WRECK OF SCOW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23107, 5 February 1937, Page 10

WRECK OF SCOW

INQUEST ON VICTIMS

SURVIVORS’ DRAMATIC STORY

DINGHY UPSET AFTER LONG

DRIFT

(Per United Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Feb. 4

The only two survivors of the tragic wreck of the scow Rangi, which foundered off Rakino Island at the eastern entrance to Hauraki Gulf, at the height of a gale on the evening of Thursday, January 14, with the loss of four lives, told their story at the inquest held before Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, S.M. The crew abandoned the vessel when she heeled over, and drifted in a dinghy to a point about a mile and a-half off Torbay There the dinghy was swamped. John Mason, a member of the crew, and Donald Woodroffe, aged 14, a schoolboy, who was making the trip on a voyage from Tauranga to Auckland as the guest of the captain, managed to get ashore safely. Mason clung to the boat and was washed ashore, the boy Woodroffe being washed ashore in an unconscious condition The inquest concerned the deaths of the master, Captain Peter Petersen, aged 54, married; an A. 8., Harold Helgeson, aged 34, single; Charles de Faire, a cook, aged 68, single; William Douglas Robinson, aged 21, single. John William Frederick Mason, the rescued deck hand, aged 19, told how the Rangi, under the command of Captain Petersen, ran into bad weather. He said: “After passing Cape Colville two stays of the mainmast on the starboard side were carried away. We lowered the mainsail, and it ripped and became useless and we were compelled to carry on with the foresail and inner ]ib This was the only sail we could use, and when we arrived off Motuihi it was found that we could not make the Motuihi passage, so we altered our course and sailed between Rakino and the Noisies. The time would be about 4 p.m. on January 14 when we passed Rakino, and the scow was showing a big list to starboard. We made for the lee shore of Rakino Island. The anchor was dropped with about 40 fathoms of anchor chain, and while we were so anchored a number of logs from the starboard side were put into me sea. A lot of water was pumped out, and the scow righted herself. “We then started to heave m the anchor chain, and when only about 10 fathoms remained the scow listed heavily on the port side, so much so that all control of the scow was lost. Next an attempt was made to free the logs on the port side, but seas were entering the scow by the fore hatch, causing her to heel over to port. We then made for the scow s dl “We boarded the dinghy only iust in time, for as we cast off the scow was bottom-up. Captain Petersen and Harold took to the oars m the dinghy and attempted to make for the shore by Motutapu Island. This was not possible, and the evening was getting dark, st the dinghy was turned round and drifted stern first for the mainland. “ We drifted for a long time, and at what I should say would be about midnight on January 14 last we saw a light on the mainland. We were baling out water from the dinghy all the time, and everything was all right until we were about half a mile from the shore, when a big wave struck the dinghy and turned it over. Captain Petersen and Bill disappeared.” Continuing his evidence, witness said: “ The four of us clung to the dinghy. Woodroffe called out, and after that I did not see him again. When my feet touched the beach I let go the dinghy and reached a ledge of rock, where I must have fallen asleep. I later wandered around the shore until 1 found a house and reported what had happened.” . . . Witness said that no signals could be given from the scow, as the rockets, detonators, and flares, which were kept in a locker in the fore part of the cabin were washed overboard on the afternoon of January 13. Lifebelts were kept in the bunks, but no one seemed to think of putting them on before abandoning the scow. The Auckland Grammar School boy Donald William Woodroffe, aged 14, gave similar evidence. “ We were all thrown into the water when something—l think it was a big wave —struck the dinghy, and the four of us again reached the dinghy after it overturned,” said witness. “ I remember being washed away about twice but regained the dinghy each time. Then another big wavs washed me away, and I remember nothing more until I found myself on the shore about six feet from the water. It was then getting light, and I was found by some men who took me to a house.” “It is obvious that in all cases the deceased were drowned after having left the scow Rangi, which was foundering,” said the coroner “ Great efforts were apparently made by the residents of Torbay to find the bodies of these unfortunate men, and the thanks of the public and the police are due to them for their fine work under difficult conditions.”