DISABLED IN COOK STRAIT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 112, 29 January 1918, Page 4

DISABLED IN COOK STRAIT

♦ EXPERIENCE OF THE HUANUI. Captain C. Anderson, master of the' auxiliary schooner Huanui, last even* ing gave a Dominion reporter an account of the mishap to his vessel in Cook Strait. The l Huanui left Oneliunga. 011 Sunday, January 13. direct for Dunedin. On the following Saturday she ran into a heavy southeast gale,' and at 7.30 p.m., when she was about six miles off Tory Channel, the foremast (at a place about 25ft. above the deck) and two topmasts carried away. The sails were torn to ribbons, and a quantity of tile rigging and one of the lifeboats were, lost. Heavy seas -were breaking over the vessel, and Captain Anderson, recognising his helpless position, sent up rockets and other distress signals. Two steamers passed within easy distance of the schooner, but they did 'not reply to her call for help. About midnight the last of the rockets and other signalling apparatus were spent. Tho wind was high, and with a temporary sail rigged as well as possible under the conditions the Huanui was headed for the shore. She anchored tWo and a half miles olf shore, and waited there till Monday morning, when a start was made by the crew in a second dinghy belonging to the ship to tow her to Port Underwood, a distance of six or seven miles. The temporary sail was set, and the tow, which was slow but sure, ended 011 Tuesday afternoon last. There was then a wait of four days til! the weather proved favourable for tho Wairau to tow her to Wellington. The Huanui is a trim little vessel owned by Messrs. Jagger and Harvey, of Auckland. Captain Anderson also has an interest in the ship. Besides the loss of the foremast, topmasts, and tho sails, the Tigging has partly gone, and what remains is badly twisted. The damage done is estimated at £300. A now mast has been obtained. The repairs will tako two or three weeks. The mate and theboy of the shin were on the foremast five minutes before it snapped. After the mishan the broken mast swung with the gale for Borne time before it fell, and the crew of four hatl to move about the deck cautiously.^ The engineer of the Huanui enlisted about six months ago, and as another engineer could not be engaged in his place tho auxiliary power of tha schooner was cut off.