ORDEAL AT SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22352, 25 February 1936, Page 6

ORDEAL AT SEA

| JAPANESE FREIGHTERS VESSELS IN HURRICANE LOGS BREAK LOOSE ON DECK [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT] SYDNEY, 1 Feb. 17 Leaving Vancouver on December 30 two Japanese timber freighters, the Koyo Maru and the Seisho Maru, were travelling in company when they encountered a terrific hurricane in the North Pacific Ocean on January The two vessels, which arrived at Sydney recently, bear testimony to tho severe lashing they received from wind and sea. Deep dents in the ironwork of the deck and superstructure and broken derricks and ladders give a „ idea of the fury of the storm. Captain S. Kondoh, of the Kovo Maru, said that his ship was about 60 miles ahead of the Seisho Maru. but they were in constant wireless communication. On January 3, at 2 p.m. the glass fell and wind and sea increased. At 4 p.m. the sky was overcast, blinding rain was beating down and soon afterwards the full fury of the gale broke loose. At 6.25 p.m. a mountainous sea swept over the forecastle from starboard, and broke loose the forward lashings of the deck cargo of largegirth logs. Successive seas freed the logs completely from their lashings and they were dashed about the deck. Piling against the steel mast, .they made a dent 3in. deep in the solid casing and strained the mast and shrouds. Two derricks were and ventilators and other deck fittings were considerably damaged. A sampan was bumped overboard by the shifting logs and lost altogether. Radio Out ol Action When the mast was bumped the radio aerial was. carried away, and it could not be repaired until the storm had abated. This put the ship's wireless out o£ operation, cutting oif communication with the Seisho Maru, which was also having a bad time. The logs, piling up to the lee side of the ship, caused an alarming list of 20 degrees, and the captain ordered the flooding of two starboard holds to trim the ship. The hurricane lasted 24 hours, during the greater part of which power was used only to i,eep the ship head to wind, and the 'distance covered in the complete day was only 50 miles. '■■ i. The Seisho Maru was not so badly knocked about as the Kovo Maru, but . it fared worse than its convoy through being blown k .far to the southward of its course. After losing touch with the Koyo Maru, it lost way considerably, and. so was hit by a second hurricane about eight hours After the first had abated. Dent in Steel Decking During the first storm the box containing the ship's vegetable supply went overboard, and thereafter the crew had to do without this staple article of diet. Considerable damage was done by the heavy seas, including a dent in the steel decking, six inches deep, caused by the weight of a very heavy sea. The ship's troubles were not then over, however, for a third gale was encountered near New Caledonia, which Captain R. Matsumoto described as more trying than the first. It lasted from 10 a.m. on January 29 until 5 a.m. on February 1. The wind and sea were violent, and the speed of the ship was reduced almost to a crawl. After the third storm Captain Matsumoto decided to call in at New Caledonia to bunker and secure fresh food.