THE PORT OF FOXTON.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1314, 18 December 1911, Page 5

THE PORT OF FOXTON.

*—. RECENT MISHAPS. SPECIAL REPORT ON CAUSES. During the last few weeks a number of small steamers have taken the ground while working the port of Foxton, and these mishaps, have been regarded as evtdnnce of insufficient water either on or inside the bar. The Foxton Harbour Board do not share that view, and they ask that the following report, submitted by the harbourmaster at their last meeting, should be published:— Grounding of S.S. Moa. ■'On November 22ud, while tho s.s. Moa was bound outwards, she got too close lo tile south spit and took tho ground. It was a very dark night, and it was not for the want of water, because in the channel there is from 15 to 17 feet of water at high water springs and plenty of room. The vessel came off 21 hours later, and there was no damage lo tho ship, the reason why sho had to go back to tho wharf was that there was too much sea on the bar to'get out, but she left for Wanganui tho next day. On the 21th, she crossed the bar drawing 7ft. Bin., 2\ hours before high water, it was nothing but pure accident that sho got on the south spit. Shu was drawing 9ft. when she crossed in on the morning tide on tho 22nd. Mishap to S.S. Gertie. "Mishap to the s.s. Gertie on the 2-lth-.— Tn reference to the un.-bap to tho Gertie I cannot account for that. Tho s.s. Queen of the South crossed inwards on tlio 23rd. drawing Oft., ouo hour before high water, and there was a heavy sou on, too, and the captain told mo that ho never touched on tho bar or in the river. Tho Gerlio was drawing six inches less Water, and there was no sea on the bar. Tho same water was showing on (ho title gniigo as when the 'Queen , crossed. I sounded the bar next day, and found lift, ut high water and plenty of room either side of tho breakers. "In reference to the Gertio and 'Queen , going aground at Duncan's bend: Both vessel:! were drawing Sft. 6in., and it was getting ou for neap, and the tides were taking off. Through the s.s. Kennedy getting stuck in tho river, fho had altered tlio channel. They discharged about ten tons out of tho 'Quoeu,' and nothing out of the. Gertie. Both steamers arrived at tho wharf on the next tide. The s.s. Kennedy. "Mishap to s.s. Kennedy on November 21, 1011:—Tho mishap to s'.s. Kennedy was a puro accident. Tlio captain told me that ho was watching tlio man at tho lead sounding, and did not iako notice whether the buoy was a black or red one till he took tho. ground, and then he noticed his mistake. With the flood in tho river, tlio swum? round broadside on to tho stream, and stuok hard find fait. J sounded the ■•honni-l on tho day Iwforo the Kennedy stuck. :md there v;as II to 12 feet of water. When the Konuixiy eot fist she formod •■! bank there, and" altered tho channel, awl formed a bonk close down to Duncan's bend. I sounded the channel on the day after tho Gertio and 'Oueeii , shirk, -mm] found oight to ninn foot at high water, neap tides. The S.S. Wootton. "Mishap to p.p. Wootton nn November 28;—Tn reference to the mishap to the ss. Wootton through grounding on tlio south *pit, the captain reported to mo that he touched on the bar, and the vr« ,«el slewed round and nnshinped the rudder. She came in again. When niwfo of tho bar, «m:Pthir.g went wrong with hi* engine*, end in the meantime he drifted over on the sfiuth snit. As torn as Tic got nn the spit rudder got stnnned neani. Ho got his engines to work, and came oft tli" spit, ami wont Inck to the wharf. Tho oknl'iin told mo Hint it was through hi'e engines stonping that lip rot on Hie Soiitli spit, and not tlmi.mh there being not enough water in tho channel. •