PICTON AND NELSON

Evening Star, Issue 26028, 17 February 1947, Page 5

PICTON AND NELSON

BOTH STEAMERS SHELTER IN SOUNDS (P.A.) BLENHEIM, February 16. The Tamahine put baclk to Picton after attempting to cross to Wellington on Saturday, and two Anchor Com-

pany vessels, the Nelspn passenger ferry Matangi, and the coastal vessel Totara, sought shelter in the Sounds and later came into Picton at the height of the southerly storm. The Tamahine sailed in the early hours of Saturday for Wellington, after delaying her departure on account of the weather, and, after getting within three,miles of Cape Terawhiti, she was jput about, and returned to the Sounds. Heavy weather and low visibity slowed down the return trip, and the vessel berthed at picton at 1.40 p.m. Although she had a severe buffeting, the Tamahine, with 127 passengers on board, suffered no damage except three broken portholes. She is due to sail early on Monday morning with Friday’s passengers, and also a large number booked for the usual Sunday evening trip. The Matangi, ■ with 150 passengers, sailed from Nelson on Friday evening, sheltered all day Saturday in the lee of Long Island, to the south of Queen Charlotte Sound, and came into Picton at 5,30 o’clock for provisions and water. She is du4 to sail at midnight. The Totara left Westport at 5 p.m. on Friday with a cargo of timber for Wellington. At 6 p.m. on Saturday the weather was so severe in the Straits that the captain made for the Sounds, and the vessel was berthed at Picton at 9 p.m. She also is scheduled to sail for Wellington at midnight. The masters of all three vessels agree that conditions in the Straits on Saturday were exceptional and that a continuance of the voyages would not have been warranted.