Ship Rams Whale

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22427, 6 September 1947, Page 6

Ship Rams Whale

The barque Pamir is to leave Wellington for Britain by way of Cape Horn, on Wednesday, September 17. When she sails, it will be the first time in more than seven years that a sailing ship has left these shores to round that notorious southern headland. Asked what weather could be expected off Cape Horn at this time of the year, the officials replied that with the spring it should be improving. “However. Cape Horn has a reputation tor almost perpetual storms,” they added. “But Ihe Pamir is extremely well found and well fitted The last time we loaded a sailing ship for the Cape Horn route to Britain was in 1906. She was the Nelson, which is still afloat, in Chile.”

A large whale was rammed by the Shaw Savill and Albion Company's 15,U00-ton liner Atlienic when crossing the Caribbean Sea on her voyage front London to Auckland. The Athenic’s commander Captain D. Aitchison, said that the impact, which occurred about 4 o’clock one morning, was not_ felt aboard, nor did the weight of the whale around the liner’s bow affect her movement. The whale was seen jammed on the Athenic’s bow by a man on lookout. Attempts to shed the moil ster were at first unsuccessful and finally the liner had to be stopped and out astern before the whale floated off and sank.