VESSEL GROUNDS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9755, 3 September 1917, Page 5

VESSEL GROUNDS

OUTSIDE BLUFF HARBOUR FINALLY BROUGHT SAFELY TO POUT. Special to "Times.*’ BLUFF, September 3-. Shortly after 8 o'clock on Saturday arming a - strange *. vewel went ashore outside arbou l irhat is known as Wdbam Davie Bank. The Harbour Boards tuc Theresa Ward (.Captain Lovett) reached the scene about 9, when the board’s pilot. Captain Hamilton, put aboard and took charge of the vessel. Hough easterly weather had been experienced for some days, and prob- ~ ably owing to the sea running keeping her “alive,” she ultimately got on, otherwise there waa a danger of settling fast in the sand. The flood-tide •was making at the tame, and with the assistance of the tug Captain Hamilton ultimately piloted her off the bank about ,10 o’clock. Owing to the condensers having filled with sand, the vessel had to anchor then in the channel, and finally was only got to sea with difficulty under her own reduced power, as with the flood-tide heavy seas were making. The condensers were then cleaned, some twenty-five buckets of sand being taken out. Finally she was brought into tho wharf safely, about 3 o’clock on Sunday morning. An examination of tho hull will be made to-morrow by » diver* The captain states she is making no water, and asserts that no damage was suffered. He sent a wireless for tho pilot, and received confirmation of the receipt of the message. He came on expecting -to pick up the pilot. There was no pilot, and the vessel grounded in tho fairway. An inquiry will be held, which doubtless will throw a groat deal more light on the occurrence. It has been ascertained that the wireless message was dispatched from the ship about 6 p-m., and she came right on. She was signalled from Stirling Point pilot station, but did not give expression to these signals until too late. Th© steamer appeared to circle round one of th© inner buoys, and grounded by the stern., The bank in question is marked by two buoys which are well inside the harbour limits, in which vicinity it is inadvisable fob a man without local knowledge to proceed. The New Zealand Pilot and tho Nautical Almanac warn mariners against proceeding beyond the outer red buoy a considerable distance to soa unless carrying a pilotage exemption certificated officer. The vessel was fully laden, and grounded very heavily. Oons : derahla excitement prevailed aboard as each crash on the bank plates seemed to grind off. Boats swung out, and the crew donned lifebelts, and gathered their belongings in readiness to embark, although the proximity of the harbour lights gave the men considerable confidence, and the fact that the night was fairly clear made the position easier. Messrs J. G. Ward and Co., the agents, considered it lucky the vessel was not piled up to-day, when very heavy seas are running, which rose during the night. An affair of a similar nature occurred in 1911, when the Homo liner Knight of the Garter stranded on tho opposite side of tho harbour entrance through the master entering tho port without tho pilot at the wrong stage of the tide. She got off the same day, but damage to tho extent of £20,000 was done to her hull.