STEAMER MEETS GALE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16496, 31 July 1924, Page 9

STEAMER MEETS GALE.

POUT CURTIS BUFFETED

WELLINGTON, Monday

Exceptionally heavy weather was experienced by tlie Oonimonwealth and Dominion Line steamer Port Curtis in the Pacific last week, while the vessel was steaming the last few hundred miles of her long voyage from London to Wellington. The Port Curtis arrived at 7 a.m. yesterday, deeply laden with 10.000 tons of assorted freight. Dislodged fittings on the forecastle head and her salt-sprayed funnel bore testimony- to the severe buffeting she had received when steaming through the storm-swept area. The Port .Curtis lett London at midnight oil June 14, and after a brief call at Falmouth set out on what proved to be a line-weather ayd pleasant passage across the Atlantic. The first days of the passage across the Pacific were marked by tolerably good weather, and the steamer made good steaming time. On July 19, however, the weather became overcast and threatening, the wind blowing fresh from the south-west, accompanied by a high, confused swell. The wind increased in force, and on July 22 it was blowing a moderate gale. A very high sea was then running, which caused the deeply-laden ship to pitch and labor considerably. Heavy seas were almost continuously shipped, the decks being flooded 1 fore and aft. The gale was at its height on July 22, and at 11 n.m. on that day a huge wall of water smashed over the forecastle head. It. left destruction in its wake and caused! the ship to shudder from stem to stern. When the swirl of waters had left the forecastle. head and the‘decks clear again, it was seen that this particular sea had torn the ship’s bell and belfry from its fastenings, and also a heavy mooring wire reel and other fittings, such as pipes and' steampipo casings, while the vessel’s rails were badly smashed. It was fortunate that no members of tlie crew were on the forecastle head at the time, otherwise lives would probably have been lost.

Heavy seas, continued to pound the steamer, but no other damage resulted. Captain Vandenburgh then hove-to the vessel for nearly an hour while the crew were engaged in repairing the damaged sections of the rails and! making secure till loose articles and deck fittings which had been scattered about by the tide of receding waters. The. gale raged until the morning of July 25. and during the three days of storm the Port Curtis only legged' seven knots, half her usual speed.