Pessimism Over Port Bowen

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 173, 25 July 1939, Page 7

Pessimism Over Port Bowen

Now Broadside on to Shore Pounding Seas and Rising Winds WAY BE DRIVEN RIGHT UP BEACH Per Press Association. WANGANUI, July 24. Broadside on to the beach and much closer inshore than when she first ran aground, the Port Bowen presents a sorry sight to-night. Her dynamos have ceased to function and she is without electric light, a few hurricane lanterns being the only available light aboard. This afternoon the company asked the 'Wanganui-Kangitikei Electric Power Board to provide floodlights from as near highwater mark as possible. Eight floodlights have been set up near the beach, but the distance from the shore to the stranded liner, some 300 yards, makes them of moderate value only. It is estimated that the Port Bowen has been forced inshore 200 to 300 yards from where she first ran agronnd. Her position is now broadside on to the beach.

Watersiders and Crew Marooned on Vessel WANGANUI, July 24. Sixty-eight waterside workers with about an equal number of the crew arc marooned for tho time being on the Port Bowen. Forty-four watersiders wore taken out to unload the ship’s cargo into lighters and 24 to jettison coal. The watersiders have been out since Sunday at midday and there was no prospect of getting them off to-day or to-night. The vessel now has no electric power and hurricane lanterns are all the lights aboard to-night. It is difficult to I keep warm and the men arc making the ! best of things 'tween decks aware all j tho time of the pounding of the seas and the rising wind. It is hoped that the weather will moderate and the lighters will be able once more to approach the stranded vessel and so bring the men ashore. •Mr. T. H. Lovegrove, head of the stevedore firm, and his son are also aboard the Port Bowen and unabJ* to return to shore. Now in Far More Serious Position. When she grounded first her bow was pointing inshore and her stern was on a slight angle to the north. She then appeared to have ploughed on to the top of a ridge of sand. The stormy weather which sprang up early this morning, however, has carried her woll over that ridge inshore and she is now in a far more serious position. This afternoon it was obvious that her bow was moving but she seemed to be fast amidships, suggesting that most of the friction from the sandy bottom was taking place near her engineroom. It is reported in several quarters that the plates below the water line of the ship have been damaged. No official confirmation of this could be obtained as the agents of the ship are reticent and an atmosphere of pessimism has developed since the change for the worse in tho weather.

It is reasoned by those who havt knowledge of the power of the tides and the suction of the sand that if the ship could drag three anchors during Sunday night a more severe storm will drive her right up on the beach. A heavy gale was blowing up from the west at 9 o’clock tonight. Tho frozen meat aboard the Port Bowen will probably have to be jettisoned to-morrow, for without power to maintain refrigeration that cargo will rapidly perish. Accommodation for it could have been found ashore but as the vessel now lies beyond what is considered to be a safe distance from the beach it is risky to work tho lighters unless the sea is calm. Fourth Tug Arrives. After a 23-hour journey the modern tug Lyttelton II arrived at Wanganui, berthing alongside tho Toia at the Castlccliff wharf at 4 o'clock this afternoon. Captain A. R. Champion, second pilot at the port of Lyttelton, in an interview, said that the tug had had a good journey and was in readiness for whatever work was assigned to her. All four tugs were at Castlccliff this afternoon, but on account of tho rough weather could not continue work on the Port Bowen. At 4 o’clock this morning the Wanganui Harbour Board's tug went out to tho stranded vessel but a nianila hawser fouled one of the tiff’s propellers and sho had to stand off the Port Bowen to repair the damage. The men aboard tho tug worked hard and freod the hindrance within two hours, tho Ivahanui returning to port at 6.30 Tho Terawhiti put to sea at 4 o ’clock this morning and remained out unM the afternoon. “It was a rough u-j<l risky task close inshore,” one of the crew declared, adding that the tugs had they reached the Port Bowen would have had to overcome a line of breakers on tho seaward side.