TEMPEST AND SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1238, 21 September 1911, Page 5

TEMPEST AND SHIPS.

« SOME CLOSE CALLS.

NEAR THING AT HEADS FOR S.S. KAPITI. MOKOIA'S WILD TRIP SOUTH. TAKES 21 HOURS. Maori, turbine flier, would she get through to timc-laljlo? That was, in view of the gales, a rather interesting subject on Wellington wharves last night, for the speedy night mail has only missed her connection at Lyltelton once in her history, and last night was a night to test her. Her steaming will be watched with interest this trip, even though, as she left, tho winter tempest showed signs of wearing out. A message from tho Government Meteorologist (the Rev. D. C. Bates)' last evening stated that the "cyclone," as Jlr. Bates called it, is leading east from New Zealand, and it is tho rear of tho disturbance which is affecting our East Coast. The lowest pressure last evening was at East Cape, and an improvement in tho weather ought to bo marked after 2i or 3G hours. All day yesterday, however, the gale and sea raged and stormed just as much as ever, making things very unpleasant for vessels working the port of Wellington.

THE CARLA.

HER ANCHORS STILL HOLDING. COLLIER IN PERIL. tßy Telegraph.—Spccial Correspondent.! Wanganui, .September 20. Tho southerly gale, which'has now .been blowing for over 48 hours, attained the proportions of a tempest last night. This morning everyone expected to find that the South Spit beach had become tho last resting-place of the Danish barquentine Carla, which had been left at anchor by her crew on Monday evening. When the day broke, however, tho vessel was found to bo riding out tho storm in splendid style. An experienced master mariner states that ho has rarely seen a wickeder sea on the bar and outside, and assorts that the way in which the vessel's anchors have held is tho best advertisement which Wanganui Roadstead has ever had.

Captain Albertson and his crew are reticent concerning their experience, but say that they had a trying time, and are glad to bo ashore. It appears that when tho barquo fouled tho Gertie, sho smashed her bowsprit and carried away all tho gear of the headsails, thus making it impossible to manoeuvre her, and, as she was thus practically helpless, the captain decided that it was useless to risk the men's lives in case the anchors failed to hold, and all hands then boated to the Gertie, which was reached after a perilous experience. It appears that, on the fourth and filth attempts of the Gertie to tow the Carla, a wire ropo was used, but oven that parted under tho strain.

Tho Carla has scarcely shifted from her position threo miles out, and appears to be shipping little beyond spray. Sho is riding without lights, and shipping has been warned accordingly.

This morning another exciting incident was witnessed at the heads. Tho Westport Coal Company's collier Kegulus arrived off tho bar from Wostport last evening, but tho leading lights were hauled down as a signal against her, and sho stood off-shore all night, thoso on board having anything but a pleasant time. This morning she headed in again for the bar, but when just about to take it, a heavy sea struck hor and slewod her broadside on. l?or a few moments sho was almost hidden from tho sight of tho watchers on the shore by a heavy cloud of spray. The next sea lifted her, but with her bow headed for tho South Spit, and it looked as if she must plunge ahead in that direction. Captain Tointon, however, promptly put ono of his engines astern, with a view to swinging her on her course again. Tho manoeuvre did not succeed, but it kept tho vessel in mid-channel, and, driven by the wind, she was fairly blown sideways into port. Once in calm water she .was speedily laid on' her course again. Sho arrived at the wharf with streaming decks, a slight list to port, and some damage to her bridge, but nothing of serious moment.

Tho Kennedy, also from Wostport, which port sho loft on Sunday, arrived off tho bar this morning shortly after the Regulus entered, but tho pilot, deeming any attempt to enter risky, signalled lic-r to stand ofT, and sho has, therefore had to light out to-day's "blow" at sea. Tho gale still continues, but this evening tliero aro some signs of it abating. STORM-BEATEN SHIPS. WHAT BEFEL THE S.B. KAPITI. CLOSE IALL INDEED. "One of tho worst experiences I havo ever had. I thought wo had gono under at one time," wefo the words of Captain Sawyers, ol' tho I'atca Shipping Company's little steamer ICapiti, which arrived from Lyttelton a few minutes beforo 0 a.m. yesterday. The captain then went on to tell of his experiences, and these were anything but pleasant. Ail tho way up tho coast from Lyttelton huge seas overtook tho little craft, and, to those on boad, big "combers," onea fully over her stern, would mean serious mischief. When off Kaikoura, hail and snow descended heavily, and tho night was bitterly cold. As Captain Sawyers put it, "tlw hail-stones nearly knocked one's ca'cs off."

But the worst experience of tho trip vvas when the Ivapiti was making the Heads, about teu minutes to eight yesterday morning.

Sho was off Barrett's Eoef at the time, and a wild sea was running, when, suddenly, an extra big roller struck tho vessel's stern, and came right over her. "1 really thought wo had gono under," said tho skipper, "and for a minute or so I could tee nothing but water all round me. The vessel immediately broached to, and lav sideways on to the sea, and at its mercy." Sea after sea broke aboard, and, when sho was righted, it was found that two men, named P. Brien, an able seaman, and E. Nelson, tho boatswain, had been severely injured. Brien was washed from the after-deck on to the funnel grating, and Nelson into the scuppers. Both men were very lucky in not being washed over tjio side." They were taken ashore for medical treatment when the Ivapiti berthed. The sea that came on board lifted the starboard lifeboat, on tho bridge deck, clean out of its chocks, and also took with it 15 coal baskets and everything elso niovablo on deck. The boat was subsequently picked up by the Arapawa, which wont down to the Heads in search of it. The Kapiti reached her berth without further incident, but it was a closo call. tarawera rounding paluser. The iir.st of the overdue steamers to come in yesterday was the Umuii Company's steamer 'lanuvera. She liatl taken iO Uours to reach here from Napier—a journey which usually occupied lrom lti lo 18 Hours, "tier otlicers state that they experienced a terrible time battling against a tremendous' gale and head sea. Tho Tarawera, managed (airly, well until sho arrived in the vicinity of Capo Pal-liser, and then she caught the lull force of the storm, and shipped hugo seas repeatedly. She, however, managed to lorcc her way round to the Heads without sustaining serious damage. The water found its wav into tho men's quarters, and other parts 'of the ship, making tilings very unpleasant for thoso on board. Some cargo which was carried on deck became loose, but a quantity of timber, aLso on depk, remained secure. The Tarawera continued her journey to Lyttelton and Dunodin lost evening, and received another rough handling, as sho passed out into tho strait.

"NEVER SAW SUCH SEA." The small steamer Wnverley took 21 hours to come across £rom Nelson to port, and fullv maintained her reputation as a sea boat, isho received a pretty rough

handling, hut camo through undamaged. "We've bad a limn of it since-leaving Now Plymouth on Tuesday afternoon," said an oiiicor of Hie Cori'nna. "It was not so had coming down tbo coast, hut in Cook Strait it was terrible. I've never seen such a sea at 'Wellington Iloads bo-, fore. Oh, yes, wo came through alright, but it was a trying time while it lasted. Up till a lato hour last night there was no sign of tho 'l'y.ser Liner Indralcma. She left Napier a few hours before tho Taraworn on Monday last, and was fiecn by the latter vessel making very heavy weather, about half-way between Capo Kidnappers and Castle 'Point. It is expected that she will appear this morning. Tho only vessels to leave port yesterday were tho Pateena for Xclson, Maori for Lyltelton, and, us before stated, tho Tarawora for Lyltelton ami Dunedin. All three vessels managed to negotiate tho entrance, but with difficulty. All tho una 11 coasters remained at their moorings, and, as the weal her shows signs of breaking, it is possible that sumo of them will put to sea to-day.

MOKOIA'S LONG BATTLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CliristcHurch, September 20._ A change for tho hotter took placo it tho weather to-day, though conditions wero still far from pleasant. The 6ui: mado a gallant effort to pierco the dark clouds during tho morning, hut lh« periods of sunshine were very brief inweed. They alternated with somo heavy downpours, which, wero at times 60 violent as to make ono loss all hope of sunny skies being seen afterwards. There wag a rather longer lino spell after midday, but, during the lato afternoon, there wero still spasmodic sou'-west storms.

Although it blew very hard during tho night, with frequent lioavy squalls of hail, sleet, and rain, the weather at Lyttelton this morning showed somo signs of clearing. Along the coast, howover, an exceptionally heavy gala was blowing. Tho Hauroto, which left Port Chalmers at 5.10 p.m., had a very rough and dirty passage of seventeen hours, with a hard southerly gale and heavy seas up the coast to Lyttelton. The force of tho galo is shown by the fact that 'tho Mokoia, which left Wellington at S.2Q p.m. last night, liad only steamed eight miles in three 'hours. She had a wild night crossing tho Cook Strait, 'steaniiiisr against tho hard southerly gale and high head sea, and, at times, was rnakinj' only one or two miles an hour. The Mokoia was reported as having passed Kiakoura at 11.40 to-day, so that she had. taken 15J hours to cover tho 88 miles, an average of less than six miles an hour. Tho Mokoia arrived at Lyttelton at t p,m., after a 2i hours' trip from Wei liugton.

AT LYALL BAY. HAVOC ON THE LONG SHORE.. THE SHEDS WRECKED. The long shore at Lyall Bay presented an awe-inspiring spectacle yesterday afternoon. 'I'iio raging gale had mustered ui> tho giants of the sea, line upon line of huge, foam-crested rollers, which advanced upon tho beach by regiments and battalions, and throw themselves at tho low sandhills with an accompanying crash of artillcrv. The tumult of the elements was indescribably grand. Overhead raced tho great slate-coloured clouds, driven north by tho icy gale which roared across tli9 (lying spume from the far Antarctic, screeched among the trembling buildings which faced its fury, and whipped up the sand-drift in stinging squalls. Lyall Bay in a heavy sou'-east gale is a spectacle to bo seen and remembered. Tho driving spume dnrltcned tho near horizon, -and blocked out tho reserve battalions of tho sea-giants out in tho angry straits. But tho devastating havoc of tho unbridled elements, which spent their fury upon the long shore, was .sufficiently obvious to measure the strength of the onset, and even now tho City Tramways Department is bewailing the loss of several hundreds of pounds which hnvo been dissipated by grey vandals of tho soa. Tho fine bathing-shed on the beach mot ' tho full force of seas which charged right up to and over tho low sandhills which fringe tho bay. The sheds were being added to, in order to provide for the domaiids of tho summer pea-bathers, and a 50-foot addition, with concrete foundations, was in process of erection. It has gone—wiped clean off the beach by a forco which lifted great blocks of concrcto and (lung thorn al>out as if they were so many corks, whilo timber is lying about in all directions. Tho main buildings are in a sorry plight, 1 and I 'the roof' was not_oxpocted to last through the night. Near by, a building which served as a' bandstand was scoured by tho sea till its foundations wero laid bare. Altogether, tho gale has been a had business for tho City Tramways Department, which is debited witb tho cost of tho buildings,

THE LINE TO PETONE. Says cmr Petonc correspondent Although the southerly storm is one of the worst over oxnerienced by the settlers ol the Hutt Valley very little damage hns been reported. Several of Hie smaller streams are in flood, hut the Hutt I?ivol lias only risen two feet above summet level, and the protective works are still intact. The Hutt. railway lino hns suffered two wash-outs, making it necessary to use only the single line. A smnll wash-out is reported between Kniwnrra. , and Nsiahaurnuga, and a more serious ' one between Ngaraliounga and Petone. , The h'affic was not much interfered with except that the early morning train was delayed twenty minutes yesterday morning. Otherwise the regular time-toblo was maintained. Tt is expected that repairs will be complete, and the douhlO--track in order at noon to-day. OTHER ITEMS, (By Tclegraph-Special Correspondent.) Hastings, September 20. After several weeks of spring-like weather, llnwke's Bay has been visited , ■; by a "cold snap," more severe than any experienced during the past winter. A southerly gale has prevailed during the past 21 "hours, and, although the rainfall has not been heavy, conditions have been unusually severe- for this tiiuo of tlw ' year, Prior to this outbreak tho conditions 1 had been exceedingly favourable to thoso engaged in outdoor work. The fruit-grow-ers throughout the Hustings and Havelock districts have their trees covered . with blossom, and the Frimley orchard, ~ with its miles of pink peach blossom, was (on Sunday last) a sight to see. Tho . storm will have knocked the trees about considerably. Ploughing operations nro well forward in tho district, and early- • sown crops have secured a capital start. . Pastures are showing splendid growth, but tho present chilly conditions nro jiicely to bring (rouble ojnongst Hie young lambs. Moreover, it is probable that sharp frosts will follow, and this may causo damage to tho fruit crops. Christchurch, September 20. ■ "North-Canterbury experienced a bitterly cold night. llcav,v showers of rain and hail aro falling to-day. The weather is broken, southerly squalls, with rain, coining at intervals.