POOLTA BLOWN BACK.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXV, Issue 18948, 6 August 1931, Page 6

POOLTA BLOWN BACK.

UNABLE TO REACH DUNEDIN. Shortly after ten o’clock yesterday morning the timeball signal station at Lyttelton announced the arrival in the stream of the steamer Poolta, which was not expected to arrive at Lyttelton from Dunedin, via Timaru, until Thursday. The Xoolta anchored off Diamond Harbour, and there awaited the arrival of the Union Company officials. It turned out that the vessel had been blown back to Banks Peninsula after being within 29 miles of Dunedin. She left Wellington on Saturday afternoon en route to Dunedin. She ran into What was described by her officers as the biggest seas they had ever encountered. The Poolta approached Dunedin, but the force of the gale and seas were such that while the ship was steaming at full speed ahead she was actually 40 miles astern in 24 hours. Efforts were made to proceed south, but she brought up off Banks Peninsula, where shelter was sought. Being handy to Lyttelton, and in view of the fact that supplies were running short, Captain Sharpe decided to make for Lyttelton to collect fresh stores and seek shelter. Seamen off the Waimarino, which arrived in Lyttelton yesterday from Timaru, reported that there were very heavy seas running up the coast. Judging from the time made by the ferry steamer, there appeared to be much heavier seas running south of Lyttelton than between Wellington and Lyttelton. The weather having moderated, the Poolta was expected to make her departure for Dunedin as soon as stores have been placed on board. The vessel should have arrived at Dunedin under ordinary conditions in about 42 hours. That would make her due there on Monday evening last.