TWO SHIPS TOUCH GREY RIVER BAR: CARGO RESTRICTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1948, Page 4

TWO SHIPS TOUCH GREY RIVER BAR: CARGO RESTRICTIONS

Two ships touched the bottom while on their way out of the port with coal cargoes, the first yesterday afternoon and the second this morning. The vessels were negotiating the bar just off the entrance when they struck, one with some force and the other less solidly. Both ships were carrying reduced cargoes to give them a smaller draught, and now further restrictions have been imposed on ships trading at Greymouth. The two ships were the Kiwitea and the Gabriella, both carrying North Island coal. The Kiwitea, which is one of the larger type of collier trading to Greymouth, and the Gabriella were short-loaded in order to give them a 17 foot draught. The Kiwitea left at 4.30 yesterday afternoon and bumped quite solidly on the bar. She whistled to signal this to the harbour authorities and later steamed back outside the entrance, showing flags indicating that she had touched ground. The Gabriella was leaving just before 5.30 this morning when she burnped lightly on the bank. There was a moderate swell on the bar at the time and the progress of neither ship was interrupted by the incidents.

Soundings taken yesterday revealed a further increase in the shoaling on the bar, a high water depth of 19ft. 6in. being obtained. Two other colliers in port, the Karepo, and the Kaimai have had their coal loading restricted still further, and they may take only sufficient coal to give them a draught of 16ft. 6ins.

This is the biggest restriction placed on ships at Greymouth for some time, and, according to the Harbourmaster, Captain H. Moar, it may be some time before it can be lifted. Heavy rain with freouertt freshes or floods in the river will be necessary to improve the bar, he said.