SMALL STEAMER ADRIFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15190, 2 January 1913, Page 6

SMALL STEAMER ADRIFT

SAVED JUST IN TIMENEARLY BLOWN; ON TO A REEF. The small steamer Akaroa, , of 70 tons, commanded by Captain J. Whittingham, was just rescued in time to save her from drifting on to a reef near the mouth of Cox's Creek yesterday. The Akaroa came down the gulf yesterday morning hauling a raft of logs, and at an early hour the raft was cut adrift and anchored. The captain and cgew then dropped the steamer's anchor about 400 yds off Sloan's Beach, and _■ left the vessel in apparent safety. Towards '11 o'clock, however, the north-easterly breeze became a gale, and this, coupled with the ; abnormally ' high tide shortly , after noon, caused the Akaroa's anchor to lift, and the little vessel, with no one on board, entered upon a dangerous drifting course towards the mouth of Cox's Creek. The weather in the meantime .became worse, and it was apparent, from the course the vessel was taking, that . very soon she would drift on to the jagged reef which runs out to the right of the creek's mouth. In the meantime, two residents in the vicinity of Sloan's Beach, Messrs. E. Bruce and A. E. Stephenson, realised the danger the vessel was in, and tried to obtain a boat to row out ;to her, their intention being to get aboard the vessel to lower another and heavier anchor. Their efforts to obtain a boat, however, failed, and .the next best course which suggested itself to them was to hurry to the residence of one of the owners (Messrs. Cashmore Bros), and they informed Mr. W. Cashmore of the plight the vessel was in. Mr. Cashmore obtained assistance, rowed out to the steamer, and managed to lower a heavier anchor just in time. The vessel had drifted broadside on to the heavy sea, and wind for. nearly a mile, and another few minutes must have- meant, if not her destruction on the jagged reef, at any rate very serious damage. ;