HOW SEALARK WAS SAVED.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1921, Page 1

HOW SEALARK WAS SAVED.

WILD FIGHT WITH STORM. ' SYDNEY, April 12.

The story of the saving of the coastal steamer Sealark during the past week is a thrilling one. The Sealark, loaded with produce, left Devonport for Sydney on Sunday with just enough coal to see the voyage out. She met a wild northeast storm, and when she was off 1 Kiama, about 80 miles south of Sydney, on Wednesday night, the coal was almost exhausted. At five o’clock on Thursday morning tho captain called all hands on deck and set them to work chopping up the dock cargo of timber for firewood. They worked at this all Thursday—but it was uo use. The timber was soaked by the blinding rain anc; the seas which constantly broke over the little vessel, and the engine fires* gradually died out. The steamer began to drift rapidly southwards, in the grip of the storm, and distress rockets were sent up. Aiy'ut this time the steeling gear carried away. The rockets brought the passenger coastal steamer Merimbula, about 11.30 p.m. on Thursday. The two ships talked with signal lamps, and the Sealark asked to be towed into Jervis Bay. The sea was too wild to permit the launching of a boat, so the Merimbula was manoeuvred round till a heaving wire hawser was sent aboard, hut no sooner did the tow start than the hawser parted. The whole manoeuvre was repeated and another lino got aboard the Sealark. Again the hawser parted. The storm increased in fury, both ships were being lashed by a terrific sea and gale, and both were getting dangerously near the coast. It was now 3 a.m. on Friday. The Morimbula’s deck cargo of benzine had broken loose and endangered the whole ship. The MerimbuTa then went into Jervis Bay, reported the plight of the Sealark which resulted in the destroyer Tatoo being rushed away from Sydney—got another hawser and went back to the Sealark. The Merimbula got back to the Sealark in the afternoon—she was now perilously near the rocks—and after a long hard fight got a hawsei aboard and fast. The Sealark was then towed into Jervis By, soon after dark. A few hours Later the destroyer arrived off the Bay and began to search for the Sealark. Eventually the lighhouse signalled that the Sealark was safe, and the destroyer went back to Sydney. The little cargo steamer was only saved bv indomitable pluck and British seamanship.