SHIPPING DELAYED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 264, 29 January 1941, Page 5

SHIPPING DELAYED

VESPER'S ROUGH PASSAGE

STEERING GEAR FAILS

After seven days at sea, instead of the usual 24 hours, the coastal scow "Vesper" berthed at Whaka-

ane on Monday from Auckland,

following what the ski p-> per, Captain G. Roff, described as

he worst trip he has experienced

in six years. Leaving Auckland the Vesper ran into a strong southeasterly gale and, together with other coastal shipping, was forced;

to spend most of the week sheltering in harbour?, being for the greater part of the time at Mercury Bay. Tlie vessol left Tauranga at about 5.30 oh Monday only to, when nearihg the Whakatane Heads at' 2 p.m. develop trouble Avith the steering gear and have to obtain, the assistance of the Harbour Board's tng to bring it to berth. The Vesper finally tied up just after 5 p.m. Captain Roff, stating that the gale was an exceptionally heavy one, said that the worst of the trip was when rounding the Cape when seas broke heavily over the boat and an extremely rough sea encountered until Mercury Bay was reached. Sheltering in that harbour the Vesper was joined by two Union Co. boats. "We have rarely lost a trip in the past six years, always being on time, and this is the first time in the past twelve month's we have failed to keep to schedule," said the skipper, adding that hitherto the Vesper had never had occasion to ask for a tow." With the heavy swell running outside the Whakatane harbour on Monday the task of bringing the* Vesper over the b'ifir was no easy one, but with the help of the Harbour Board's launch the bar was negotiated without farther mishap.