BITTER STRUGGLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22628, 16 January 1937, Page 12

BITTER STRUGGLE

SURVIVOR'S ACCOUNT OVERWHELMING OF VESSEL TERRIBLE HOURS IN BOAT COMRADES SWEPT FROM SIGHT A vivid account of the wreck, of the dinghy's battle through tempestuous ■seas/'of its capsize, and of his subsequent struggle ashore was given yesterday morning by one of the two survivors, Mr. John William Frederick Mason. As he lay in a bed in Mr. Bell's flat at Torbay, Mr. Mason recounted how one by one, each member of the crew disappeared in the waves until he alone was left clinging to the tossing dinghy. After describing the earlier stages of the Bangi's voyage from Omokoroa, Mr. Mason said that the vessel ran into heavy weather when rounding Cape Colville at about 10.30 on Thursday morning. For some time previously he had been at the wnecl. but was then relieved by Captain Petersen and Mr. Helgeson, who took it in turn. "The weather got worse and two of the port stays were carried away and the mainsail blew out," Mr. Mason added. "We lowered it as best we could and carried on under the foresail. Wo tried to make the Motuihi Passage, but it was impossible, so we squared off and came between Rakino and the Noisies. That was about 4 p.m. Water Flooding Into Ship "A little later we anchored under the lee of Motutapu. The scow had a pretty bad list to starboard and water was flooding into the skipper's cabin and down the hatches. We therefore dropped the anchor, paying out about 40 fathoms of chain, and then unloaded the logs off the starboard side." They had pumped out most of the water when tho scow righted herself, Mr.'Mason continued. Meanwhile the lifts and tho foresheet had been carried away. They started to heave in the anchor again, but there were still about ]0 fathoms hanging when they were faced with another emergency. The scow, went over to port. More water was shipped through the forward hatch and then, about 6 p.m., the* vessel became almost out of control.. They struggled to free tho logs on the port side, but it was practically useless because water was rushing into the cabin and through all the hatches. Mr. Mason thought a heavy sea carried the forward hatch away. Vessel Abandoned

"Things were hopeiess so we got the dinghy out as the, vessel gradually heeled over to port," Mr. Mason went on. '"We all got in just in time, just as the scow turned right over. The last we saw of her was that she was floating well out of the water bottom up. ]t was then about 8 o'clock and still daylight. "We- tried to pull for Motutapu, the fikipper and Harold (Mr. Helgeson) being at the oars. We were all drenched and almost stiff. It was getting dark and all the time the boat was threatening to .swamp. We could not make Motutapu, so we headed the dinghy for the mainland." The following seas and the strong easterly wind made it impossible to keep ilio boat going bow first as waves were washing over the stern, Mr. Mason added. The boat was therefore turned around and allowed to drift stern first, the oars not being used except for steadying her. "We had a pretty stiff passage and wore nearly swamped twice," he said. "We were constantly bailing. We came olf shore at about midnight and saw j lights, but we could not get in. Half a mile away a big wave struck the boat and turned her over. "I never saw the skipper or Bill ogam. They just disappeared. Harold,

Charlie, the boy Woodroffe and I all hung on to the dinghy but she was getting tossed about, badly, and one by one they disappeared. The boy let go with an* agonising cry: 'Save me, save me!' but I could do nothing." Mr. Mason said he continued to cling to the boat which was washed in between Winstone's Cove and Sugarloaf Island on to the rocky beach. He clambered out of reach of the waves and, exhausted, fell asleep on a lodge. That was about midnight. Two hours later he woke up and struggled along the beach toward the south end of the cove.

On his way he saw the body of Mr. De Faire, but as life was extinct, he left it and eontirfued on. Ho rounded the rough promontory opposite Sugarloaf'lsland, and after walking over a quarter of a mile, bare-footed, came upon Mr. Bell's cottage. He roused the household, and Mr. Bell and his family gave him hot drinks, a change of clothing, and put him to bed. Apart from exhaustion his only injury was a strained left arm.

WRECKAGE SIGHTED TIMBER COMES ASHORE WARNING TO SHIPPING Wreckage from the Rangi was washed ashore at several places along the Whangaparaoa Peninsula yesterday morning. Two large pieces of wreckage were sighted off Shakespeare's Bay, on the eastern side of the peninsula, and several pieces of boarding, an oil drum, a cabin door, and two lifebelts came ashore in the vicinity of the bay.

One large piece of wreckage floated wifliin three miles of Shakespeare's Bay all day, and was visited in a launch by Messrs. A. E. Coates and A. Shakespeare. They found it to be the after part of the scow, bottom up, with the rudder attached. By its appearance it had been badly battered against the rocks during the night. The other piece of wreckage was a mile from the shore of the bay, but so far nobody has been able to ascertain what part of the Rangi it is. As it has not moved during the day, it is believed to he anchored. Both pieces of wreckage are in tho direct path of coastal shipping. It is expected that the after part of the vessel will float ashore in the vicinity of Arkle's Bay or Brown's Bay. Residents all along the Whangaparaoa. Peninsula were out all day searching the coast-line, and found many small pieces of wreckage and provisions from the scow. About 20 logs from the vessel's cargo were strewn along the beach at Little .Manly and Arkle's Bav.

Floating timber, doors and gear were sighted by the master of the motorvessel Huawai, Captain K. F. Fowler, while coming from Kawau to Auckland yesterday morning. A large piece of wreckage was seen about two miles south-east of Te Whanga Point, and proved to be the stern of a scow with the keel and rudder attached, and standing Oft. out of water. A further search located the hull upside down half a mile to the east and just awash. When the Huawai arrived at Auckland, Captain Fowler made a report to the Marine Department that he had sighted the wreck. A warning to shipping that a black submerged object is floating four miles south-west from Tiri in the track of shipping has been issued by the superintendent of Marine.

SHARKS IN SOUTH

NEW BRIGHTON PIER SOME GOOD CATCHES MADE While sin: and surf-bathing are not 'so popular at New Brighton, CliristehurrJi, as was noticed last year visitors to the seaside lind a good deal of pleasure and display a lot of patience in fishing from the pier. While the small boys and the amateurs content themselves with light fishing lines, the experts wield heavier cords. A fair amount of success attends their efforts and during the last week some excitement was caused when sharks measuring oft ;>in and oft lin were landed. Recently one fisherman caught a shark from which, when opened, no fewer than ■'!!' young were taken. Another produced 28. A huge conger eel, some skate, elephant fish, groper, cod, and kahawai have also been landed by the expert fishermen on the pier.