STILL STRANDED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23866, 21 July 1939, Page 10

STILL STRANDED

THE PORT BOWEN THREE TUGS ON SCENE COMBINED EFFORT PLANNED MODERATE SEA CONDITIONS (Per United Press Association) WANGANUI, July 20. At midnight to-night the stranded vessel Port Bowen was still ashore one or two miles north of Castlecliff. Three powerful tugs are on the scene—the Kahanui, of Wanganui, and the Terawhiti and Toia, of Wellington. A combined effort to refloat the vessel is being made in one hour’s time. The concentration of the power of the three tugs was not possible until after 10 o’clock to-night, the hour when the Wellington Harbour Board’s Toia arrived on the scene. The unwinding of a hawser which had become wound round the port screw cf the Kahanui early this morning took longer than was anticipated, and the plan to use both the Terawhiti and the Kahanui at mid-day, when the tide was high, had to Ire abandoned. The Terawhiti made an effort itself, but that proved no better than the attempts made by the Kahanui soon after the Port Bowen became stranded. By late afternoon the Kahanui was freed of the hawser, and was ready for action again. She and the Terawhiti stood by the Port Bowen throughout the night, and when the Toia arrived she went straight to [ ier Rain fell in the early part of the night, and foggy conditions ruled for a time. Towards 10 o’clock the weather cleared a good deal. There is a moderate swell running. Piles of logs about 6 feet high were cast into the water from the Bort Bowen this afternoon and hundreds are floating in a tangled mass around the vessel. A breeze was bringing up a swell which did not affect the Port Bowen, but the four lighters carrying out unloading operations were pitching and tossing. LYTTELTON TUG ASSISTANCE IF NECESSARY CREW ORDERED TO STAND BY (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, July 20. The Lyttelton Harbour Board’s new tug, Lyttelton 11, may be sent to Wanganui to assist in the salvaging of the Port Bowen. The_ board to-day received a communication from the representatives of the Port Line, owners of the Port Bowen, asking if the tug would be available if required. A reply was sent that the tug would be available if necessary. Late this afternoon the crew of the tug, who were then engaged in transferring their effects from the old tug to the new one, were warned to stand by to proceed to sea at three hours’ notice. It is understood that arrangements were made for the vessel to complete bunkering and take in supplies at short notice. The distance from Lyttelton to Wanganui is 251 sea miles, and at 12 knots the tug should make the trip in 21 hours. A FURTHER MISHAP LAUNCH WRECKED ON ROCKS OCCUPANTS’ NARROW ESCAPE (Per United Press Association) WANGANUI, July 20. A further mishap occurred at the port late this afternoon when a 40foot fishing launch, the Galileo, was wrecked on the end of the north mole. The two occupants, Arthur Cameron, aged 43, and Rex Wadsworth, aged 21, reached the safety of the rocks after a terrific struggle in a racing ebb tide. The boat was returning to port with a cargo of dunnage salvaged from the vicinity of the stranded Port Bowen and had just rounded the north mole when the engine stopped. The small craft was whirled round on the crest of a large wave and smashed with terrific force on the rocks. The men jumped clear and the launch bumped round the end of the mole and was washed up on Castlecliff beach. EARLIER MISHAP LOSS OF STEAMER CYRENA IN 1925 WRECKED OFF BAR Not far from vhere the Port Bowen went aground off the Castleruff beach early on Wednesday morning, the steamer Cyrena, on May 24, 1925, struck a sand shoal at the mouth of the Wanganui River, and subsequently became a total loss. Under her own steam the Cyrena was refloated the day she struck, but was caught by a strong current and grounded about 600 yards north of the moles. At midnight the vessel was leaking in all holds. By May 26 she had 14 feet of water in the holds and her position was serious. Her hull was badly damaged and she had to be beached to proven* her from sinking. By June 11 it was clear that the Cyrena was doomed. Because of the damage done to the hull below the waterline it was impossible to take any drastic measure to salvage the steamer. The bottom of the ship was found to be split right across for six feet from the I ilge on either side. Each sea that smashed in on her did further damage. In order to stave off disaster the salvage party of the Terawhiti had to set about repairing the damage after each blow by the sea. It was a great gamble, and as such it was recognised from the start. Twice the Cyrena was floated off, but her draught, 14ft forward and 20ift aft, was too much to allow the steamer to enter the river ar.d her structure was too badly damaged to allow her to make for anothet port. On the night of July 11 th. Cyrena was again floated qff. but the heavy southerly swell which prevailed put in the finishing blow. The Cyrena /as abandoned and on July 12 a very heavy sea battered her unmercifully. She broke up behind the bridge and toward night the cargo and wreckage were drifting ashore.

Thi Cyrena was a steel screw steamer of 2138 tons, built in 1913, and owned by the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company, Ltd. She was carrying about 40,000 cases of oil, and little more than half /as salvager It was stated that between £IO,OOO and £15.000 was spent in the efforts to save her.

The finding f the Court cf Inquiry was the complete exoneration of Captain Paterson and his officers and Captain Mclntyre, harbourmaster, Wanganui, and the harbour officials. The court held that the accident was due to a narrow bank caused by a submerged log.