NEARLY LOST

Southland Times, Issue 20770, 10 May 1929, Page 8

NEARLY LOST

STEAMER TARATAHI

HELPLESS OFF DANGEROUS COAST AN ANXIOUS AFTERNOON Officers and crew of the steamer Taratahi spent an anxious afternoon yesterday when on account of engine trouble the vessel was in danger of being driven on to the reefs off the coast in the vicinity of.Waipapa, about 17 miles from Bluff. The Taratahi, a vessel of 124 tons gross, owned by Messrs Pasco Bros., Invercargill, is engaged in the oyster industry at Bluff. She was formerly a whale chaser attached to the Sir James Clark Ross, the whaling ship operating in the Ross Sea dependency. She was purchased by Pasco Bros, about three years ago and fitted for oystering. The ship is under the command of Captain H. Johnson and carries in addition to the engineer, Mr W. Angus, a crew of five.

The Taratahi left Bluff at 6.30 a.m. yesterday for the oyster beds situated between Green Island, off Ruapukc, and Dog Island. All went well until weather conditions fore ed th<;m to give up oystering for the day She had just got under way for Bluff at 11.15 a.m. when the engines stopped Of account of boiler trouble, the exact nature of which has not yet been determined. The only other boat of the oyster fleet at work 'was the Cowan, formerly a tug boat for the Wellington Harbour Board. Those aboard the that the Taratah. was in difficulties and steamed as doe', alongside as the high seas and wind would penpit. The engines of the Taratahi were considered to require more repairs . than could be effected on the spot, so the Cowat got a line aboard for the purpose of towing in the damaged vessel. Seas and wind, how ever, rendered towage work most difficult and after a time the attempt had to bt abandoned owing to the absence of the usual facilities. The Cowan tlien proceed ed to Bluff for assistance. In the meantime Captain Johnson kept a kedge anchor to hold the ship’s head to the wind and sea.

The Cowan reported the matter to the harbourmaster (Captain G. M. Lindsay) and the tug Theresa Ward, always kept under steam for such occasions, immediately went out to her assistance. Through the information he had gathered and with allowance made for wind and tide, Captain Lindsay was able to locate the Taratahi within two hours of the report reaching Bluff. The damaged vessel was reached at 4 p.m. when it was found that she had dragged her anchor for some miles, always approaching the dangerous coastline. A line was made fast and at 4.25 p.m. they left for Bluff which was reached without incident at 6.45 p.m. Repairs will be effected to-day and the vessel will then be able to resume work. When the Cowan left the Taratahi, a strong west-north-west wind was blowing, which would carry her, if anywhere, out to sea out of danger. As it happened, however, the wind veered round to the south-west later, which carried her nearer and nearer to the reefs off Waipapa. Only the precaution taken by Captain Johnson in putting out the kedge anchor saved the vessel from destruction. This anchor is not intended to hold a vessel, but merelv to keep her head on to the sea. While the crew waited anxiouslv for the tug the seas continually broke over the bows of the vessel, the spray flying over the wheelhouse, so that at times she was hidden in the trough of the sea. Despite oilskins and freeboots not a man was left with a stitch of dry clothing, and work under such conditions was particularly arduous. Too much credit cannot be given to Captain Lindsay for the exactitude of his cab culations which enabled the tug to nick up the Taratahi in the shortest time. With night approaching time was valuable, for work in the darkness would have rendered matters much more difficult. As it was the high seas and the plunging of both ships aggravated what was alreadv a ticklish job. but it was safely accomplished owing to the admirable conduct of both crews.