DARING SEAMAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 22, 25 July 1936, Page 15

DARING SEAMAN

ABEL TASMAN WRECK

DANGER ON LIFELINE

It is stated that, when.tracing, under the name of the Nord, the Abel Tasman was torpedoed- in the Baltic ■ Sea 'in 1916, and considerably damaged, and that she was recommissioned' in 1918, reports the ."Grey Biver Argus," referring, to the wreck of-the ship on,the fringe of the north breakwater at Greymouth,' : ' . • :.. ■

Few of the large gathering on' the North' Tip head oh Monday' afternoon realised the danger that existed when one of, the. ship's cre\v, Edward Wihby, effiectedsthe first crossing on, the rpain lifeline (used in the rescue work on Saturday night), since the men were taken off.the ship. ' It was realised that this ' main connecting line was 'not securely fastened, as the top'of the ventilator to which.it had been njade fast, after passing: through the block and tackle on the poop deck boat davit, had- been1 washed away 'during the. heavy seas on Sunday night. -The only thing then.holding the rope ,\vas the : knot which' had been jain'med in the block., There.were thr.ee volunteers —C. Paulsen,.E. Winbivand J. Martin —to. take the line to the ship in: the basket suspended from the rope. Each well knew that he might'fall on to the rock's about twenty feet below or into the.sea. .The offer of'Winby' was acceptedi owing to his being light,land the fact that:he was .a. good> swimmer. He reached'the ship safely, after several anxious moments. Winby made the rope more- secure and the boatswain then" ci-ossed in a similar; manner and the pair made the rope fast to another davit nearer amidships. Inspection of the ship indicated that the steering column aft had given away. There was a layer of shingle on the deck which had been thrown: on board when the ship ploughed her way over the bar with the force of the fresh behind her. It was found, that the hatch beams, nearly ah inch: thick, had been twisted and warped^ severely, and. that the port side of the bridge had 'been torn away, by the heavy seas, which had been breaking over the vessel at .high tide. The stern lifeboat on the port side was smashed to pieces. The for'ard deck on the starboard side was .strewn with timber, and timber was also strewn across the forecastle, on the starboard side. No doubt, indicating that th,e , ship was holed in this region, the engine-room was filled with water to. the level of the first grating.'

Heavy seas this week have pounded away unmercifully at the stern and on the port side of the ship.