CYCLONIC STORMS

Southland Times, Issue 20497, 28 May 1928, Page 7

CYCLONIC STORMS

Exciting Voyage BATTLE AGAINST ELEMENTS TOSSED ON MOUNTAINOUS SEAS SUBMERGED DERELICT STRUCK’ (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, May 27. An adventurous voyage of 86 days from Antwerp was experienced by the Belgian steamer Scheldepas which reached Auckland on Friday night. The vessel sailed from Antwerp on March 1 with 7,000 tons of basic slag for Auckland and Wellington Off the Azores Islands, she encountered a fierce north-west storm and mountainous seas which washed away ventilators, ladders and other deck fittings. After battling with the storm for three days, the vessel was hove to for 16 hours to secure tarpaulins and deck gear. She then ran before the storm for another four days. Near Madeira Islands, the weather moderated and the vessel was headed for Jamaica to replenish her bunkers. When nearing Jamaica the captain was advised by wireless that no coal was obtainable at that port owing to a strike of the coal heavers and the same conditions also prevailed at St. Thomas, another nearby coaling port in the West Indies. In consequence, the Scheldepas had to divert from her course and go to Newport News where she obtained 900 tons of bunker coal and resumed her voyage. En route from Newport News to Colon, a terrific cyclone was reported only 110 miles from the Scheldepas, but the steamer was not affected by the storm. At Colon, more bunker coal was obtained and the vessel cleared Balboa on April 12. Six days later, during dull overcast weather, she collided with a submerged derelict and afterwards sprank a leak. The accident occurred at 9.40 p.m., the steamer striking the derelict with her stem and then kept bumping the derelict as it passed along the port side, but out of sight. The sounding of the steamer’s hold immediately afterwards did not reveal any water, but next morning there was two feet of water in the forepeak. At midday, the water in the peak had increased to four feet, so the Captain decided to make for Papeete.

Two days before the vessel reached Papeete, the peak had filled and the water was pressing severely against the No. 1 hold bulkhead. After reaching Papeete on May 7, the cargo was shifted from the forepart of the No. 1 hold to clear the rose boxes in the bilges. Pumps were also repaired and afterwards could cope with the leak.

Five days later, after the bunkers had again been replenished, the voyage was resumed. Two days after clearing Papeete she encountered the cyclone which did so much damage to the steamer Rimutaka, and for two days the Scheldepas was like a submarine with seas breaking all over the decks. Owing to the seas washing into the galley, no cooking was done on board during that period and the crew had to grope their way along the decks by clinging to life lines. To ease the pressure on the fore peak, the vessel was put before the storm which began to moderate. On the evening of May 16, the swell and seas continued heavy, but the weather was moderate for the remainder of the voyage. It is expected that the vessel will have to be docked for repairs before she leaves New Zealand.