PROLONGED VOYAGE

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20310, 21 May 1934, Page 4

PROLONGED VOYAGE

Steamer Tees Experiences Big Seas. CHATHAMS SERVICE. The .Chatham Islands steamer Tees arrived at Lyttelton at 4 a.m. yesterday, thirty-three and a half hours late. The actual time on the voj'age was eighty-five and a half hours, instead of the usual fifty-two. The Tees left Lyttelton on April 30 to visit Waitangi, Pitt Island, Owenga and Kaingaroa; and should have returned to Lyttelton about May 8. Adverse weather at the islands delayed her considerably, forcing her on several occasions to leave her anchorage and put to sea. The vessel completed her loading of sheep at Waitangi on May 10 and left at 2.30 p.m. for Lyttelton. There was a sou’-west breeze, with heavy seas, at the time of her departure. By 11.40 that night the wind had changed to nor’-west and began to blow' with gale force. These conditions prevailed until 8 a.m. on Friday, when the wind agsfin changed and blew a whole gale, with mountainous seas, from the sou’-west. The vessel’s speed was reduced to three knots. On Saturday morning, upon the wind changing to west-sou’-west, conditions improved slightly; and when the wind changed to w'est-nor’-west the speed of the vessel increased to six knots. By the time that the Le Bons light was sighted the weather had greatly improved; and the Tees passed through the Lyttelton heads at 3.30 a.m. yesterday.

The trip was the longest the vessel has made for many months. Her cargo included over 400 sheep, a number of which were lost; and a consignment of fish for Wellington. She brought seven passengers, but only two were seen during the trip. The rest, suffering ifrom seasickness, remained in their cabins. For the major portion of the voyage head winds were experienced and the vessel pitched heavily. Members of the crew admitted that it had been a very trying trip and they felt tired after the long hours on watch and the extra -work of looking after the live stock.