THE RIPPLE’S FATE.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1924, Page 1

THE RIPPLE’S FATE.

LAT EST PA R TIC 17 LA US.

[ilY TELKGItAI’II —I'KIl I’ItESS ASSOCIATION

AY ELLINGTON. August 10.

It is generally believed that the litt'e ve.-se! in distress got out of control and was literally overwhelmed. Even yet, there are some optimistic enough to believe that the vessel turned seawards To the eastward, and that this would account for the sadden disappearance of her lights. Wreckage has come ashore at Flat I’oint. where the search continues. The boat found on the beach bore the name “Ripple” on the low. and “Napier" on the stern, making it evident that the crew had taken to the boats as a final chance of reaching safety. There is a large hole in the stern.

There is no sign of the heavy surf boat used hy the Ripple in handling her cargo, chiefly wool. As this boat could not lie launched by hand, a -team winch being used, it is (cnsdderocl imprc.lba.blc that the boat could have been launched in a heavy sen. There is wreckage between Flat Point and White Rock.

A pair of men's trousers has been found neat 4 Cameron's Ilojmestoad. They are believed to I'chm.g to the man whose body was washed ashore. The Ripple carried a. very full cargo. No inaehiiiei'y or motor ears won* carried, hut the deck eaigo included barrels of oil. and fruit spray. In the boat washed on the beach there wore the usual provisions for such boats, i here were one full and one empty rocket, which, evidently had been used in an endeavour to attmet attention from the shore. A heavy mist enshi(Hided the whole const, making visibility impossible. It would appear that neither the steamer, the boats, iii'” the lockets were seen by anyone in the locality where the vessel is believed lo have been .submerged.

THE LAST KEEN OF HER. WELLINGTON. August 10. Tin* lir-t, and. it is feared the la.st seen or heard <d the Ripple in her state of distress i.s the story that, apparent ly, the keeper of the light at Cape I’alliser alone can tell. During the height of the storm about midnight on Wednesday, that lighthouse keeper first became tiwaie of the plight- of the little vessel, whose lights were lelearly visible. Jn le.-.s than t"o hours, all signs of the Ripple had v anished. What liapj oiled meanwhile?

Signals from the vessel of urgent appeals for help, signals in reply from the .shore, and the transmission of telephone messages to and from the city while the Ripple was at the mercy of the fierce winds and angry waves until the lights of the vessel were no nio:o make lip the story of the Jigln hoitsekee.pei. i,'n Those lights whieli came from the sea to the Jightholl.se keeper in the w.itche.- of the night there was a glimmer ol hope, fli tie.* I,can 111 itself, these on hoard the lilll-i steamer saw hope. In the .subsequent liens that t,!u* "5.0.5." was lici'ig answ ei'i'd. there was greater hope, an I then idim.-t with tragic Middeiili.'cS llieru eame fear.

The keeper had received a further eiieiiniaging message for thc.-e in peril and ho was hastening to transmit it to the vc.-seh* when ho discovered that t.hr* light:- mi ideally vi-iblo bu*. a little while previously, Intel disappeared. It wa- then that the Worst was feared.

Cahill doors and a damaged * on* have h.'oii washed up on the beach.

fn.pta.ili I’etci'-en. I'cpi'e-ellt ing iho Agents for the owner-, .-ay- the name Nils Thoma-eii was on the ollieial list in addition to those that there were telegraphed.

There is some doubt a.s In whether Ifrine -ailed on the vessel. IT is believed that Squires ionk the place ct Crawford as cook. Mont: wreck\rti:. M\ST FT TON. August 10. Search paities were nni aI i along the Coast mi Saturday and to-day. They found no sign of any survivors of the Hippie. Knrly on Saturday, searchers off Mntaiknna Reach, north i f Castlepoint. found pieces of light wreckage, deck linings. a door and a sign hoard. hater in the day. farther north, they discovered half an oar. and a (|iiantiiy of benzine box wood, that had heen ovidentlv smashed on the rocks.

Tile parties to the southward found nothing of any eousO(|tieneo, except here and there some light wreckage.

RORY rnr-.NTII'TF.R. AYKI.I-TNOTON. August 10. The body brought to .M ast erf on lastFriday night was identified to-day. at llie opening of an inquest, hv I'.dwanl Pad son. a fireman, wlm only left the Ripple on Tuesday, fie said the body was that of lyric Andersen, a Swede, aged 13 years.

Witness said the Ripple wa» a good s-m ilaiat. lie had made many trips in her in the last seven years, some of them very rough. His opinion was that, her engines broke down, and she lost steerage way. and was damaged in the trough of the sea. All the lifesaving gear w,y- in good order. 'I he lifeboat could accommodate eighteen men. The surf boat had a. ten horse power engine. The Uipnlc had two masts and two trysails, lnt he had never seen them set.

NO ROERT OF ITER FATF.. M.VSTFRTOX. August 0. Messages from the Coast this iSaturdayi afternoon state that nothing Ire-h lies been discovered, except a barrel i f oil near White Rock. The sea is smooth and the river fine. NATTER. August 0. Rii'lmr’son's -ay there is no dmU about the identity of the boat and cargo ua.-hed ashore. The barrels were deck cargo, and they may have heen washed overboard.

IDENTITY OF RORY. (tiSRORNE. Aug. The deseriiitioii of the bndv ol the sailor from the Ripple. found on the bench at Flap Point, according to sellers on the Ri, lmrd-011 steamer Awalem. points t,c it being Anderson, a single Norw egian, from A\ ellington.

f ATTAINS TORY FOI*NT). WF.I.I.IXOTOX. August 10. The- body <>f Captain Norling ol the steamer Ripple, was found on the beach half a mile south of Castlepoint Fight <m Sunday. The spot is sixty miles from Terewaite. where it is now believed the Ripple was wrecked. A life belt was picked up wear Aolianga. which is about seventy live miles north , f Rio scene of the supposed wreck. No further trace of the crew has been found vet. but wreckage and flotsam has been found at different points on the coastline from Castlepoint to Terawliiti. . . - - Rirpiest was opened at Masterton oil

the body of Anderson a member of the crew and adjourned. The body comes to Wellington tor burial.

JU'RH CAPTAIN’S ST ATE Al ENT. WELLINGTON, Aug. 11.

Tin* Richardson Company’s Rttrit reached Wellington last evening after making a close search down the coast for signs of the Ripple.

Captain Uaroldson states that he left Napier on Thursday evening, the weather still being stormy with a heavy wind and sea front the south, so that little Headway could he made. After rounding Cape Kidnappers, the ship could make little headway; in fact she only did twenty-eight miles in fourteen and a half hours, and so turned hack on Friday morning, and sought shelter behind Cape Kidnappers. She remained there till {1.30 on Saturday morning, when she put to sea. There was still a heavy swell on, and thU wind was blowing fresh from (he south-west, but visibility was good most ot the way. In pursuance of the owners’ orders, the closest search was made.

The captain says;—“ A\ c searched every yard of the shore from Kahn Rock to Capo Halli-er, as well as the open sea, with glasses. Had anything been alloat we could not have failed to see it. The Rum steamed slowly from one to two miles oil shore. A\ e could not make a landing at,Flat Point owing to the heavy swell. AYe, deviated considerably between Kalin Rock and Flat Point, all hands hoping something would lie seen of the missing ship c>r the crew. A man was seen riding along the beach at GlctidllU.” Captain Haroldson declined to express tin opinion regarding the Ripple, simpiy remarking: “ It is a very sad all'air.”