A BOISTEROUS PASSAGE.
The mail steamer Sierra, which arrived at Auckland from Sydney on Friday morning, was several hours later than her usual time, owing to the very bad weather being met with throughout the passage. The Sierra left Sydney shortly after two o'clock last Monday afternoon. On Tuesday tho steamer fell in with a strong gale from tho eastward, accompanied by a very 1 heavy sea, the large steamer being at 1 times almost buried by the large seas 1 which came on board, tho decks being continually flooded. The gale continued to blow with great fierceness the whole _ way across the Tasman Sea, and as the New Zealand coast was neared the weather set in extremely thick and foggy, rendering the navigation of the steamer a cause of anxiety to Captain Houdlette and his officers, as no observations could be taken owing to the weather conditions. When approaching the vicinity of the Three Kings, and as nothing could be observed, the steamer was put under reduced speed for some time, but- the Kings were eventually picked up at three o’clock on Thursday afternoon, about three miles off, and the steamer’s course was altered in order to give them as wide a berth as possible. Coming down the coast during Thursday night the easterly gale continued, and the weather setting in thick and foggy, the speed was once more reduced, as the coastline could not be seen. Finally Cape Brett was picked upl and the steamer came along under a higher rate of speed than she had been travelling, and the harbor was made at half-past nine a.m. on Friday. The passengers all speak in high terms of the careful and seamanlike manner in which Captain Houdlette navigated his steamer under such trying circumstances. The commander of the Sierra again expressed himself in very ; strong terms as to the necessity of a lighthouse both on the Three Rings and Cape 1 Brett, there being nothing in the way of a 1 light ta guide seamen down the coast after ! passing Cape Maria Van Diemen. ,
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 809, 26 January 1903, Page 2
Word Count
345A BOISTEROUS PASSAGE. Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 809, 26 January 1903, Page 2
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