STEAMER IN A STORM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22675, 13 September 1935, Page 4

STEAMER IN A STORM

KAIMAI'S EXPERIENCE BUFFETED IN ' COOK STRAIT After battling against a terrific gale for 47 hours, the Union Company's cargo steamer Kaimai arrived at Dunedin at noon yesterday from Wellington. The vessel received a severe buffeting, but no damage was done, this being due to the fact that she was in light trim. Captain Evans stated that it was one of the worst storms he had ever encountered in Cook Strait. The gale was of such a terrific nature that the tCaimai at times made no headway, as she "had to battle against the wind and heavy seas. The ship rose and fell with the seas, but no heavy water was shipped, although spray was carried as high as the top of the funnel. The force of the gale broke loose an iron flange at the top of the vessel's funnel, but this was the extent of the damage done. The Kaimai left Wellington at 5.30 p.m. on Monday, bound for Dunedm, and ran into the heavy southerly gale at midnight. She was then off Cape Campbell, and from then on until Wednesday afternoon it was a hard battle against wind and sea. Although the engines were kept at full speed throughout the storm, the Kaimai logged only about one mile an hour, and less than that at times. The gale eased off at noon on Wednesday. The vessel was off Banks Peninsula at 4 p.m., and some idea of the force of wind and sea may be gained from the fact that the time taken by the Kaimai to cover the 180 miles from Wellington to the Akaroa light was 47 hours. The vessel made fairly gool time on the run from Akaroa light to Otago, but the time occupied on the trip from Wellington to the wharf at Dunedin was 59J hours. The trip, under favourable conditions, is usually made by the Kaimai in 34 hours.