GALE AT BLUFF

Southland Times, Issue 20613, 11 October 1928, Page 8

GALE AT BLUFF

LIGHTSHIP BREAKS MOORINGS. SALVAGE WORK BY TUG. (From Our Correspondent.) In common with other parts of New Zealand, Bluff has had a share of the cyclonic weather. For the past few days the waters of the harbour have been a mass of white-tope and the moorings of the smaller craft have been well tested. Yesterday the seas were all but breaking over the wharf at high tide, while the spray was carried from the foreshore as far as the railway goods sheds. About 2 p.m. the lightship marking the channel, broke her moorings and drifted out to eea. The tug Theresa Ward was commissioned and set out to salvage it half an hour aft°r word was received. By that time it had drifted past number 1 dolphin heading out to sea. About a mile and a half from the wharf the tug drew alongside and the lightship was made fast by a tow rope and brought back to be moored at the new wharf pending suitable weather for replacing it in position, probably on Friday. Investigations revealed that the swivel connecting the anchor chains had been broken. The ehip was held fast by two anchors, one ahead to hold it on the ebb tide, and another astern for the flood tide. The two chains were joined by the swivel and when this parted the ship was set adrift. The lamp was still burning brightly when the ship was salvaged and appeared none the worse for its rudderless voyage. The Marine Department has been advised of the affair and captains of vessels visiting Bluff for the next two days will know of its temporary absence. Some years ago a lightship placed farther out slipped her moorings on two occasions, once being stranded on a mud bank at the head of the harbour and on the second occasion drifting round Te Wai’s Point.