WRECKED WHALER

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1928, Page 2

WRECKED WHALER

RECORD OIL CARGO LOST. By Telegraph—Press Assn., Copyright. INVERCARGILL. Feb. 22. The Ross Sea factory ship C. A. Larsen, which struck a rock in the Channel off Faro Island on ’Tuesday 1 night, and was towed up the Channel 1 by chasers of the whaling fleet, is now lying wfth her bows hard aground, in seven and a half fathoms of water. 1 lietween the eastern point of the Is- ! land of Ulva and Rabbit Island. She is drawing fifty foot of water and has settled firmly on the lxittoni and, her list to starboard, is so pronounced that the sea is running over her forward rail, and the forward deck, and 1 under I’orcastle is awash. 'Two anchors were put out when in the Channel, after she had struck, hut it was found necessary to take them in. The ship has made no progress since 10.30 on Tuesday night, and no attempt will he made to shift her until she has been cleared of a great volume of water. The most sensational development is that she has lost all her cargo of whale oil. except 10,000 barrels out of a total of 80.000. This is due to the oil tanks giving way under pressure of the sea. and the lids being blown off. The waters at Paterson’s Inlet and Half Moon Bay are covered with oil. The total cargo loss is estimated at £400,000. The chasers have stood hv throughout, lending assistance in pumping, the C. A. Larsen’s pumps being 23 feet under water. Though full particulars could not he gathered to-day, it is understood that the cargo is covered by insurance with Norwegian offices. It is stated that with the addition of each 3,000 barrels of oil. while on the whaling grounds, insurance is secured l>v wireless with Norway, so that the loss will not he as heavy as at first feared. The ship has £IOO.OOO of whaling gear on board, including the latest appliances, which it will he hard to replace. The O. A. Larsen, which cost £-♦>,- 000 to build was formerly an oil tanker and was bought by the Ross Sea AYhaling Coy. and is said to be the largest factory ship in the world. It is imdcrstood that the ship Ims been in wireless communication with Norway since the disaster. At 10.30 this morning all communication with the C. A. Larson was prohibited, and passenger craft were requested to keep off. Tbe s horo was seething with excitement, scores of people clamouring lor boats while elevations round the inlet ;„,d observation Rock were Hi rouged by spectators. 'The latest reports state that the position of the C. A. Larsen is reassuring, her position being shell that she will be safe from the weather until she has been refloated, which is indefinite. At a late hour to-day the pumps were gaining no appreciable headway in lowering the water. Speaking to a reporter, a mcmbei of the crow said “Those of us who were standing oil Ibe meat deck, tell three distinct grinding shocks, and the whole ship quivered from stem to stern. AYc thought lor a moment that it was all over with the vessel. She came off easily however, but with a decided list to starboard. AVe were lucky that she did not remain there and turn turtle.’’ • The C. A. Larsen is staled to have been carrying a world’s record cargo of wlmlc oil. 'The irony of the disaster is that alter three months in the Antarctic, battling with all kinds ol heavy weather, she should be wrecked \\ itb--1 in five or six miles ol her base and lase prac.tiea 11 v her whole cargo ot oil. As soon as sufficient water lias been pumped from the ship to raise her for- ; ward end from the water, the Coy’s diver will go down to ascertain the extent of the damage. It is learned that the vessel is ripped from the bows towards amidships to a length of about 30 feet, and if she were not in shallow water she would sink. It is stated that the full crew of the C. A. Larsen will he paid off tomorrow. as reiloating and repair wink is likely ,to occupy considerable time.