SIDE TORN BY REEF

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 124, 23 February 1928, Page 12

SIDE TORN BY REEF

WHALING SHIP AGROUND EFFORTS TO RAISE C. A. LARSEN MODERATE LOSS OF OIL REPORTED With powerful tugs available to-day, the efforts to raise the Norwegian whaling ship, C. A. Larsen, which struck Faro Rock at the entrance to Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, on Tuesday night should, it is stated, prove successful. An attempt will be made to tow tlie vessel into shallow water at high tide this morning. A start was made yesterday afternoon to discharge a quantity of coal stacked on the after main deck into a lighter. When the coal has been removed the C. A. Larsen is expected to be raised further by the stern, which should materially assist in saving the oil still stored in the tanks in the after part of the ship. The latest estimate places the actual loss of oil at a moderate quantity.

Dominion Special Service.

Half Moon Bay, February 22. The news of the accident to the C. A. Larsen came as a great shock to the scattered population and the visitors at Stewart Island. Rumours were current about 7 p.m. that the Larsen had touched a sand bar, and that eight chasers had towed her off. Owing to the isolated position of the wreck, nothing authentic was known until after 9 ; p.m. With . the first definite news of the tragedy at 11 p.m., there was a general exodus from Half Moon Bay. A large party trekked over' the bush-clad hills. and through deep gullies in the pitch darkness to Ringa Ringa Point, .at the Western side of tlie inlet entrance. The party reached its destination about midnight. <" Scene in the Dark. A wonderful sight met their gaze in the- • darkness. The big hull of the stranded ship could be discerned about a mile distant. She was deep by the head, as the blaze of lights about her decks' clearly indicated. A big electric | flare at her stern, which was showing fairly high out of the water, cleaily defined a scene of activity about the whaler’s decks. Moving lights all round the ship .indicated another busy scene on the dark waters.. These were the lights from the busy . chasers, the whole fleet standing by in case their services were required at any moment to rescue the Larsen’s crews. .Each passing minute first one ’ and then another deck light on the whaler would flicker and then disappear. .Those watching expected to see the Larsen : plunge, beneath the water at any moment, but the lights still shone brightly,, some disappearing and reapparing again. Hour after hour the chasers would round the mother ..ship, but those on Ringa Ringa had no idea what was taking place out of the smooth water of the deep inlet. . ... - Before daybreak to-day two Press representaitves were •astir. They proceeded at dawn to the scene bv a hired launch, and when-the small.boat, rolling heavily to the easterly swell, rounded the' western point of' Paterson’s Inlet a full view' was obtained of the .whaler. .- She lay in the centre at the inlet entrance halfway between Ulva Lsland and Rabbit-Island. Four chasers were made fast on the port and starboard si des, and the (flank of ' machinery indicated the .pumping -operations were in progress. When reporters went on board a tragic. . scene. __met their gaze. The crews, of the Larsen -and - the chasers- were standing in groups discussing the . accident, while .the. slippery decks showed that the big ship’s valuable cargo was escaping from the burst tanks. It was a : tragic end to the most successful whaling season experienced, in the. flve years’ -operations .in the. Ross Sea. The C. A, Larsen left Paterson’s inlet -on November 15 last vear for theAntarctic. She left the Ross Sea base about seven days ago on her return to the base at Price’s Bay, Paterson’s Inlet. She was a full ship, carrying--78,000 barrels of whale oil, valued at approximately half a million sterling. The ship had a fine weather passage from Ross Sea, and. she arrived off the entrance to Paterson’s Inlet on. Tuesday _ evening with her crew in good spirits after a strenuous season in the Antarctic. When the Larsen, deeply laden, steamed slowly for the entrance to the inlet -the weather was- dull. The tide was failing’-rapidly- from the inlet,’and there was a fresh westerly wind. Steaming at a speed of about five knots, the Larsen headed into the inlet between the neck 'on the, eastern shore and Faro Kock, which abuts about 40 feet out of the sea. A five-knot current was running. This struck the ship broadside, and the Larsen was carried on to Faro. Rock before the captain realised the. serious position of.his vessel. The size of. the "sipp piade "it . impossible' for iter to answer .her helm for fully ten minutes. Out of Control. People watching the movements of the ’ship from the hills around Halfmoon,. Bay could see that the Larsen was, out of control. When the -vessel was 'carried broadside to Faro Rock there was a -sound like the cutting of iron or steel on the starboard side. Those in charge realised that tlie ship had struck near the bow well below the waterline. The Larsen, as she bumped, and then moved slowly along the jagged rocks, evidently had her plates cut open from the bow to amidships’ of the' cross bunkers. A''great inrush of water set in, and the ship rapidly settled down by. the , : head. It was realised that her plight Was serious. , Four piercing blasts from .the Larsen’s whistle sounded on the still evening air. These blasts were heard by those in charge of the chasers anchored around the mother ship Sir J. C. Ross, off Price’s Bay, in Paterson’s Inlet. The chasers, Stars 5,7, and 8, and Karrakalta and Pagodronia, came down the inlet at full speed in response, to the Larsen’s signals of distress. A' few minutes later five more chasers steamed rapidly down the inlet. The Larsen lay alongside Faro Rock until all the chasers, a total of ten. arrived alongside. The small Ross Sea boats then began to move rapidly-about the stranded vessel. The big whaler was rapidly settling by the head and listing slowly to starboard. The chasers’ lines were quickly made fast on both sides of the Larsen, and under their united efforts and the whaler’s own power the ill-fated ship was towed off the rock. The star boats .waited while the big ship.was straightened up, and began to steam very slowly through the entrance to the inlet. She only steamed about half a mile when she again touched the bot.tom. By this time the Larsen was deep in the water forward, onlv a few feet of freeboard showing. She remained fast, and then the fleet of chasers became busy. Three were made fast forward, several amiflshjns. and two astern.' . . . The Larsen was sinking slowly, and it ' was a pathetic . spectacle to sec such a fine ship, after battling with heavy gales and .icepacks in-south-ern seas, entering calm waters'. in a crippled condition. The chasers moved

the big ship very slowly stern first up the inlet, the Larsen’s captain having decided to beach the ship as quickly as possible. Very slow progress was made, and the whaler had only been moved another mile or so when she came to rest on the bottom of the inlet, between Ulva and Rabbit Islands. When she arrived off the inlet and before she struck, the Larsen was drawing between 3-1 and 35 feet of water, uu. about ten hours later she was drawing 52 feet forward and 46 feet aft. All Night Task. As the huge plate covering the chute on which the dead whales are drawn up through the bow to the fore deck, was lightly locked,. the fore part of the ship escaped being flooded. All through the night the chasers worked about the Larsen, but there was little prospect of moving her. One chaser left during the night at full speed for Bluff to bring tlie salvage tug Southland to the scene. As she now lies on the hard bottom in the entrance to the inlet, the Larsen appears to be safe from sinking. This morning there was 48 feet of water in the forward store hold, and the waves were lapping the sunken bluff bow as high as the hawser -holes. At 6 a.m. to-day, it was seen that the valuable oil cargo in all the tanks on the starboard side, had been lost, the big volume of which had entered the bowels of tl;e whaler, burst the tanks from the fore ’tween decks .to amidships on the -starboard side. In the ’tween decks forward of the bridge to ’starboard oil was coming. The burst tanks formed a sluggish stream fully, four inches deep the full length of the alleyway. The decks were soaked with -oil, and the overflow was sweeping over the ship’s side into the sea. Nothing could be done to pump out the water as the.pump room .was flooded. A small engine was at work on the main deck, forward, . making a feeble attempt to keep down the flow of water, which bubbled through the thick yellow oil in two tanks on the port and starboard sides. Captain Neilsen, his officers and crew spent a night of anxiety, more especially as they could not make successful efforts to prevent the loss of the greater part of the valuable oil cargo. The Larsen now presents a tragic sight. She appeared -to be doomed at daybreak. Those on board stated that the ship had been torn open several hundred feet on the starboard side. The ship is believed to be holed aft also, as there was water in No. 2 hold, which is used for the storage of oil fuel,’ but which is now carrying a quantity of coal. When the Press representatives boarded the ship this morning and inspected things above and below the decks they saw oil forcing its way through the covers of the tanks in ail parts of the ship on the starboard.side. The seven horse-power pump working on the forcdeck at one of the tanks was then making no appreciable effect on the inflow of water. On the port and starboard side aft of the bridge all the oil tanks and bulkheads were holding against the enormous pressure of water below. It was then hoped that the oil stored in these tanks, and also the settling tanks, would be saved. As time wore on this seemed doubtful, as there was every possibility of the inrushing water forcing the bulkheads and flooding the engineroom and stokehold. Consequent on the Larsen’s list to starboard, the port side was dry at midday. If a Rough Sea Comes Up— The weather was overcast to-day, with light wind from the north-east. . The whaler was lying in smooth water, but there-is every -possibility of the ship being quickly battered if a rough sea comes into the inlet. As the Sir 'James Clark Ross, the mother ship of the expedition, which arrived at the Paterson Inlet, base on Tuesday morning from Ross Sea, is fully loaded, there is no possibility of removing the Larsen's oil cargo still intact to the other .ship’s tanks. On her previous passages in and out of Paterson’s Inlet the Larsen has taken a course further towards Anglem Point on the north side of the inlet, but on this occasion she steered a course closer to Faro Rock. A number of Stewart Islanders were on board the chasers, and the whaler, and they considered that the Larsen was being .steered too close to the rock. A ragged reef runs out from Faro Rock. It was stated that the Larsen’s steering gear had been causing some trouble when on this Antarctic expedition, and it is believed that the steering apparatus failed when she was slowing up to enter the inlet. . A representative of the Otago Harbour Board, and also one of the Auckland Harbour lioaid, are at present at Stewart Island. When they learned ot the disaster they communicated with the secretaries of their respective boards, asking for particulars regarding the size of the Otago and Calliope docks. This information was desired in the event of the Larsen being refloated and temporarily repaired. Mr. T. Anderson also telegraphed to the secretary of the Otago Board in regard to despatching the tug Dunedin to Paterson's Inlet with full pumping eqm'n- . merit, which is not possessed bv the new Bluff tug, Southland. Later in the day Mr. Anderson was advised by the secretary of the Otago Board that the Dunedin had left Port Chalmers for Stewart Island, carrying a complete pumping plant. The Dunedin was expected to reach the inlet shortly after midnight, and her plant should be operating before daybreak. The secretary of the Otago Board advised that the Port Chalmers dock was only 510 feet in length, but it could be lengthened to accommodate the Larsen. Every effort is being made to save the Larsen, and keep her afloat. The Bluff Harbour Board’s tugs, Southland mid Theresa Ward, arrived shortly after midday and took up positions alongside the ill-fated vessel, while the tugs, Dunedin and Tcrawhiti, have beep lequisitioned with the object of pumping out the flooded holds. Steps are also being taken to. secure a large vessel for the purpose of storing the oil still iutact ill the Larsen’s tanks.

The latest estimate places the actual ■less of oil- at a moderate quantity. The tug Southland remained alongside the Larsen until 5.30 p.m., when she returned to Half-moon Bay to convey passengers back to the mainland. She was expected to return to Paterson s Inlet about midnight, and with such powerful tugs available, on Thursday the efforts to raise the whaler should prove successful. Discharging Coal. A start was made this afternoon to discharge a quantity of coal stacked on the after main deck of the Larsen into a lighter. When the coal has been removed the I,arsen is expected to be raised further bv the stern, which should materially assist in saving the oil still stored in the tanks in the after part of the ship. All dav the chasers were busy alongside the'Larsen, and rushing back and forth through the inlet betwen the ship and the whaling base at Price's Point. Late this afternoon seven or eight chasers were alongside the Larsen holding on and giving all necessary assistance in the way of lightering gear from the whaler. It was stated to-day that the course taken bv the Larsen when entering Paterson’s Inlet has been considered dangerous by Stewart Island skippers and fishermen. One of tlie oldest residents on the inland informed a Press representative early this morning that he had warned masters of large vessels entering the inlet to be cautious, as shallow water existed between Anglem Point and Passage Island, while there was thirty to thirty-three fathoms of water in the main channel. Captain Nielsen, of the Larsen, several times previously safely negotiated this channel, and was not a man to take undue risk with such a heavily laden ship. It is thought, however, that he was not aware of the strong set of the outgoing tide, and that he was forced on to the reef before he could get the vessel to answer her helm. The entrance to Paterson’s Inlet is about one and a half miles wide. Faro Rock lies almost in the centre of the fairway. This makes two courses for vessels entering the inlet to the southeast of Faro Rock across to Bench Island. The sounding is thirty-three fathoms, but between Faro Rock and Anglem Point the depth varies from five to ten fathoms. This channel is marked by shelving beaches, and a deep channel runs close to Faro Rock, and then makes a difficult bend before reaching the inlet proper. The latter course was the one taken by the Larsen. The C. A. Larsen was originally an American oil tanker, and was converted into an up-to-date whaling ship by the Norwegian company holding the rights for the Ross Sea dependency granted by the New Zealand Government. Yesterday was the termination of the whaler’s second expedition to the Antarctic. The ship is commanded by Captain A. Neilsen, who took charge of the expedition when Captain Larsen, the pioneer Antarctic whaler, died on the Sir James Clark Ross in the southern latitudes three seasons ago. The Larsen was bound to discharge her valuable oil cargo out, and was then to load petroleum oil for Europe, later going on to Sandeford, Norway, for refitting. Change in Position. At sunset to-night there was no appreciable change in the position of the Larsen. The vessel was <till lying fore and aft to the tide, but she appeared to be a little lower by the head in the water. A heavy swell was running off the eastern side of the island, but it was not affecting the ship, as the position she occupies is sheltered by the lee of Rabbit or Native Island. The water in the inlet, therefore, was quite smooth. The Larsen showed no movement before and after darkness set in. At 8 p.m. the forward portholes were about one foot above the water line. The dead lights had been screwed tight after the vessel struck, and should she sink lower water will not find its way into the bowels of tlie ship through the portholes. Four chasers were still fast on the port and starboard sides, and the crews to-night were engaged in transferring personal effects and loose gear to the small whaling ships. Another chaser 'continually circled the stranded vessel, the crew keeping a .sharp look out. The Larsen’s engine room was still dry at 9 p.m., and there was a full head of steam in her boilers. No attempt was made to-day to move the ship, but an attempt will be made to tow the vessel into shallow water at high water earlv on Thursday morning. The tug Dunedin is now expected to reach. Paterson’s Inlet on Thursday morning, and when she arrives her pumping plant will be connected up at the ship’s bows. The tug Theresa Ward is alongside the whaler on the starboard bow. Her pumps were connected up at 5 p.m. and a start made to keep down the inflow of water forward at 6 p.m. The tug’s pumps . are discharging oil-col-oured water at the rate of about two hundred and fifty tons an hour. A fair quantity of oil is still escaping from the Larsen’s damaged forward tanks. All round the ship the water is covered with a thick coating of light-col-oured oil and patches of oil can be seen in the upper waters of the inlet. The Larsen’s crew stood about the decks to-night waiting for the arrival of the tug Punedin before settling down to the strenuous salvage work ahead. It is understood that divers will arrive by the Dunedin, and these will no doubt descend early on Thursday morning to make an examination of the damaged hull. Stores Destroyed. When the Larsen’s forward store hold was flooded enormous damage was done, stores alone valued at approximately £3009 being completely destroyed. Tuesday night’s busy scene was repeated to-night, the Larsen being a blaze of bright lights and some of the chasers being constantly on the move either around the big ship or scurrying back and forth between the vessel and the whaling base far up the inlet. The place where the Larsen lies is approximate!v four and a half miles from Half Moon Bav wharf by the sea. It is stated that the waters at the inlet have not been surveved since about 1875.