KOUTUNUI'S CLOSE CALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10561, 12 April 1920, Page 5

KOUTUNUI'S CLOSE CALL

NARROWLY ESCAPES DISASTER «k . ROPE ROUND A PROPELLER. EXCITING EXPERIENCES. Aftei a narrow escape from disaster during the recent southerly gale, Richardson and Co.'s (Napier) small steamer Koutunui, 171 tons, arrived at Wellington at 1.10 p.m. on Saturday, and berthed at No. 7, Queen's Wharf. While running back to Wellington fiony Cape Pallitser for shelter early on Thursday morning a big hawser was washed off the Koutunui's forecastle Read, and fouled tho vessel's port propeller. This necessitated the vessel anchoring off Cape Taurakirae, whore, although steaming at "full ahead,'' she dragged anchors till the reef was only a stone's throw from her stern. One of tho anchor cables parted, and it was owing only to the slight moderation of tho gale that- the Koutunui was able to extricate herself from a critical position. Heavy seas crashed on board, smashing the door of the crew's messroom on the starboard deck, shattering the wooden bulkhead of the saloon, wrecking the interior, and flooding the stokehold. Captain Beaton, the mate (Mr L. Bonner) and the engineer (MiThomas Baillie) agree that tho Koutunui had an exceedingly close call, and all on board had a most trying ordeal. DRIVEN CLOSE TO ROCKb.

The Koutunui left Wellington at 11 p.m. on Wednesday for East Coast stations on the way to and as far as Castlepoint to land station stores. Moderate weather prevailed till b o'clock on Thursday morning, when tho ship was off Cape Palliser. A strong southerly gale came up suddenly, and the sea made very quickly. Captain Beaton put his vessel round, and headed back for Wellington. The weather became hazy through drizzling rain, nnd it was impossible to pick up the land. The wind increased to a hurri. cane, and slow progress wae made. About 3.50 o'clock on Thursday morning a big rope hawser on the forecastlo head was swept looso and trailed over the side, fouling the port propeller. An effort was made to disentangle the rope by putting the port engine astern, but the screw would not turn astern. The rope was cut, and although part of it remained entangled in the propeller, the engine could go ahead and the vessol stood on her course, but as it was impossible to make Wellington, both anchors were dropped aetern when the Koutunui was about one mile south of Cape Tau'rakirac. Sixty fathoms of chain-was paid out. and the engines were set at full ahead. Mountainous teas tossed tho little boat about liko a cork, and the wind raged at- hurricane force. Gradually the fihip was driven iu towards tho rock-bound shore, and everyone on board began to anticipate the worst. At 4 o'clock on Friday morning the port cable parted at a distance of about five fathoms from tho anchor. The latter ■ weighed about 7cwt. The weather then fortunately moderated somewhat, and the Koutunui managed to make , about half a knot an hour seaward, towing nor starboard anchor. DAMAGE BY SEAS.

To add to the discomfort of all. some heavy seas swept on board early Friday afternoon, smashing the crew's messroom door and shattering the wooden bulk-head of .the saloon* as reported above. The wooden partition separating the saloon from the top of the engine-room was stovo in, and the water pored below iu volumes, so that it was over the stoke-hqld plates. The "strum" became choked with debris, so that it was a difficult matter to pump out the water from below. Tho engineer, Mr BaiJlie, found among other things blocking tho "strum'' a chense, broken crockery, tinned food, and even the saloon dinner bell, which had been washed below from the saloon. Tho pumps, however, wero soon got to work and* improved things bolow.

The Koutunui keot on creeping into the teeth of the' gale until at 8 o'clock on Saturday morning, when she was twenty miles to the southward Of the land, the weather had groa.tly improved and the sea had modern ted considerably. Tho starboard anchor was then picked up, and the little, vessel set out for "Wellington, arriving at the Queen's Wharf, as previouslv stated, at 1.10 p.m. on Saturday. All on board agreed that the Koutunui d ; splavcd remarkable Bra-going qualities, having gone through a test that may have caused the foundering of any ordinary vessel of her size. With more encine-power available tho situation would have been much less serious.