Bows Resting On Mud At Wharf

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 February 1947, Page 2

Bows Resting On Mud At Wharf

Down 39ft 6in at the head, with her bows resting on the mud, and leaning against the spring piling of Aotea quay with a list of 12 to 15 degrees, the Wanganella to-night is providing a big problem for those responsible for her salvage and restoration to serviceable condition. Her condition had deteriorated since she tied up at the wharf 24 hours earlier, for much water had entered No. 3 hold. Her head had sunk more than four feet deeper. Towards high tide the water began to lap into the hawser ports forward much higher than when she was safely berthed after’ her release from the grip of Barrett’s Reef. The influx of water into No. 3 hold this morning, the consequent further sinking at the head, and the list first to port, then to starboard, brought the water in Nos. 2 and 3 holds to the underside of the deck of the dining saloon. Ever since, compressors have been put to work trying to keep down the water level in No. 2 hold. It had been known that there were many slight air leaks in the jointing of the deck with the ship’s sides. The air leaks have become water leaks, with water being forced upward by pressure. The saloon soon became awash and when the ship lay on level keel, and when she listed to starboard later there was a depth of about 18 inches against the side of the saloon. Vessel Lifts Off Reef. It was with the water in this position that the commander, Captain G. Darroch, and his officers sat down to lunch to-day. Dinner was not served in the saloon in the evening. It was in this saloon that some of the drama of the ship’s release from the reef the previous day originated. When officers and salvage officials went there for their evening mea.. there was no intention that any attempt at refloating would be made. The meal was not eaten. Stewards say there was a sudden exodus on to the deck and successful measures to assist the vessel in her movement from the reef were put in train immediately. Some salvage officials were actually at the bottom of No. 3 hold inspecting its condition under

the new stresses when the din of her shrieking plates suddenly ceased, to be followed almost immediately by the sound of the vessel’s siren. They knew she was afloat. It was an anxious moment for them. Their preparations for refloating were far from complete. The proposed coffer dam -over the rent in No. 2 hold was only in its embryo stages. Those in charge had to rely on the compression gained by sealing off Nos. 1 and 2 holds and the work of the air compressors to provide enough buoyancy forward to keep the ship afloat. They knew if that failed jt was likely she would sink, It held. Many Leaks. Nevertheless the value of the sealing was not all that had been hoped, because of multitudinous leaks. It .was not possible to gain more than 2£lb pressure to the square inch. The pounding of the ship’s bottom on the rocks and the consequent upthrust of the internal structure caused much buckling of the decks, with the upright girdering coming in for considerable distortion. Over the damaged holds and in the dining saloon miniature blowholes developed and raised portions of the composition flooring above the decking. Where these blowholes were immediately above a water-filled hold, they became miniature 'geysers. The ship was a hive of activity all day to-day. Additional auxiliary fire pumps were hoisted on board and set to try to keep down the rising water in No. 3 hold, which had passed out of control of the pump on the wharf. The air compressors made a hideous roar with their exhausts. All energies I were directed to trying to ensure I that the condition of the ship got no worse —it was too soon to begin even to think of operations necessary to lift her forepart back to the 25ft draught to permit her going on the Jubilee dock. The chief need was to reduce the flooding of No. 3 hold. Alt of No. 3 hold, both below and above decks, everything can be said to be normal, except that a litter of salvage equipment lies everywhere.