SAFE IN DOCK.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10564, 18 April 1928, Page 5

SAFE IN DOCK.

. —.— STRICKEN WHALER AT PORT CHALMERS HULL PRESENTS ASTONISHING SIGHT (Press Association.! DUNEDIN, April 17. The docking of the disabled whaler G. A. Larsen to-day at Port Chat mers was .the... culminating point of successful salvaging operations. Since reaching Port Chalmers on Friday her arrival draught of 26ft has been gradually reduced until at 10 o’clock this morning it stood at 18ft. 9in, with 18ft. 6in. on the barbor tidal gauge, and the flood tide three hours still to run. Nothing was left to luck. There were only « few inches of clearance when she passed in through the dock entrance hut she moved steadily ahead until the big whale tunnel at her bow occupied the! space that had been specially excavated for its reception. At 12.30 the caisson was swung across the dock entrance and the pumping out of the dock began. The water was gradually lowered as the afternoon wore on, and a film of rvhale oil began to- leak from the vessel and soon spread over the whole of the water in dock. At 4.30, the water was sufficiently lowered to- enahl© some idea to be obtained of the damage done to. the vessel. She has a very heavy identation on the shoulder of her starboard how where she has been patched with heavy hoarding and holts in a rather remarkable manner by divers', who had to carry out- the work under water. This damage, however, must he considered trilling wh,en an examination is made of the bottom of the hull. Fbr two-thirds of the 52 odd feet of the huge craft from bilge hoard to stern, say, some 30 feet, the hull resembles a ploughed field. It is torn, indented and jagged. and to laymen it can hardly he understood how temporary repairs could be effected, so severe was the damage. Th© damage is all confined to the starboard side. Mr W. Crawford, Lloyd surveyor, and Captain Coll McDonald, went down to the bottom of the dock, and were engaged for some time examining the bottom of the vessel.' They will not, of course, he able to report to thenprincipals for a day or two yet. What they will recommend is whether temporary repairs would he considered satisfactory, the vessel then to proceed to another port, or whether permanent repairs will have 1 to be carried out at Port Chalmers.