CRAFT ADRIFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22145, 26 June 1935, Page 12

CRAFT ADRIFT

SCOW AND A LAUNCH ROUGH SEAS IN HARBOUR RECORDER UNABLE TO SAIL RAIN ON 21 DAYS THIS MONTH The scow Torea and a motor launch from the cable ship Recorder were torn from their moorings in the Waitemata Harbour by the high wind which swept over Auckland yesterday, and both craft were washed ashore. They wero recovered without having suffered damage. Tho weather was responsible also for the sailing of tho Recorder being postponed from 11 o'clock yesterday morning until 8 o'clock this morning. The wind, which blow from tho west, came at times in squalls of gale force and was accompanied by frequent heavy showers. It commenced at about midnight on Monday and lasted until late yesterday afternoon. Conditions on tho harbour were very rough for a time, but tho ferry boats wero able to run to time-tablo.

Many units of Auckland's fleet of fishing launches wero off the coast and out toward the Great Barrier Island when tho wind sprang up, and news was received yesterday that some had sheltered. A number which had completed their catches returned to port, and could be seen being severely buffeted as they made their way in from the gulf. The motor launch belonging to the Recorder was moored as usual to the parent vessel, lying off tho cable depot at Devon port, but soon after the storm commenced tho moorings parted during a squall and the craft drifted away. It narrowly missed tho rocks by the Dcvonport ferry wharf and went ashore on the sandy beach. At high water it was floated off and returned to tho Recorder under its own power. Tho scow Torea, which is owned by the Northern Steamship Company, was lving at anchor in the stream off Stanfey Point. where it had been for some years. About mid-day the cables broke and the craft, which had no one on board, drifted into Shoal Bay and went aground near Stanley Point. It was towed off by a launch shortly afterward and taken to a berth at the Northern Wharf. It wns intended that the Recorder should sail for Norfolk Island to repair the Pacific cable in that locality, but owing to the rough seas on tho harbour it was not possible to unshackle the vessel's mooring cables from the buoys. As a result the sailing was postponed until this morning. . The rain yesterday was accompanied at times by hail, and marked the 21st dav this month on which rain has fallen. The average rainfall for Juno is 4.90 in. Bv 9 o'clock yesterday morning the monthly average had been passed and further heavy showers fell throughout the day.

STORMY ON WEST COAST VESSEL RETURNS TO PORT Tho weather was very stormy on the West Coast yesterday and the northeast gale, which was blowing all day, had not moderated to any extent last night. There was a very heavy sea on the Manukau bar, which was unworkabTlie Hauturu, for New Plymouth, and the Ronaki and Hokianga, for Hokianga, left Onehunga on Monday, and when the three motor-vessels cleared the Manukau Heads tho same evening the bar was smooth. Owing to the strong wind and rough seas, which developed during the night, the Hokianga had to put back to port, and she recrossed tho bar early yesterday morning. Bv that time the sea was very rough on the bar and she received a buffeting before she reached the shelter of the harbour. Owing to the boisterous conditions continuing, she returned to the Onehunga wharf yesterday afternoon. The Ronaki remained at sea, but she had not reached Hokianga last evening. The wind was in tho Hauturu's favour.