WAVES ROLL HIGH

Stratford Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 92, 17 June 1925, Page 5

WAVES ROLL HIGH

THE GALE AT SEA. A HAVEN FOR SHIPS. ARRIVAL OF THE JOHN., Per Press Association. Blenheim, June 16. With the heavy weather raging) in Cook Strait Queen Charlotte Sound has become a regular harbour of refuge for small coastal craft, among ithose sheltering at present being the little steamer Cygnet, tho Kohi, en route from Havelock to Nelson, and the steamer John, of the Holm Line, j while there are four vessels sheltering 1 under Cape Campbell. Three of these have been identified as the Calm, the Wooitton and the Wairau. The fourth, is a very small craft and was believed to be the Cygnet until that vessel turned up at Picton. The un- ; indentified vessel is possibly the traw- f ler Futurist, about which some anxiety has been felt, but no definite news can be obtained. j The arrival at Picton at 1.45 of tho John put an end to the anxious fears which had been expressed a® to her safety, following on the sighting of rockets in Cook Strait last night. Tho little vessel left Wanganui for, Wellington at 4.10 on Saturday ini company with the Titoki and the In-1 vercargill, and struck the full forced of the storm about four hours after j leaving port. The John carried no) cargo, and though Captain Harwich on arrival at Picton wa® not m a| communicative mood, he admitted | that he had never experienced ’any-; thing like the weather encountered on;l Sunday and Monday. The John made the lee of Stephens Island on Sunday] and anchored there until this morn-! ing, when she again buffetted thoj storm and reached Piciton. She saw' no sign of the Titoki and the Inver-j cargil] after leaving Wanganui. j The Ripa reached Picton from Wan-) .ganui about 4 p.m. She left the northern port at 5 p.m. yesterday and hugged the coast to Kapiti. Then she plugged straight across the. Straits. i

The little vessel Kolii left Havelock j for Wellington yesterday afternoon,! but was glad to seek shelter in! Queen Charlotte Sound last night,! coining in through the main en-i trance. She attempted to leave by the Tory channel to-day, but had to put back, and is lying at present off the whaling station at Teawaiti. 1 SMALL VESSEL’S EXPERIENCE. Wanganui, June 16. The little coastal steamer Kapiti, which arrived at Wanganui this morning, met the full force of the.’souther-I ly gale, and the trip from Wellington, j occupied 64 hours. ; The worst period was on Sunday i night, when she wa.s fighting against a raging, tempest with walls of water threatening to overwhelm her at any time. The steamer was continuously' enveloped in blinding spray as high as the top of the funnei. The Kapiti reached the river en-j trance but had to put back to Kapiti Island, for shelter. The Kapiti was tossed around like a cork. The crew now think she is capable of weathering anything. j