ROUGH COASTAL TRIP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 107, 7 May 1936, Page 6

ROUGH COASTAL TRIP

i STEAMER STORM BUFFETED I GALE IN COOK STRAIT I VESSEL'S LATE ARRIVAL AT | WANGANUI ■ Seventeen hours out from WellingI ton. the Canterbury Steam shipping Company’s 749-ton coastal steamer Storm arrived at Castlecliff yesterday afternoon after an all-night battle against rough seas in Cook (Strait. Normally, the Storm should have reached Wanganui at 9.30 o’clock yesterday morning, and after discharging at the Town Wharf should have sailed again last night on her return trip to i Wellington. the st liner arrived at Wellington on Tuesday afternoon from southern ports via Lyttelton and sailed at 9.30 o’clock that night for Wanganui. A hard, northerly wind was blowing in Cook ytrait at the time of the vessel’s departure and when outside Wellington Heads poor progress was made. While showers of spray drenched the steamer fore and aft. she pitched and swung, steaming at only half her ordinary speed, in spite of the fact that the engines were working at full pressure. The lively motion of the ship made conditions unpleasant for those on board. Few members of the crew obtained much sleep, and Captain W. Williams spent the night on the bridge. Visibility was poor and sheets of flying spray and spindrift frequently obscured the forecastle head from the view of those on the bridge. Weather conditions were not to be compared with the recent south-westerly gale which swept the West Coast and Cook »Strait area, but were extremely uncomfortable for a vessel trying- to round Terawhiti. 'l’he Storm was buffeted all night, but did nut take any seas on board and was not damaged. At two o’clock yesterday morning she was still off Terawhiti, having made poor progress. 'l’he strong wind which had retarded the vessel during the night began to abate, however, and once “round the corner’’ comparalivelv better time was made. At daybreak she was off the south end of | Kapiti Island and well on her way to Wanganui. Owing to the tidal rip off Terawhiti and the confused state of the seas which is a regular occurrence in this locality when the weather is rough, vessels making- for northern ports along the West Coast are liable to suffer considerable delay. The i Storm’s experience was really no ex-1 ception and a happening to be expected under such circumstances. I’he vessel arrived off the bar at 4 p.m. and entered port immediately, but owing to low water was unable to come up the river. She accordingly remained at the Castlecliff berthage until I eight o’clock last night and arrived at the Town Wharf half an hour later, but considerably behind her scheduled time of arrival. She is to discharge southern cargo to-day, sailing to-night for Wellington and Greymouth. Asked where ihe ship had been all this time, one of the officers gave a laconic answer: “Fishing!’’. It was typical ef the men whu go down to the sea in ships and experience happenings which would make the average landsman feel very ill at ease.