A STORMY VOYAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19604, 5 April 1927, Page 8

A STORMY VOYAGE.

VESSEL SHORT CIF FUEL. CALL MADE AT AUCKLAND. An unexpected arrival at Auckland yesterday afternoon was the auxiliary barquentine Louis Tfoerisiult, en route from Sydney to Gisbornse. The vessel was delayed on the voyage by continuous adverse' winds and stormy weather, and she put into Auckland to replenish her oil fuel. This was tho second occasion during the voyage that the vessel had been delayed. The Louis Theriault loaded a full cargo of poles and iron-bark girders at Sydney and sailed for Gisborne on March 13. Off the Australian coast a hard southerly gale and high seas were experienced, and this caused the deck load to shift, and did some to the sails. In consequence the vessel returned to Sydney to have the deck cargo restowed, and her mizzen top-mast unshipped. On March 18 the voyage was resumed, but for days the vessel was delayed by light southerly ivinds until the meridian of Lord Howe Island was reached. Afterwards a hard northerly gale was encountered, and when it moderated 24 hours later the wind changed to the west. But the high seas continued and caused the vessel to roll and pitch in an alarming manner. The wind continued light, and during the next ten days the vessel only made 360 milesi. On Thursday, when in sight of the Three Kings, the wind changed, to the east and blew a gale from that direction. On Saturday night the wind changed to the noi th and was accompanied by torrential rain, which blotted out all land marks and necessitated the vessel being navigated to Cape Brett by the aid of the deep sea lead. Off Cape Brett one of the crew fell overboard and was nearly drowned. He held on to the log line until he was hauled otfi board. On Sunday morning' the wind dropped and the rain ceased, but there followed a thick fog, which lasted from seven in the morning until four in the afternoon. Afterwards the fog was dispersed by a light westerly wind, which carried the vessel to Auckland. She is to resume her voyage to-day. - The Louis Theriault is a wooden vessel of 443 tons. Sho was built at Nova Scotia in 1918. For some years she has been engaged in the intercolonial trade, and during ,fchat period she has been in trouble a number of times. On October 10, 1923, she reached Sydney after a stormy passage of 29 days from Whangape. In July last she was extensively damaged by fire at Newcastle, and in consequence did not put to sea again until October. In January last the vessel's tail shaft snapped shortly after she left Hokianga and she had to continue the voyage under sail.