ACCIDENT TO THE WAIMEA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13003, 11 March 1913, Page 7

ACCIDENT TO THE WAIMEA.

Whilst on 'the'vbyage^fdm' y Wahgaiiui to Wellington the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Company's steamer Waimea, 452 tons. Captain' Stevens, went ashore m 'Ohariu Bay at 4 a.m. on Saturday. The weather was very thick: at the time, so thick, indeed, that other vessels arriving at" Wellington from , Cook Strait reported that it was impossible to see a quarter of a mile ahead 1 ' of them. Tlie Waimea left Wartganui at 8.30 p.m. ■on Friday. At that time all was clear, amd the weather fine: Soon, however, a, thick, dark fog descended with drizzling rain. The Waimea stood on 'her course, which was set to clear Cape.Terawh\ti" (| well, Jn a . 70-mile run tbe. Waimea was taken 4A- miles out of her "'Course 'by ! the set "of 'the tide m 'Cook Strait, and %t : 4 o'clock; the next morning she was found; to. be crunching on the mussels on the rocks m Ohariu Bay. Both engines were set going full speed astern, but although 'only the fore part of the vessel' was a&ho're, ' She could not be shifted. " The tide - ' was making all' the "time, and the sea being calm, a kedge. anchor was got out. After a few hours' work, the Waimea came off the rock_. with a run, and made fu_l Steam for Wellington. The Union Company's tug ■Terawhiti .was made read#, but her serviced- were not required; ;The Wai mea berthed at the Customhouse breastwork 1 at about 11 a.m., looking none the worse for her experiences. On investigation it -was found that there were some slight dents on the starboard side of the hull, and also that one or two rivets had been loosened up. The Waimea was found to be nuking little, if any, water- an<^ proceeded on her way to Picton and ' Nelson on Saturday afternoon.' The vessel- was practically empty when she went ashore, and this no doubt explains the reason of there being no damage done worth mentioning. The Collector of Custom*, at Wellington held a preliminary' inquiry into the stranding of tbe vessel. The papers have been forwarded to the Marble Department for consideration: ;