Loss of the Kaeo

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 282, 14 November 1923, Page 4

Loss of the Kaeo

DETAILS OF THE CASUALTY. BOAT’S PERILOUS VOYAGE FOB HELP. NINE DAYS IN BAD WEATiIER. Auckland, No 7. 13. A wireless from Apia says i-hd nine days’ voyage from Niue to Apia of the auxiliary, schooner Kaco, which was wrecked at Tuapa, Niue, un October 24, was a tempestuous and eventful one. The schoouer, while loading island produce, was struck by a squall and cast upon a reef. She became a total wreck, her back being oroiccn The crew stood by the vessel lor live hours, but had to abandon her. The cargo, comprising 70 tons, was Ml .-:«1vaged.

As it was unlikely that any vessel would call at Niue before the end of the hurricane season in Afarcii. Cap* tain B. AlacDonuld and twi voluii’ tcers, J. Barquist (second mate) and E. Biron set out on an advcntuic us voyage of over 230 miles to Bago I’ago or Apia in a bout 17 feet over all. They left Aioli at noon on October 31 with a fresh south-west wind, which increased to a gale two hours later. The gall was accompanied with heavy r iin ami high, seas, but tho canvas rorecasrlb head which had been put in the boat for emergencies helped to miu'-aus© the danger arising from the gale, although <i considerable quantity of w it-r wa» shipped and the heavy rain ■ii'-n’m-od the need for baling. Two days of these conditioos ensued, followed by light northerly tc north-east winds with high boas mid continuous rain.

On the seventh day out Upol Island, Samoa, was sighted. The sea was then moderate and the winds light, but while coasting westward to Apia a north-easterly gale with mouat-nnous seas was encountered.

The last day of a most advent uroua voyage was the most strenuous of all. However, on the morning of Novemner 9 th© party safely reached Apia harIbour greatly exhausted by their privations and nine days’ sailing under fu'.h stormy conditions.

Thu Samoan Administration steamer Lady Roberts will leave Apia on Wednesday for Niue, with Captain -MacDonald as a passenger, to bring thj remaining eight members of the Kaeo’a crew to Apia. It is expeetd that the steamer will return in ample of time to allow the shipwrecked crew to taka ]>assage for Auckland by this month's trip of the Tofua.