WRECKED TRAWLER

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1928, Page 3

WRECKED TRAWLER

STORY OF THE ESCAPE. By Telegraph—Press Assn , Copyright. AUCKLAND, June 13. Henry Double, one of the crew oF the trawler Thomas Bryan, wrecked at ltaupiroa Heads, says lie was at the helm at 11.30 on Sunday night when the vessel ran on the rocks. A Norwegian seaman on the look-out saw the rocks a second or two earlier. Just as lie shouted out a warning Double saws tlie great bulk, of cliffs beaming ahead. He put tlie helm hard over but the trawler struck. Tho propellor wont first, then the life boat. It was a filthy night with a howling wind, and rain pelting in torrents. The few first minutes on the rocks wore terrible. We were at the mercy of mountainous seas, which burst over us with a roar. The little ship trembled and. shuddered under the weight of the merciless impacts. Captain Halt wa.s splendid. He had all hands mustered and equipped with life belts. It looked pretty hopeless but there was no panic. The deck was awash saul Double. M e clung to the rails for hours. The sea seemed to increase in Violence and we became more and more exhausted.- By the Captain’s orders were fired into the inky sky but only we chaps on the trawler saw tliom. The whistle was blown, but the sound was lost in the storm. I staggered to the after cabin to get my belongings but the place was full of water. Me lost everything. Then I tried to got into the engine room but it was half full of water. I put in some time with two others in the forecnstle, but we had to' leave after awhile drenched to the skin, and so miserable that one or two of the chaps felt like releasing their grip and ending it all. We hung on till low water, when we saw the black ledge of a rock show up. Every now and again the skipper gave the word and we went for it one at a time. The running gauntlet of surf rope was lowered over the trawler’s side and each man had to wait till the wave receded, then dash shorewards. It meant a fight for life in the surf, but all ten of us survived. I huddled on a ledge below the frowning cliffs, with the sea beating re in uselessly on its base. Our plight was seemingly hopeless. M T e were wet to the skin and chilled by the bleak spray-dreuched wind. Then we started to climb the cliff about 1500 to 2000 feet high. T.t seemed dawn would never break. I went up tlie face of the cliff from lodge to ledge and thought I would never reach tho top. I was exhausted and threw my-

self down on the grass when I did get there. Down below I saw the trawler with deckhouse in flames. Double proceeds to describe in less graphic terms the trip with the. other survivors to the Port Charles Post Office.