THIRD EDITION STORMY SEAS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17454, 31 December 1930, Page 11

THIRD EDITION STORMY SEAS

NIAGARA BUFFETED CYCLONIC conditions Exceptionally stormy weather was experienced during the voyage of the Royal mail liner Niagara, which arrived at Auckland from Vancouver on Monday. The vessel left Vancouver on December 10, and the same evening she encountered a south-east gale, which increased to a whole gale the next day. For four days the Niagara was buffeted by the stormy conditions and high head seas, wieh repeatedly broke aboard forward, and damaged some of the deck fittings and broke ports forward. The wind also carried away the wireless aerial. After the storm subsided the wind changed to the north-east, which was in the vessel’s favor. | BAROMETER BEGINS TO FALL Honolulu was reached on schedule lime on December 17 and the Niagara (resumed her voyage the same evening. Fr& sh to light winds and continuous ■Mvy rain prevailed until the Niagara Ms south of the equator on December 812, when the barometer, began to fall hand conditions became threatening. The same night the wind increased to a hard northerly gale, which was accompanied by heavy rain, and high following seas. The following day the wind had increased to lull gale from the north-east, and it blew in fierce rain-squalls.

The cyclone was travelling between the Samoan and Fiji groups, and the course the Niagiara was steering to Suva was taking her away from the centre of the cyclone, which” was estimated to have passed close astern of the vessel The vessel continued running before the wind, with high seas following on the port quarter, “and waves frequently broke on board. One particularly heavy sea carried away the telegraph casing, which contained wives connecting the telephones and engine-room telegraphs. At midday on December 23 the speed was reduced to ease the strain on the vessel, and the same evening the speed was further reduced, and the Niagara was practically liove-to owing to the wind having reached hurricane force. The Niagara’s behaviour during the trying conditions was excellent, and her buoyancy (is she ran before the tempest was remarkable, according to passengers.