SCOW LOST IN GALE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18974, 26 March 1936, Page 9

SCOW LOST IN GALE

GREW'S GRIM STRUGGLE ALL REACH THE SHORE TWO, MEN OVERBOARD RESpFE BY UINGHY (Pit Press Assneinfinn.) AVCKIANP. Inst night. The siory of a glim Struggle to save the 45-t.oij scow Kaiaia from foundering in heavy seas off the East Cbasl in ihe vicinity'of Castle Rock during the early hour* of this morning was related by the master. Captain H. S.' Aspden 10 the Auckland Herald by lons distance telephone. After gruelling spells at two hand pumps, the crew of Jive were finally -forced to 'abandon the'ship and the' Kni'nia 'sank almost immediately in about*36 fathom's of water. The Kaiaia. wilh a general cargo, left Auckland, about no.on on Tuesday for Qpofiki. 'Voir went her. \y.as experienced until passing Cape 'Col,viile, when the wind veered from the south-west and commenced to freshen front the Vast. By midnight, when the scow was to (be. south of Castle Rock, there was a lieav.y sb.'i and the wind had reached,-gale force. A« there appeared no hope of 'the conditions moderating, it was decided •to' pul ; 'back to MJeicury Bay for shelter. Heavy rain, squalls had reduced the visibility to. a minimum and the Kaiaia was-hove-io .to await daylight. L'nder shortened sail, .with the engines running s'lowlv, 'the'/vessel: .was pitching nito big seas, whet) suddenly, it was discovered, that she had sprung a leak. PUMPS MANNED . ••'l'l.ie. origin (>f the leak." said Captain'Aspden,. "'is a, mystery. When ih'sl noticed, the w.i.i.ter wis gaining fast. We immediately connected the pumps witji engine*, fine it mad« little impression on tl)«r Ijuw. The two ha.nd pumps were then ovum eel. hut the task appeared hopeless. We took spell about and never let up for a moment.*' The scow had settled by the bow and the seas were, continually crashing oh boaki, running the full' length of her decks. It was While working forward that, two Maori members of' the crew weee washed overboard and lost to sight uj the darltness. An attempt wns then made to lower the > 'dn)g.Tjy'.' wlucl,».'wis slung in the iJa.v;its a! the sleiyi, tyul access to the engine room had been cut 0$ all( l '' lfi propeller w,as now half, out ot"t{\a water and, wildly threshing the surface, threatened to sto.v.'e in. the small craft. Reassured by calls from the two Maoris, who were both excellent swimmers', the crew hod to stand by the dinghy until the Kaiaia was virtually sinking beneath their feet. As the stern settled and the. propeller became submerged, the dinghy was lowered without mishap. ROW THROUGH br; SKAS The two Maoris were picked up and, within a few moments, the five men werealone in the-'l2Ct'. dinghy with about live mites of rough wafer between them and the mail jand. The scow bad disappeared completely and a few',spars and some light gear rising on the heavy seas were all that remained. Dawn was just breaking.Probably thinking of the earlier part of the morning. Captain Aspden made l.glu of the trip to shore, but residents .:', the district consider it to have been a great feat of seamanship. How the little, craft was rowed through heayv seas and they run in on the suit to Hot Water beach without mishap would make a tale in itself. Captain Aspden, however, merely described it as "not so bad" and would I.e. prompted into no further comment. The' ennv. comprisi s P.. R. Stubbing- • i.tginceiy of Orey LM, •'• P.onaghue, of ami two Maoris. Pet'ei; Warren, of'" Opo'tilti and .1. Mokomoko. \ver.(» giy.ei.t,'dry clotbi'tiij at a neighbour ing'tatW and "later; proceeded' 10 ' anga. Mercury Bay. The Kaiaia was built at Omaha in XCp3,and had for some years been ovvned by tlie' Aspden Sliippin(j'"C-OJ;ipany."cyb<> bad traded: principally between Auckland and the Bay' of Islands port. £*%■ was. ketch rigged' and'was- fitted with a ?JE3 h.p. 'Diesel engine.