MARAROA'S PROTRACTED TRIP.

Evening Star, Issue 18022, 17 July 1922, Page 7

MARAROA'S PROTRACTED TRIP.

STRIKES A SEVERE GALE. OPERA COMPANY’S TRYING TIME, I [Special to the ‘Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, July 17. Tho Mararoa- did not reach Lyttelton till 7.20 last night after a protracted trip of nineteen and a-halL hours. Pencarrow Heads were cleared at 12,30 _ a.m. High seas were running in the strait, and Capo Campbell was not, reached until 7.15 a.m., a distance of thirty-three miles having taken six hours forty minutes to steam I at an average speed of four and threequarter knots. The Mararoa was continually shipping big seas, and some water found its way below, without, however, j doing any damage. Tho gale continued) until Kaikoura was reached' at 12.40 p.m., alter which the weather began to moderate, and tho vessel made good tune for tho remainder of tho journey. There wore I about 400 passengers on board, including lover 100 members of ‘The Maid of the Mountains’ Company, and all had a most trying time. Captain Irwin stated 1 that tho gale was one of tho worst he had experienced in Lire ferry service.

Tho Mararoa lias received several severe “dustings” at various period's in the Wcl-lington-Lyttelton service. Sunday’s trip down from Wellington was not the longest, as on a previous occasion the vessel had to battle against a very severe storm, and occupied twenty-two horn's on the journey. On the other hand, tho Mararoa has run very consistently since she relieved tho Wahino in the ferry service. Some months ago she made the trip from Wellington to Lyttelton in l2h 2min. The time, however, was nowhere near her record. On February 24, 1904, she steamed tho distance in 10b 32min. A week later tlie Manuka beat this time by 2min. The ill-fated Wimmera once covered) tho distance in lOh 30min actual steaming time. The Rotomahana’s best time was lOh 35min, made in December, 1305. The Mdoraki on March 25, 1905, put up her record of 10b 25min, or 10b 16min actual steaming time. She averaged 17.9 knots between Lyttelton and Capo Campbell. Many years ago H.M.S. Orlando, in a speed trial over the distance, easily broke 10h, and l this stands as tho record) for rociproca-ting-engined steamers". Of the turbine steamers the Wahine easily holds the record. On August 26, 1918, she arrived at Wellington after steaming the distance from Heads to Heads in 7h 68min, an average speed of 20.12 knots, or 8h 50min from wharf to wharf. Tho Maori’s best time for the distance is over an hour longer than this.