A SCHOONER ASHORE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18019, 18 February 1922, Page 8

A SCHOONER ASHORE.

VALMARIE ON FAREWELL SPIT

CARGO OF HARDWOOD.

New 8 was received in Wellington yesterday morning that the Australian schooner Valmarie. on route from Grafton, C'arence River, with a cargo of hardwood, was ashore west of Farewell Spit, and it was reported that there was eight feet of water in tne hold. No further particulars were given.

The Valmarie is a wooden schooner of 256 tons. She was built at Hobart, and launched in January, 1919. Her usual trade is between the Clarence Rive;* and Xew Zealand ports, bringing furchrtol lo New Zealand and returning wifrt timber for Melbourne and Sydney. On October 1, 1919, when en route from Auckland and Opua with 240,000 ft. o! timber for Me'bourric, she ran ashore on the Victorian coast in a fog, and was abandoned by her crew. She was not very badly damaged, and was eventually floated off and repaired. Her narrow escape from becoming a total wreck waj. no doubt due to the strength of her bull, which is built of Australian bluegum. Where the Valmarie is reported to be ashore i s on the north-west point of tlie South Island, at the entrance to Cook Straits. It is a very dangerous position, as it is exposed to winds and seas from any direction between north and west The last vessel that met with a misbap in that vicinity was the Union Companya steamer Kowhai, which went ashore fiVB mi'es east ol Farewell Spit on June 8, ' r -19. and was not floated off until July 15. after ninny attempts had been made to salvage her.