THE INDRABARAH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1106, 7 June 1913, Page 3

THE INDRABARAH.

REFLOATING OPERATIONS

The operations on Wednesday ijight and Thursday morning were favoured with the best of weather. The tides were high, and the sea

I was as calm as could be desired. The ludrabarah was pulled stern- • wards. She was lying at an angle . of about 45 degrees to the seashore

and still maintains that position, though further along the coast ? and from the shore. ' Except by semaphore and morse signals, all communication with the shore has been cut off. The lines which were anchored on the beaqhi and served the double purpose of keeping the vessel in position and of carrying passengers to and from the shore by means of a basket, were cast loose into the sea.'

The message received from - Captain Watchlin indicated that the Terawhiti was still In the vicinity of the ludrabarah, and ; had been doing good work. For the first time since the ludrabarah became stranded, the tug managed to get a towline on board her, and held the ship in position until the tide went down. The work of laying No. 4 mushroom anchor was then commenced, and it was laid well out to sea. On the top of high water on Thursday night the Indrabarah’s head was turned to sea by shipping a wire from aft to .forward, and pulling on the anchors. This was responsible for shifting her bows to the westward, lying her in a splendid position for launching. At that time the ludrabarah was hanging on to No. 3 and No. 4 mushroom anchors. •At the time ot the dispatch of thin message yesterday morning the weather was not very favourable,- and: it was reported to be freshening 'from the westward, with increasing sea. In a smooth sea the Terawhiti could get close alongside the ludrabarah. Given . a favourable opportunity, it was anticipated that the towline would be passed aboard at the first opportunity. At 8 p.m. yesterday, another message was received from the Postmaster at Bulls. It read as follows: “The position of the ludrabarah this eveningis much the same as at high tide yesterday morning, with the exception that the bow has, swung- round, and is now pointing seawards. To-day the seahhs been considerable, causing th£ ludrabarah to come slightly shorewards, but she remains at a quarter of'a mile off this evening. This makes communication so difficult that no one on land can say with definiteness what will happen next. Probably a day or two will be taken to re-lay the old anchor and get the latest ones into a gooid position.”

The latest news appears to indicate the beginning of a new stage in the Indrabarah’s efforts. It will be remembered that in her quiescence she was lying almost broadside on to the shore. In

such a ; position' it was obviously 1 impossible for her tp pull herself Straight out. to sea. However bravely she might answer her helm on the high-seas, she certainly .could not do it with her keel ’ grooved in sand. She consequently did the next best thing, she. moved away at a tangent, gaining at least some balance of profit from the operation. During these movements the sea was calm, and there were comparatively no lifting waves to assist in her “coaxing” work. Yesterday, however, heavier seas returned, and whether by good seamanship or by the unguided ,play. of the : waves, she turned her nose round straight out to sea. Among the less optimistic of the onlookers is Mr Dalrymple, who owns the stretch of beach on which the vessel lies. He states that the .Indrabarah lies on a bar or-sand shelf, which extends for half a mile from the shore. Assuming that the vessel is halfway over this shelf, she still has a quarter of a mile to travel before she can drop into deep water. Others are of opinion that the vessel has drifted in-shore since the heavy weather returned. Mr Dalrymple thinks that, in any case, three or four weeks will elapse before the vessel will be afloat.