AN EXCITING TRIP

Hokitika Guardian, 4 June 1920, Page 4

AN EXCITING TRIP

WAITOMO'S BOOGH X-ASSAUK

(Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, June 2

The steamer Waitomo, wliich arrived at Lyttelton from Geelong to-day, had an exciting trip. At midnight on Thursday last, when a fierce south-south-west gale was blowing and a heavy sea running, the battens on No 2 hatch broke adrift and were replaced with difficulty. At 2..10. p.m. on Friday tlie steering chain broke away, and the vessel fell away in the trough of the sea. All hands were employed in lashing down the rudder quadrant, which was thrashing madly to and fro, which task was eventually accomplished. An attempt wa then made to ship handsteering gear and while this was in progress, the lashings on the quadrant carried away, and the connecting shafts of the hand-steering gear broke. For three hours in pitch darkness the deck and engineer officers struggled to splice the chain with a piece of steel hawser. The vessel was rolling heavily, and the men were working waist-deep in water Frequently they had to drop their tools and hang on when the waves broke aboard. Ultimately the splicing was competed and the vessel got under way again. On Saturday morning the pounding of the seas, caused No 2 hatch to again burst open, but it was battened down without loss of time. The weather cleared considerably on Sunday and the Waitomo had a fair run down to Lyttelton. In all she travelled 700 miles with a patched up rudder chain, 500 of which were through a raging gale, and the chain having to be nursed with the greatest care.

She has 50,000 sacks of wheat to discharge at Lyttelton, and 20,000 sacks for Timam. \