Towing of Ship Again Delayed

Grey River Argus, 13 October 1948, Page 7

Towing of Ship Again Delayed

AUCKLAND, Oct. 12 After being hove, to again yesterday for several hours, in a westerly gale and heavy seas, the P. and O. Line motor-ship Palana, with the disabled vessel F’ernmoor, in tow, was making three knots at about 430 miles east-north-east of Auckland at 6 o clock this morning. In a radio message at noon, the master of the Palana, Captain F. R. Spun- said that they had been hove to since 9 a.m. He was using oil on the water to good effect. A south-south-westerly was blowing at 30 miles hourly. In the previous 24 hours the ship’s run was only 65 miles. Captain Spun- reported the following comment of a Cockney seaman: “Annuvver perishing gale. If this is the perishing Pacific, give me a boat in ’yde Park any day.” The wind was still blowing at a force of 7 to 30 miles- hourly at 6 o’clock this evening. Conditions were squally, but there was no rain. The weather was improving on the route towards Auckland. The two ships have now been together for 18 days and have covered about 1750 miles of the record 2200mile tow to Auckland. The reaction of the men aboard to the weary journey is illustrated in a message received from the Palana yesterday. Captain Spun- says a dour Scot remarked. as he gazed at the Fernmoor: “I’l be glad to see the back o’ him.” A, Cockney replied: “I reckon we ought to have towed the perisher stern first.” The progress of the ships apparently has been severely checked by the weather. The run in the 24 hours up to noon on Sunday was 66 miles, compared with 120 miles in the previous 24 hours. The two ships are now expected to reach Auckland about Thursday.