Seaman Donald Murchison was injured, fracturing a les. Shortly before that, Jlurchison received a knock on the head, and he was just able to crawl as far as the cook's galley,'when he collapsed. He was admitted to hospital on the Gale's return to port ■ ' -The chief officer, Mr. A. M'Leain, had a very exciting and almost incredible experience. He was washed overboard by a big sea and washed back on to the deck by another; The cases of oil had to be jettisoned, as it was found impossible to make them secure again. The crew are loud in their praise of the way Captain Rodger; who recently took command, handled the ship. De"spite the heavy weather, encountered no damage was done to the Gale, and she is expected to sail for Wanganui as soon as the weather moderates.