THE STRANDED RIVERINA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3830, 9 August 1927, Page 11

THE STRANDED RIVERINA.

ATTEMPTS AT SALVAGE. SYNDICATE’S GAMBLE. (Fbom Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 28. For over three months the inter-State liner Riverina has been stranded on a sandy beach near Gabo, on the far south coast of New South Wales. She went ashore in a terrific cyclone on Easter Sunday, April 17, and after the passengers had been landed after several days’ enforced sojourn aboard, unsuccessful attempts were made to refloat her. Representatives of the underwriters decided to write the Riverina off as a total loss. As is customary in such a case, tenders were called for the purchase of the vessel, and one for £2250 from a syndicate of three Sydney men was accepted. Hardy old mariners wagged their heads wisely and declared that the Riverina at that price was a “dear buy.” But the syndicate had other ideas. It formed a small limited company, gear was purchased, and a tug chartered. Tlie trouble with the salvaging of the Riverina, and one faced with insuperable difficulties, is that although at high tides water is beneath the bow and stern of -the steamer, amidships a huge and constantly-growing bank of sand, into which the Riverina has bitten deeply. The chief equipment of the present salvagers is powerful sandpumps, with which it is hoped to clear the sand from amidships and to provide a channel of water sufficiently deep to allow the steamer to be pulled off into safety.

bo, for the past week or so, the salvage party has been working strenuously, in face of high seas and biting wintry winds, to get their pumps and other salvage gear into position. The tug they chartered returned to Sydney a few days ago for moie stores, and officers told thrilling stories of the hazards faced in getting the g* ar on the tug to the Riverina. Repeated efforts to tow a punt laden with machinery failed, and at length the captain of the tug, Evans, decided to construct a raft to take a line to the stranded vessel in order that the punt could be pulled to the steamer. Only one seaman would volunteer to accompany Evans on the raft. They discarded their clothing and took with them paddles with whicli they could steer their crazy craft towards the Riverina. Time and time again they were nearly washed off the raft by the seas that broke over it Eventually they were washed on to a sandbank, ‘ where the heavy surf threatened to break up the raft. A kinematographer's assistant—a camera to take a film of the operations is part of the salvagers’ equipment—swam through the surf with the line, and Evans swam out to him and pulled him on to the raft. Communication was thus established with the Riverina, and after one or two further unsuccessful efforts to get the punt with its valuable gear alongside, the task was at length achieved. , Tb ®. sa nd-pumps are now in position on the Riverina, and the salvage party hopes to make enough progress to have the Riverina ready for a trial tow bv the middle of next month.