THE RIPPLE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 August 1924, Page 5

THE RIPPLE

MORE WRECKAGE ASHORE. BODY OF CAPTAIN FOUND. LIGHTHOUSE-KEEPER’S STORY. LIGHTS OF VESSEL SEEN. NO ROOM FOR HOPE. (by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) MASTER.TON, Aug. 10. The search to-day for survivors of the steamer Ripple resulted in the body of Captain J. A. Norling being found on the beach half a mile south of Castlepoint lighthouse by the Tinui police, who were returning from Flat Point. The spot where it was found is 60 miles from Tewa-itai, where it is believed the Ripple was wrecked. A life belt was picked up near Aohanga, which is about 75 miles from the wreck.

Search parties were out all along the coast- on Saturday and to-day. Early on Saturday searchers, off Mataikona beach, north of Castlepoint, found pieces of light wreckage, dock fittings, a door and a sign board, and later in the day farther north they discovered half an oar and a quantity of benzine boxwood, which evidently had been smashed on. the rocks. The parties to southward found here and there light wreckage. The body brought to Mastert-on last Friday night was identified to-day at the opening of the inquest by Edward Benson, a fireman, who- only left the Ripple on Tuesday. He said the body was that of Erik Anderson, a Swede, aged 43.

Witness .said the Ripple was a good sea boat. He- had made many trips in her during the last seven years, some of them being very rough. His opinion was that her engines broke down and she lost steerage wav and was swamped in a trough' of the sea. All the life-saving gear was in good order and the lifeboat could accommodate eighteen men. The surf boat had a. ten horse-power engine. The Ripple had two masts and two trysails, but he had never seen them set WELLINGTON, Aug. 10. The first- and, it is feared, the last seen or heard of the Ripple in her state' of distress is the story that apparently the keeper of the light at Cape Palliser alone can tell. During the height of the storm, about midnight on Wednesday, the lighthousekeeper first became aware of the plight of the little vessel, whose lights were clearly visible, and in less than two hours all signs of the Ripple had vanished.

What happened meanwhile? Signals from the vessel of urgent appeals for help, signals in reply from the shore and the transmission of telephone messages to and from the city while the Ripple was at the mercy of fierce winds and angry waves until the lights of the vessel were no more, make up the story of the lighthouse-keeper. In those lights, which came from the sea to the lighthouse-keeper in the watches ol the night, there iva.s a glimmer of hope. In the beacon itself those on hoard the little steamer saw hope, and in the subsequent news that the S.O.S. call was being answered there was greater hope. Then, almost with tragic suddenness, there came fear. The keeper had received a further encouraging message for those in peril and was hastening to transmit it to the vessel when he discovered that the lights, so clearly visible but a little while previously, had disappeared. It was then that, the worst was feared.

It is generally ,believed that the little vessel, in distress and out of control, was literally overwhelmed, but even yet there are some optimistic enough to believe that the vessel had turned seawards (eastward) and that this would account for the sudden disappearance of her lights. Wreckage has come ashore on Flat Point, where the search continues. The boat found on the beach bore the name “Ripple” on the bow and “Napier” on the stem, making it evident that the crew had taken to the boats as a final chance of reaching safety. There is a large hole in the stern.

There is no sign of the heavy surf boat used by the Ripple in handling cargo, chiefly wool. As the boat could not be launched by hand, a steam winch being used, it is considered iinprobable that the boat could have been launched in a heavy sea. There is wreckage between Flat Point and White Roclc. A pair of mens Housers found near Cameron’s homestead '.are believed to belong to the man whose body was washed ashore. The Ripple carried a. very full caropNo machinery or motor-cars were carned, but the deck cargo, included barrels of od ete. In the boat washed on the beach were the usual provisions roi such boats, one full and one empty locker which had evidently been used to endeavour to attract attention from the shore. A heavy mist enshrouded possible° 6 ’ ~jak,n" visibil *ty it would appear that neither the steamer, boats nor rockets wore seen by anyone in the locality where the vessel is believed to have been submerged. noonP ta r n . P , otpm,m ' representing the of Nil Jti h ° OW,ICrs - sa > ,s th e name • T 1 omasen was on the official list m addition to those telegraphed. Theie is some doubt whether Bruce gded in the vessel. It is belief fo!iol'T’ S °° k th ° PlaC ° ° f Crawf ord

UNAVAILING SEARCH. BY STEAMER. RURU. WELLINGTON, Aug. 11. , he Richardson steamer Ruru reached Wellington last evening after making a close search down the coast for signs oi the Ripple. Captain Haroldson states that he left Nanier on ihursday evening. The weather was stilL stormy, with heavy wind and sea rroni the south, so that little headway could be made. After rounding Cape Kidnappers the ship could make little headway. In fact she only did 9p miles in 1.4* hours, so he turned back on I ( rid ay morning and sought shelter behind Cape Kidnappers. He remained there until 9.30 on Saturday morning, when he put to sea. There wan still a heavy swell on and the wind was bloxvl,!K from the south-west, but visibility was good most of the way. In pursuance oi the owners’ orders, the closest search was made. The captain says: “We searched every yard of shore from Tvaihu Rock to Cape Palliser as well as the open sea- with glasses. Had anything been afloat we

could not have failed to see it. The Ruru steamed slowly from one to two miles off the shore. We could not make a landing at Flat Point owing to the heavy swell, and we deviated considerably between Kahn Rock and Flat (Point, all hands hoping that something would he seen of the missing ship or crew. A man was seen riding along the beach at Glendhu.” Captain Haroldson declined to express an opinion regarding the Ripple, simnlv remarking: “It is a very sad business.”