DAMAGED TRAWLER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 90, 20 November 1939, Page 5

DAMAGED TRAWLER

STILL. AGROUND REPAIRS EFFECTED Repairs have been effected to the trawler Waiwera which was holed and beached on Sunday night when running for shelter at Whale Island. The fore-foot was torn out but a boat builder from Auckland, with the assistance of the crew, repaired the bows enough to make the vessel seaworthy for the voyage to Auckland. Efforts were made last Tuesday to dig the sand away from the sides •and thus case the position for refloating, but it was found that this method would not succeed. Some discomfort was experienced by the men digging, because the vessel had been beached on one of the hottest parts of the Island and it Avas found necessary to make periodical visits to Ihe cooler sea water.

Visibility Nil. In conversation with the BEACON, the engineer ot the Waiwera, Mr I. ■\V. -Cordon, elaborated some of the facts concerning the mishap. He said that the traAvler had fish on the deck and rain began to fall. Rain will rot fish, so the creAV had to clean and stow them, before the fresh water had time to damage them. "For this purpose the deck lights <(011 the wheel-house) were switched on. The captain, who Avas at the wheel, had strong lights shining into 'his eyes and coupled with the rain squall, this reduced the normal visibility. Anchor Displaced. Mr Corden said that the forward ■anchor was unlashed and ready to be dropped when the vessel had reached a sheltered spot, and the jar which shook the'Waiwera when she hit the Tock caused the anchor to fall overside and hold. This was unfortunate because it .checked the way of the ship and it s was impossible to" make the nice sandy beach about two minutes away from where the vessel is now located. Had the anchor not been dislodged. the better beach could have been reached and subsequent refloating would have proved a comparatively easy matter. To Be Towed. It was fortunate flov the crew of the Waiwera that the trawler Joan ~was also in the vicinity. This vessel has been standing by since the day of the mishap. Mr Corden was doubly unfortunate In that he was aboard the Waiwera only temporarily, relieving the permanent engineer for the one trip. WAIWERA EMBEDDED IN SAND

FRUITLESS EFFORTS TO MOVE I In spite of the efforts of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers' powerful vessel Margaret W, the stranded Waiwera ■on Whale Island remains fast aground following the stoving in of her planks following the mishap during the squall last week-end. -Efforts during the week-end were fruitless, in spite of deep trenches dug around the trawler to facilitate the flow of the tide. The water failed to reach her hows which are three feet below the level of the sand. In view of the weakened condition of her planking it has been decided to make no further efforts to salvage her till next spring tide, in about a ,week's time. Arrangements have " been made to bring other seine fishers to the spot and by their combined efforts it is hoped to refloat — the stranded vessel. In the meantime • the crew are camping in the vicinity.