WANGANUI TUG TOWS GALE INTO SAFETY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20128, 23 April 1928, Page 8

WANGANUI TUG TOWS GALE INTO SAFETY

KAHANUI RECEIVES HER BAPTISM IN THRILLING FEAT (.? SALVAGE WORK

GRUELLING FKHT IN HEAVY Soltf ENDS IN RESCUE OF DISABLED STEAMER

Hoping against hope through the long hours of night that help would reach them before it was too late, the crew of the coastal steamer Gale had their prayers answered at dawn on Saturday, when, through a raging sea that slowly but surely was driving the disabled vessel ashore, the Wanganui tug Kahanui- stood into the boiling surf to send a line aboard and tow her to safety.

It was a difficult task, and one requiring consummate skill and judgment. These were not lacking, and to them Captain P. Mclntyre added a daring that carried the plan of rescue through to success.

The Gale, on entering the port on Wednesday afternoon, was caught by the strong seas running and her stern was forced against one of the moles, two blades of the propeller being broken and < third badtly bent, leaving only one untouched. The firm’s principals in Wellington made arrangements for the Union Company’s tug Terawhiti to tow the Gale back to Wellington, and the tug arrived on Friday morning, the tow being commenced at 10.13 a.m.

When the vessels were only a few miles out, however, about three hours later, the towline parted, and the Gale, driven by heavy seas and; a strong wind, drifted down the coast, helpless. The anchor was let down, and eventually she was moored about two miles off shore, some six or seven miles south of Wanganui.

Grave Danger Arises. During the afternoon the sea and wind rose, but early in the evening calmed down again . About nine o’clock, however, the weather became Thicker, and the port officials could see that the derelict was placed in grave danger, especially as the Terawhiti had stood out to sea. Ten o’clock came. The seas were coming over the breakwater heavier than ever, and a gale commenced to blow from the north west. It was then decided to send the Board’s tug Kahanui to sea in case the Gale dragged her moorings, and just before midnight her bows were turned for the open water. It was not till she was clearing the bar that the true force of the gale was fully realised. Huge seas repeatedly broke over the bows and starboard quarter, making the lower deck impassable, and those on the upper deck were continually drenched with spray, the tug meanwhile pitching and- wallowing, going over almost on her beam ends at times. An Anxious Night. The lights of the Gale could be discerned to the southward, but as nothing could be done in such a sea at night time, the Kahanui cruised about on a triangular course till morning. It was an anxious night. Her decks were awash all the time, and waves as high as the bridge swept her every minute. Rain squalls developed, adding to the general discomfort and shutting out all sight of land, lights, and the steamer at anchor. Towards dawn the rain ceased, but the sea was running higher than ever, and the Gale was immediately seen to be very badly situated. Empty of cargo, she was riding high, leaving a big surface exposed to the wind. Her single blade was thrashing the water in an attempt to keep her bows headed into the wind and to take the strain off the cable, but despite this, she had drifted inshore during the night. In The Breakers. When the Kahanui steamed alongside, she was little more than half a mile from the line of breakers dashing •ou to the sandy beach. Then came a thrilling, gruelling fight between man and nature for the safety of the coastal vessel. Preparations were being made to float a line from the tug to the Gale, when a tremendous sea heeled the former over at a dangerous angle, and 600 feet of strong line just about to be imcoiled was swept overboard and rapidly carried shoreward in the surf. The, vessels were too close in to allow the line to be retrieved, and so another was hastily prepared, even the lifeboats’ painters being requisitioned. Then the new line with floats attached, was sent overboard, and the Kahanui steamed slowly across the Gale’s bows, but with no success. The strong current carried the line too far away, and so the process had to be repeated*. Again sea and wind triumphed, but the third time the Kahanui, wonderfully handled by Captain Mclntyre, manoeuvred into a better position, though the Gale’s surging bows were perilously close, and the rope was carried across the Gale’s anchor cable. Tow-line Taken Aboa r d. It was speedily hauled aboard, ami then came another struggle. The difficulty of operations in such a storm was increased tenfold by the broken surf and the restricted space in which th© tug could be safely manoeuvred, and at times a terrific strain was placed on the frail line, till it seemed it must break.

But slowly, inch by inch, it was taken up, and at length the stout wire cable to which it was attached camo into view above the surging breakers. At last the end was got aboard and round the drum of the winch, and after a battle that lasted 40 minutes—it seemed hours —all was ready for the

tow at 8.30. Slowly the Kahalui forged ahead, keeping an even strain on the tow rope, while the Gale’s mooring cable was taken in. Then the anchor rose above the water, and the tow rope tightened. There were strained faces on both ships in that minute of anxiety.

The question each one asked inwardly, but could not trust himself to ask aloud was “Will it hold?” If it had broken then, nothing could have saved the Gale from being dashed on io the beach. The storm had increased and it would have been only a matter of minutes before she grounded.

Even then the tug was closer inshore than was safe, and with the line broken, it would have meant the end of further salvage operations till the wind dropped and the sea went down. And then it would have been too late. Weather Moderate. But the rope held, and with her engines at dead slow, the Kahanui drew her save inch, by inch, yard by yard, out in the teeth of the raging gale, to deep water and: safety. Then came the longest part of the work. Wanganui was only a few miles away, but it would have been touch and go whether the tug could get in alone, and with a tow it would have meant suicide to have attempted it. So there was nothing for it but to set a course for Wellington. This was done, and, as if it realised it had lost the battle, the storm began to abate. The wind dropped slowly to a breeze, and as the hours went by the seas lessened. Full speed was then called for, and rescuer and rescued headed for port, making some seven knots. Good conditions held till nearly midnight, when a stiff sou-easterly blew up, and when the vessels met the falling tide-rip and the conflicting currents off Cape Terawhiti, there were again some anxious moments. The stout rope held, however, and at 2.20 a.m. both steamers dropped anchor in Wellington Harbour. The rope was cast off and taken aboard the Kahanui and she berthed at five o’clock, the Gale limping to Miramar shortly afterwards, to be slipped for repairs. A Cold And Cheerless Night , Thus ended safely a tow of IS hours. The Gale had been at sea for 46 hours and the Kahanui for 29. Sent to the rescue at a moment’s notice, all the food that was on board was a few loaves, some butter, cheese and a few tins of bully beef. There was no sleep for anyone until the tow had commenced, and even after that only a few were able to snatch a couple of hours’ rest. The decks of the tug were awash from the time she left Wanganui till she dropped anchor in Port Nicholson, and as the galley was. inaccessible, being on the exposed side of the ship, the crew spent a cold and cheerless night. Terawhiti’s Disappearance. Au air of mystery surrounds the doings of the tug Terawhiti. Shortly before nightfall on Friday she stood away from the Gale, the latter’s anchor then being down, and later disappeared entirely. The tug could not have taken the Gale away, the towline having parted in the afternoon, but it was expected that she would have stood by until morning. those on the Kahanui saw no sign of her, however, and from questions asked by the Gale on the way to Wellington, it appeared that Captain Standish had received no message from her saying that she was leaving his vesselOn arrival at Wellington, however, the Terawhiti was seen at one of the wharves, and it was later stated that she had arrived at 8.35 p.m. on Saturday. Captain Mclntyre had with him Captain Johnson and Captain Symons and nearly a dozen other Harbour Board employees. Mr T. H. Lovegrove, a member of the Board, Mr IL V. M. Haszard, harbour engineer, and a “Chronicle’’ man wore also on boardA Wonderful Vessel. Ihe Kahanui left Wellington again at 10.35 a.m. yesterday and berthed at Castlecliff during the night. The officers and crew of the tug have no words of praise too lavish for their vessel. “She’s a wonderful packet,” said one after th'e tow was over. “The f<ict of her having twin screws saved the situation. No vessel with only one could have been manoeuvred as she was on Saturday morning.” He was emphatic that this was one of the main factors—perhaps the principal one—in successfully getting the tow rope aboard the Gale, and, having got it there, maintaining the connection. “She’s wet, but there’s no safer ship on the coast,” was another opinion expressed by several cn board-

Captain Mclntyre’s superb seamanship and plucky handling made the tug’s essential usefulness fully effects e, and those who were not there to see would be unable to realise to the full what a gruelling task the whole crew had during the two nights and one day that elapsed before they towed the

Gale to safe anchorage. Especially unpleasant was the work of the engineroom crew, under the chief engineer, Mr Bellman, who had to keep up a full bead of steam under adverse condi tions, and with a very small stokehold crew. Enterprise—Lone-handed. The following paragraph appeared in a Wanganui paper on Saturday evening:— Enterprise. The “Chronicle” of this morning contained the following: “When news of a hitch in the towing of the steamer Gale by the tug Terawhiti <ame to yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui County Council, a press representative gathered up his belongings hastily and dashed hot foot from the meeting on his way to Castlecliff. ‘The Gale and the Terawhiti have narted company at Castlecliff,’ remarked Mr A. D. Mackintosh, chairman, ‘and the press is deserting us. The mishap is more important than our meeting-’ (Laughter.) ‘lt does not say much for the county and its meetings, docs it'?’ queried another member jocularly from the round of amusement.” Thu Herald reporter who “gathered up his belongings hastily,” knew how to act promptly when apprised of a good story, and also how to handle it when he arrived on the scene. He did not lag behind and wait for someone else to do the job for him. Since “enterprise” has been taken for th c caption of the paragraph, it is of interest to note that when the opportunitv was given newspaper representatives on Friday night to get firsthand information by accompanying the Kahanui on her quest, a “Chronicle” man was on board the vessel an hour and a-half before she sailed, and stayed there till she berthed at Wellington 29 hours later. He scribbled alone.