DIRELY PLACED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20127, 21 April 1928, Page 6

DIRELY PLACED

STEAMER GALE ADRIFT Tow by Tug Terawhiti Receives Set Back MISHAP OCCURS NEAR CASTLECLIFF If a vessel sails from port on a Friday, men who go down to the sea in ships are quick to anticipate misfortune. Their fears would be amply justified by the predicament in which two vessels—the steamer Gale, towed by the tug Terawhiti—were placed when less than an hour out from Wanganui yesterday. The tow line broke and the vessels parted company. Manoeuvring, without effect, was maintained throughout the day, and lati last night the tug Kahanui put out from Castlecliff on the chance that her services would b* required. Through a collision with the north breakwater at Castlecliff on Wednesday, the coaster Gale practically stripped her propeller and just managed to limp into port the tide. 1. was found necessary for a new propeller to bo fitted at Miramar, Wellington, whence thc Gale was ordered for docking, and thc steamer’s owners—.no Canterbury Shipping Company —chartered the Wellington Harbour Board's tug Terawhiti to tow the disabled v?sscl to the capital. Heavy Weather Ru.ex The tug reached here yesterday, and at 10.30 a.m. was leaving thc heads with ihe Gale in tow. Heavy wea.her was met with immediately and lines of breakers were being driven on to thc exposed coast by a violent westerly wind. Shortly before 11 a.m., when ibe vessels had churned along the. coast through five or six miles of heavy seas, watchers at Castlecliff saw that a mishap had occurred. It is surmise-1 that the tow line had snapped, probably by fouling the propeller of the. Teraw’hiti, which seemed temporarily disabled and drifted away rapidly. At one time the vessels appeared to be three or four miles apart. The course taken was comparatively close to the coast and thc Gale vas seen to be drifting inshore, presumably off Wangaehu. About 1.15 p.m. the disabled steamer had anchored some one and a half or two miles off thc coast. The Terawhiti, in thc meantime having returned, circled around continually. frequently closing in. Severely Pounded. It was apparent that both vessels were being battered severely by pounding waves, and shortly after 3 p:m. the Gale seemed to have drifted further inshore. Hide-and-seek was being played by the vessels during the remainder of the afternoon. At 5 p.m. the Gale was still about a mile and a-half off the coast, although no immediate danger was felt for her. Thc Terawhiti appeared to be some, three miles at sea. Late yesterday afternoon, official observers at Castlecliff wore of opinion that should heavier weather strike, the coast, the Gale would be in grave danger. No immediate chance was seen for the two vessels to link up and it was probable that under the existing conditions. they would remain off the coast all night. Modern Kahanui Ignored. Amazement was expressed by many observers that the Terawhiti did not make for port at the earliest opportunity. The Wanganui Harbour Board’s new tug. Kahanui. fitted with what is more modern and considered better salvage equipment than the Terawhiti, had steam up in readiness to tow the Gale and this was maintained throughout the day. The Kahanui remained berthed at Castlecliff until late last night, w’hcn she put :o sea on the chance that her services might be required. Had the Kahanui been allowed to take the Gale from Wanganui on Thursday night, Wellington would have been reached before heavy weather set in. The manner with which the capabilities of the Kahanui were first ignored is something of a puzzle to shipping people in Wanganui, and it is one of Fate’s jests that thc Gale—an enipiy ship—was placed in such a precarious position. Wallowing in the waves, the vessel last evening w r as seen to be in dire distress, with thc ever-present danger of being dashed on to an exposed stretch of beach. Night Reports. Sufficiently descriptive arc the reports sent from Castlecliff to the “Chronicle” last night. They are:— 7.30 p.m.: Gale holding well; position unchanged; 8.30 p.m.: Gale still anchored close in to the coast, weather moderating, Terawhiti standing by, tow should be recommenced in morning; 9.30 p.m.: no change, danger no„ expected; 10.30 p.m: No danger anticipated, seas moderating. The Gale is of 586 tons gross and ia in the commrnd of Captain Stanich. Captain Millar is on the Terawhiti.