SCHOONER CAPSIZED

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 July 1928, Page 7

SCHOONER CAPSIZED

PARTICULARS OF -CREW. The master of the* vessel was Captain A. .Berridge, of Auckland, 47 years of age, who had with him Mr I). Do Tvexia, as mate, who was aged 53. - Mr Kendrick, 31 years of age, was chief engineer, and 1:1. Trcvarthen, assistant engineer, E. Merritt, the cook, F. Lewendahl and A. Swaiito, A.B *s. and W. Kennedy, 0.5., made up the crew. The Is'abelle de Frame was an. auxiliary engined schooner of 110 tons gross weight and was owned by Messrs A. -G. Frankham, Ltd., of Auckland, and was -built in 1902 at Camdenhaven, New South Wales. She had (been engaged in the New Zealand coastal service for over ten years. Captain Berridge leaves a wife, a son aged 20, a daughter aged 15 and another son seven years of age. Mr Trexi'a leaves a wife, a son aged )S and two daughters aged 15 and 8 respectively. The engineer, Mr A. Kendrick, married only six , weeks ago and had just returned* to duty front his honeymoon. Tt is understood that the two able bodied seamen have no relatives in New Zealand. The Hokianga -bar is reckoned as one of the most dangerous on the northern coasts as the channels arc constantly changing in direction and depth. Fourteen years ago the iron barque Joseph Craig became a total loss there through -the parting of a towline in a squall, but no lives were lost oii that occasion.

CROSSING THE BAB

MORE DETAILS OF THE DISASTER

CREW TRAPPED WHEN VESSEL CAPSIZED.

• AUCKLAND, July 15. Further particulars of the wreck of the Isabelle de Frame were sent tonight by the “New Zealand Herald’s’’ special reporter, who reached the scene of the wreck on the isolated coast by aeroplane. A moderate south-west breeze was blowing-, at tbe time of the tragedy, the Isabelle responding to the semaphore messages hoisted at the signal station. 'She swung from her course outside the bar and came dipping through the main channel; Alone in the forerigging, Captain (Berridge watched the dangerous channel,mouth. Cutting through the rough seas the ketch was within the channel when suddenly she made for the bar. The wind caught her canvas and the huge booms swung, across the spray-washed deck. Strained by the quick jar the Isabelle listed on ito her side. Following the winds came heavy swells, catching the vessel as she lay momentarily on her side.

In a flash tbe vessel turned completely over, her bottom facing skywards. Thrown from the rigging the captain was caught with the seamen and sucked .beneath the waves as the Is'abelle lurched and turned turtle.

Trapped like rats in a hole the eight gallant men met their death while the great green waves battered on the hull. For 20 minutes the helpless derelict drifted, and then she sank. The tide was running almost full in when she attempted to take 'the bar.

. LOST WITH ALL HANDS TRAGEDY ON HOKIANGA BAR EIGHT MEN DROWNED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) < AUCKLAND, July 15. The gravest maritime tragedy on the New Zealand coasts since the sinking of the coastal steamer Ripple on August 7, 1924, occurred at 4.30 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, when the auxiliary schooner Isabelle de Fraine capsized on the* Hokianga bar with the loss of all hands —a crew of eight. The latest reports state that the Isabella has disappeared and there is no hope of any survivors. Strong westerly weather, at times reaching gale force, had obtained along the northern coast for over a week, creating difficult navigation conditions at bar harbours. The Isabella de Fraine left Onehmiga on Thursday afternoon and when crossing ‘the bar at the mouth of the Hokianga River on Saturday afternoon was seen to capsize, apparently being overwhelmed by one of the great rollers which, combined with the formation at the mouth of the river, so very often make negotiation of the channel hazardous. The little vessel was rolled right over in the heavy seas, and it is believed impossible that any of the crew cf eight can have survived. -

Why she" hesitated and -did not come through is baffling to all the seamen along the harbour. Ex-masters of vessels say perhaps it was because the rudder became loose or because the steering ehains broke. That the captain -changed his mind is indicated by the statement of the harbourmaster, who described haw the Isabelle seemed suddenly to sweep her bow round after she had started to dip into the channel. When she was on her back no rudder was seen. No trace of the crew was seen after they sank, and .there is no tfiaee of the bodies, but wreckage is coming ashore. „ NO TRACE OF SURVIVORS. SYSTEMATIC (SEARCH OF COAST. AUCKLAND, July 16. Groups of searchers made a systematic search of the coast line, walking t-o within a short distance of Whangape, fifteen miles of bleak wildland, throughout the darkness, without -food or shelter. They found no trace of any survivor.- Pieces of hatchway, and portions -of the hull were strewn over a dist'anfee of sixteen miles. By noon four hundred (people were scouring the shore without further success. Both Captain Berridge and the mate, Mr Teixeira were known as experienced and cautious sailors.

The Isabelle de Fraine carried between forty and fifty tons of cargo.

THE FATAL PLUNGE. - \ WHAT THE WATCHERS SAW

AUCKLAND, July 16. Captain Mitchell, harbourmaster at Hokianga, and his assistant, Mr. Byers, who witnessed the wreck, were powerless to do anything, being alone on an isolated coastline. . - . ■ ' It was four o’clock in the- afternoon, when the disaster occurred. Inward bound from Onehunga, the vessel attempted to cross the bar with the tide running almost full in. Captain'Mitchell sighted the schooner at 10.45 o’clock in the morning, coming xroin tbe north under sail. He signalled, to her at 1.30 p.m. to keep to the south. Ten minutes later -he saw that ,tbe engines had been started, and signalled to the ship to wait for the tide at 1.50. ‘ Then he observed something that appeared odd. The vessel was under the power of her sails again. Then the engines were re-started and she went on the port tack. At 3.40 the crew took ini the mainsail, and a quarter of an hour later the vessel took the south channel. Captain (Mitchell signalled to turn inward and to come in over the bar- No notice was taken of this signal. The vessel turned outward and then suddenly made for the bar. She jibbed when almost on the bar, and taking a run on the sea it' appeared as if she would never stop. Then she went broadside on and .did not 6eem under control. The booms swung across the deck, the vessel listed, was hit by a swell, and then she turned, over. Captain Mitchell rushed to his home, telephoned to the police, and spread the news around, while Air. Byers, through the telescope, saw the vessel spring up from* the sea, only to shudder and be lost for ever. A