ROUGH EXPERIENCE OF THE WHANGAPE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14972, 20 May 1914, Page 10

ROUGH EXPERIENCE OF THE WHANGAPE.

A SEVERE BUFFETING IN COOK

STRAIT.

(PRKSS ASSOCIATION TELEGKAM.)

WELLINGTON, May 19. Though lees rain fell, to-day's wind was wild, and the weather bitterly cold. . The steamer Whangape arrived tonight from Westport, after a voyage which will be remembered for a long time by those on board. The vessel left Westport ait 3.30 p.m. on Sunday, and had good weather to Farewell Spit. Then she met the full force of the south-easterly gale that was sweeping through Cook Strait. She buffeted her way across Tasman Bay, and spent last night in the shelter of Guard'e Bay. The Whangapo put out from Guard's Bay at 7 o'clock this morning, aiid took fourteen hours to thrash through the forty-five miles of Strait to Wellington Heads. . *

About 5.30 p.m., while somewhere abeam of .Sinclair Head, the Whangapo was in the grip of a fierce wind of hurricane force, which raised mountainous seas that pounded resistlessly .over the labouring vessel." So great was the buffeting, and so severe the rolling, that four of the ship's cargo derricks were shaken adrift.. ( Two went overboard, and the" others are so badly damaged as to be worthless. The steamer crept up to the wharf at 9.30 p.m.. after taking 51 hours to do a run usually occuping about 22 hours. Besides tne cranes, the ventilators and other deck fittings were badly battered about.