BADLY BUFFETED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8737, 20 May 1914, Page 7

BADLY BUFFETED

IN COOK STRAIT WHANG APE’S EVENTFUL TRIP. DERRICKS AND DECK GEAR SMASHED. Tho “tying up” of vessels arriving in. part last night was an exceedingly ticklish job owing to the southerly Waste and heavy seas prevailing in the harbour. But if it was bad inside, it was infinitely worse outside the Hoads. Travellers would not face iit, unless they v/oro compelled by business that brooked no delay. This was made evident by the fact that the Maori, last night’s boar for Lyttelton, was a comparatively empty ship. Masters of ships which, arrived last evening ail reported indescribable conditions prevailing outside the heads —a howling southerly gale which playc-a Insistent music in, the rigging, co tiio accompaniment of the pounding seas, and a temperature 1 BADLY BUFFETED.

The first of tho overdue boats to put In an appearance was the Wining ape from Westport, which had been expected in any time from tho previous ©veiling. She got up to tiio' Railway wharf at about 9 o’clock, and tho racing seas made berthing a very difficult, proposition. At 9.30 she was safely tied up, which ia the. circumstances reflects much, credit upon, the seamanship of Captain J. Mor-ley, who was in command. Tho vessel luid had a terrible trip. The Whangapo is an U-knot boat, and for a vessel of her class the 'passage from Westport usually occupies about twenty-two hours. Tho Wlhangape this trip did it in fiftyfour. Tho fury of tho gate and the rough-up tho steamer hid may he gauged to some extent when it is said that she took fourteen hours fo do for ty-fivo raih'-s! A “New Zealand Times'’ reporter boarded her last evening, and saw ample evidence of tho pounding tho vessel had received. Tho chief officer informed tho pressman that tho Whangapo find loft Westport at half-past 3 on Sunday afternoon and met with fair weather until sho poked her noso around Farewell Spit. THROUGH NEPTUNE’S CAUL- ; DROit. fho “band played” then with a vengeance, tho boat having a terrible "dusting.” Against tho heavy mountainous seas that crashed on board the vessel could make little headway. Instead of continuing on to Wellington, it was deemed advisable to seek shelter In Guard’s Bay, ami the vessel accordingly anchored there throughout Monday night. At 7 o'clock yesterday . morning the anchors were weighed and a start made for Wellington, fortyfive miles away. For fourteen hours the Whangapo battled with the elements, and although sho came through it, sho did not escape scatheless. At half-past 5, when off Sinclair Head, she had a particularly trying time. In the angry swirl of the boiling waters she was tossed about like a cork, and rolled in an alarming manner. The wind had. increased to hurricane force. In these circumstances it is not surprising that something should give way, and the derricks, four in ah, big heavy beams each, came crashing down as tho result of the wrenching they were receiving through the roiling of tho vessel. Two went overboard—hostages to Neptune. The remaining two camc> crashing down through the rigging, smashing a ventilator and doing other minor damage. Fortunately no one was in the vicinity of the falling beams, or probably there would have been a fatal accident to record, SHELTER AT LAST. Sorely buffeted, and with her plated Vulk streaming vrith water, tho .Vhangapo crept into the welcome shelter of th© Heads at about a quarterpast 7. Her troubles, however, were not yot over, for IK© southerly was Joshing with vengefiul force the harbour waters, and as the vessel had to make a detour in. order to give fairway to the ferry steamer Maori, she was caught hy the wind and carried well inibo the Kaiwama Bight. That Was one of the main reasons that she took such a long time to gefc to the, wharf. The Mapoorika from Picton, which got in a little after midnight, also experienced the full force of the southerly, and it was a very thankful lot of passenger© that streamed ashore after their unpleasant trip. Captain Holmes informed a. "Times” reporter that the passage had been a very dirty one, the vessel _ experiencing a nasty rip off Terawhiti. The Kamo, from the West Coast, was another overdue bon* to make port, wifely. Sho had one of the worst / trips in her career, heavy seas breaking over her throughout her protracted voyage. The fecit that she was overdue from Sunday tells its own tale of her experience.