VICIOUS SEAS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1928, Page 15

VICIOUS SEAS

—— — . i SCHOONER IN STORM CAPTAIN'S STORY - (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. The Northern Steamship Co.'s auxiliary vessel Hauturu, which foft Onehunga for Hokiauga on Thursday ovenr g, and took shelter from the gale at Spirits Bay, near Cape Varia van Diemen, arrived at Hokianga Harbour yesterday, and berthed at Kohukohu. Captain W. Kobertsou, in an interview, said that the barometer indicated threatening weather after crossing the Manukau Bar, but tho conditions did not point to anything very serious. The wind was north-west, but toward midnight it veered to tho west, and the sea came up. very suddenly. Ho saw it would be useless to attempt to re-enter Kanukau or cross tbo HoKianga bar, sot he decided to keep well out and to shelter when round the Cape. The sea gradually increased, said the captain. "I have seen bigger seas, but never nastier ones. Tho waves were short and vicious; tho second caught us before we had cleared the first. I was glad we wore not inshore. Had wo been caught in the breakers that were curling up in sixteen fathoms of water off Cape Maria we would have rapidly foundered. The Hauturu exceeded the best expectations. She took the seas beautifully, and with the exception of a little of the bottom cargo that was wetted by bilge water in the excessive rolling nothing was damaged. Tho engines worked throughout the gale without a miss, and the ship still had thirty hours' supply of oil. The crew did not go without a hot meal throughout the trip;" • . ■ '. | The fact that the keeper of the: lighthouse at Cape Maria van Dicmeu did not see tho Hauturu sooner was probably duo, said Captain. .Robertson, to tho vessel giving off no smoke and to the heavy mist caused, by, tho breakers inshore. He added that his vessel had weathered without hurt the biggest gale she was likely to meet.on. this coast in. fifty years. While'.■tho Tla,uturu may well merit her captain's eulogies of her seaworthiness,, a great deal of tho "credit is also due to the seamanship, of the vessel's captain,.officers, and crew.