TERRIFIC WAVES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 23 April 1934, Page 5

TERRIFIC WAVES

ON VICTORIAN COAST A NIGHTMARE VOYAGE (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 23rd April. 10. of) a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. Victoria experienced the first snowstorm of tlie winter. A (jitter wind blew all over I.lie State. Temperatures were down to 40 degrees. Hail and heavy rain have fallen in many parts of the country and violent seas thundered along ("tlie cost. The ketch Defender arrived at Melbourne after a nightmare voyage from Tasmania. Captain Lund said: “At one stage a tremendous sea towered above us. 1 cluiig to the wheel, hut when the wave-crashed on the ship the wheel was wrenched from my hands and went over the side in pieces. A seaman was washed overboard from the fore-deck but was thrown hack on hoard again aft. Meeting terrific seas off Cape Selianek, the freighter Corriinal was forced to return to Melbourne to land tlie chief officer, Mr Goodwin, whose leg and wrist were broken when he was thrown against tlie deck-house by a huge wave. A bed was improvished for Mr Goodwin on top of the engineroom. Water Hooded the steamer and occasionally waves tame over tlie top of tlie erigineroom fanlights and drenched the injured man, who was lashed to the bed. So strong were the waves that an iron ladder was buckled and torn away, deck fittings were uprooted, and doors stove in. Extensive damage is reported along the foreshores of Port Phillip Bay. A small craft sunk at her moorings, and baths, bathing sheds, and boatslieds were badly damaged.