HEAVY WEATHER

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 80, 5 April 1933, Page 8

HEAVY WEATHER

EXPERIENCED BY MAKURA ■", TWO DAYS LATE

The Union Company's liner Makura arrived at Wellington, this morning from San Francisco, via Papeete and Barotonga, two days late because of heavy' weather encountered at Earotonga. The ship also mot with heavy weather after leaving the Island, but no damage was done to her. The Makura will leave Wellington at 10 p.m. today for Sydney, and she will arrive at Sydney on Sunday. Her usual time of arrival at Sydney is on Saturday morning. . ■_

The Makura experienced fine weather until, she reached Earotohga. She arrived at Earotonga on March 27, and the work of loading fruit at the anchorage was commenced at 6 ,a\m. The Mauflganui arrived at Karotonga at 3 p.m. that day from Wellington, where she had been delayed for two days by a dispute with the stewards. ■ There is room for only one vessel at a time in the anchorage at Karotonga, and because the Maunganui was. behind time, the Makura moved out of the anchorage to allow the Maunganui to be worked. The work of loading and discharging at Earotonga is done by lighter. The Maunganui got her passengers and mail ashore, and then'1 had to leave the anchorage because of bad weather. All- the next day a strong north-west gale, with heavy seas, provailed. Both Union Company. liners were forced to stand off the Island. Although north-westerly weather is not unusual at this time of the year' at Karotonga, it is seldom so severe as to forcO: vessels to leave the anchorage, and it is a. long time since the Makura, was delayed there. , ■ '

The weather cleared in /the of April 20, and the Maunganui came in to the anchorage. She left at 4.30 p.m. that day for Papeete and . San Francisco, where she is due on April 10, three days behind schedule. The Makura occupied the anchorage after the Maunganui, and left at 10 p.m. the same day for Wellington. The weather experienced at the Island was cyclonic. On April 30, the. day.after leaving the Island, the Makura experienced a north-north-west gale, backing to south through west, and high seas. The weather was moderate from noon on March 31 until the afternoon of April 2, when a north-west gale was experienced once again, backing round to south-about 1 a.m. on April 4. After that, the vessel had. moderate' winds and seas and a heavy southerly swell all the way to Wellington. .