STORMY WEATHER AT SEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22266, 19 May 1934, Page 9

STORMY WEATHER AT SEA

MANY VESSELS DELAYED EXCITING HARBOUR INCIDENTS. (Exceptionally stormy weather is now being experienced on the east coast of the South Island, particularly between Bluff and Lyttelton. Shipping centred between these ports has been subjected to serious delays, and at least five vessels will be a day or two late arriving at Dunedin. It was reported yesterday that boisterous weather prevailed along the east coast and that two or three ships were battling with squalls and very high seas. The small motor vessel Holmglen reached Dunedin late yesterday afternoon from the north after a very trying and rough trip. She had to battle with heavy seas all the way from Wellington, and the weather was so violent on Thursday that the Holmglen made little headway, the captain putting into Oamaru on Thursday night for shelter. Although she was severely buffeted, the Holmglen suffered no damage. The Poolta. bound from Wellington to Dunedin, was sheltering at Akaroa yesterday. She was expected to resume her voyage in the. afternoon, and should reach port this morning. The Union Company’s freighter Waikawa encountered very stormy weather after leaving Lyttelton on Thursday afternoon for Dunedin, and made little headway. The captain advised by wireless yesterday morning that the weather was still stormy and that the Waikawa would not reach this port until to-day. The Kalingo left Lyttelton on Thursday afternoon for Dunedin, but found the weather too stormy to continue -the voyage. She returned to the Canterbury port several hours later, remaining there for the night, and sailed again yesterday morning. The Kalingo is expected to arrive here to-day. The Waikouaiti was delayed at Bluff on Thursday, a strong south-west gale and heavy rain preventing the removal of her hatches. She is expected to arrive at Dunedin to-day. No advice has been received concerning the small auxiliary ketch Miro, which left Auckland on May 7 for Port Chalmers with a cargo of explosives. It is thought that the Miro encountered bad weather shortly after leaving Auckland, and js sheltering in one of the bays in the vicinity of East Cape. When the fierce south-west squall swept over Dunedin shortly after 1 p.m. on Thursday a small boat in which two boys were fishing off Burkes was quickly in difficulties. A telephone message received at the Harbour Board office stating that the boys were in danger was immediately responded to by the harbour master and the deputy harbour master. They made a quick trip by motor car to the vicinity where the boat was last seen being driven down the channel by the gale. They located the boat, which was beached near Blanket Bay, and learned that the boys had landed safely and had returned to their homes.

A precarious position arose when the first squall was experienced in the Upper Harbour. The cargo steamer Waipiata, discharging, at the Birch street wharf, caught the full force of the wind, and was blown several feet out from the structure. A heavy lift of 12 tons was in midair, and was about to be landed on the wharf, and there was considerable speculation as to whether the lift would fall into the sea.. It was held by strong gear, however, and swayed in the strong wind while the Waipiata’s winches drew in the slack of her mooring lines, and the ship was brought snugly to the wharf again. The lift was then landed wi thoufmishap.