COBAR AGROUND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 6 December 1940, Page 6

COBAR AGROUND

FERRY STEAMER IN A GALE NO DAMAGE SUSTAINED [United Press Association] WELLINGTON. This Day. Caught by a strong north-westerly gust at low tide at about 4.5 p.m. yesterday while berthing at Rona Bay wharf, tne Cobar, remaining ship in the East Harbour ferry service, bumped on the southern end of the wharf and began to drift inshore. She ended up aground almost parallel to the shore, with her stern a few yards from the wharf.

It was blowing a full gale yesterday. A heavy chop was breaking on the Eastbourne beaches. Clouds of spray flew as waves broke against the steamer’s side. At times she rolled heavily. News of the Cobar’s plight spread rapidly and soon attracted an excited company on beach and wharf. It seemed that the entire population of Eastbourne was there Later more people from other districts swelled the numbers of spectators, The roadway, from which a good view of the ship could be had. became crowded with parked cars Not till the ship was hauled off at 6.45 p.m did they disperse. Before the arrival of the tugboat Terawhiti, dispatched from Wellington just after 5 o’clock, an unsuccessful attempt was made to bring the ship’s head into the wind by means of a rope passed from her stern to the wharf, and so by reducing the area of resistance presented to the wind, to prevent her from being driven farther inshore. The rope was passed from ship to shore by Mr J. Rogers, a well-known swimmer, who fought his way out through the breakers, and swam ashore again with the rope’s end. Unfortunately his endeavours proved to have been in vain; the rope parted

The Terawhiti arrived on the scene shortly before 6 o’clock, but with the choppy seas and low tide a line could not at first be passed from Cobar to tug. Mr Rogers and two friends put out in a rowing boat, not without difficulty, though the wind was beginning to moderate, and after half an hour’s strenuous work the line was successfully carried out. The powerful tug took the strain and. with the tide rising, the Cobar was drawn head to wind and off the shore.

When the Cobar returned to Wellington at 7.30 last night it was stated that she had sustained no damage and would be on her normal run to-day. This was the second time the Cobar had been in difficulties recently. Unusual manoeuvres by the steamer attracted attention on Port Nicholson on the afternoon of Saturday, 23rd November. it transpired that she had had trouble with her steering gear, as a lesult of which she was slipped for repairs