WAHINE HAD BAD TRIP LAST NIGHT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19134, 29 July 1930, Page 6

WAHINE HAD BAD TRIP LAST NIGHT.

SAILOR INJURED AND LIFEBOAT STOVE IN.

With salt-encrusted funnels and a casualty amongst the crew, the ferry steamer Wahine arrived at Lyttelton at 9.20 o’clock this morning, two and a half hours late, after one of the

worst trips she has ever experienced between Wellington and Lyttelton. Heavy seas pounded the vessel from heads to heads, and passengers and crew spent an anxious night. It was expected that the prospect of bad weather would cause the passenger list to be very small, but there were 300 travellers. \yhen the Wahine left Wellington, the weather was very stormy, although no rain was falling. As scon as she passed through the Pencarrow Heads she struck the full force of a southerly gale. Tho passage across the straits was extremely lively, huge seas buffeting the vessel apparently from all A Perilous Task. Shortly before midnight, a big wave crashed on the starboard side of the vessel aft and twisted one of the lifeboats from its cradle, staving in one side and leaving it askew, held up by the tackle. Some of the crew were at once detailed for the difficult and perilous task of making the boat secure. While this was being A. Allan. A 3., was washed from the* island’ lifeboat deck to the passenger deck below, a drop of from terl to twelve feet. He sustained a broken wrist. The fact that the lifeboat was 40ft above the water indicates the size of the wave. Allan was undoubtedly lucky not to be washed overboard. The others worked on, and after considerable trouble made the boat fast. The remainder of the voyage was without special incident, but the fierceness of the storm remained unabated right to the Lyttelton Heads. A Feat Of Seamanship. With the exception of occasional showers and hail squalls, the night was clear, but so strong was the wind that visibility was considerably interfered with by dense clouds of spray. For Captain Cameron to bring his vessel through such a storm with a delay of cnlv two and a half hours was a feat of seamanship. The captain reported that the Wahine rounded Cape Campbell at 12.4 am. instead of 10.20 p.m., and was forced to travel at a reduced speed until 4 am. Captain Cameron had hoped to encounter better weather below Kaikoura, but the storm did not moderate. The Wahine is more powerfully engined than the Maori, which would probably have taken considerably longer on the same trip. Seeing that they had a bad night before them, most of the passengers retired to the bunks as soon as the Wahine left Wellington, but sleep was impossible, and wan looks this morning indicated the strain they had been •j farough. Few escaped seasickness. Several senior members of the crew were sufferers also. The trip was described by several •members of the crew as the worst since i hristmas Eve last, when the Wahine completed a daylight trip to Lyttelton S pm., three hours late. One man described the trip as the worst since the big southerly gale the vessel went through two years ago. Such heavy seas swept into the Wellington harbour on that occasion that portion of the Hutt road was washed away. “ Standing On End.” Mr E. H. Marriner, who was or* board, said it was the worst trip he had experienced in forty years. Another passenger said that at times the ship seemed to stand almost on end; at others she corkscrewed ancl lifted her bows high up in the air. The passengers included the southern members of the All Slack team which played in the test match on Saturday, a number of South Islanders who had been up to watch the match at Auckland, and visitors returning from the Wellington Winter Show.

VESSEL COULD NOT BE BOARDED IN HARBOUR. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 29. The Maunganui arrived at 7.35 a.m. from Sydney and anchored in the stream awaiting the clearance of the Health authorities. The weather was too severe for the ship to be boarded, and it was decided that the doctor should go cn board when the vessel was alongside the wharf. Meanwhile, the Maunganui fouled her anchor chains, trouble being experienced with the windlass. The tugs Natone, Terawhiti and Toia were sent to assist the vessel, and she berthed at 12.30. The Tahiti is not expected till tomorrow morning from .San Francisco. The Remuera, fregn Southampton, has not reported, but is expected to arrive at 8 pm. today. WORK ON WATERFRONT DELAYED BY RAIN. A ery little work could be carried out ou the Lyttelton waterfront this morning, owing to showery conditions. The snow on the hills is melting fast, due to the rain. Shipping is being delayed, and it is doubtful whether any of the boats in port will be able to proceed to their destinations to-day.