Drama of Sea Unfolded

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 30, 5 February 1937, Page 6

Drama of Sea Unfolded

How the Rangi Was Lost

SURVIVORS TELL THEIR STORY. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Only two survivors from the tragic wreck of the scow Rangi, which foundered off Rakino Island at the eastern entrance to liauraki Gulf at the height of the gale on the evening of Thursday, January 14, with the loss of four lives, told their story at the inquest held before Mr. Orr Walker, B.M. The crew abandoned the vessel when she heeled over and they drifted iu a dinghy to a point about a mile and a half off Tor Bay. There the dinghy swamped. John Mason, a member of the crew, and Donald Woodroffe, aged 14, a schoolboy who was making the trip on the voyage from Tauranga to Auckland as the guest of the captain, managed to get ashore safely. Mason clung to a boat and was washed ashore, the boy Woodroffe being washed ashore in an unconscious condition. The inquest concerned the deaths of tho master, Captain Peter Petersen, aged 54, married; au A. 8., Harold Elelgesen, aged 34, single; Charles de Jfaire, a cook, aged 04, single; William Douglas Robinson, aged 21, single. Nineteen-year-old John William Frederick Mason, the rescued deck hand, told how the Rangi under the command of Captain Petersen ran into bad weather. He said “After passing Cape Colville two stays on the mainmast on the starboard side carried away. We lowered the mainsail and it ripped and became useless and we were compelled to carry on with the foresail and inner jib. This was the only sail we could use and when we arrived off Motuihi it was found wo could not make the Motuihi passage so we altered our course and sailed between Rakino and the Noisies. The time would be about 4 p.m. on January 14 when we passed Rakino and the scow was showing a big list to starboard. "We made for the lee shore of Rakino Island. The anchor was droppod with about 40 fathoms of anchor chain and while so anchored a number of logs from the starboard side were put into the sea. A lot of water was pumped put. and the scow righted herself. Wc then started to heave in the anchor chain and when only about 10 fathoms remained the scow listed heavily on the port side, so much so that all control of the scow was lost. “Next an attempt was made to free the logs on the port side but seas were entering the scow by the fore hatch, causing the scow to heel over to port. We then made for the scow’s dinghy. We boarded the dinghy only just la time for as we cast off the scow was bottom up. Captain Petersen and Harold took to the oars in the dinghy and attempted to make for the shore by Motutapu Island. This was not possible and the evening was getting dark so the dinghy was turned round and drifted stern first for the mainland. We drifted for a long time and at what I should say w6uld be about midnight on January 14 last we saw. the lights of the mainland. We were baling out water from the dinghy all the time and everything was all right until we were about half a mile from the shore when a big wave struck the dinghy and turned it over. Captain Petersen and Bill disappeared. Continuing his evidence witness said: “Four of us clung to the dinghy. Woodroofe called out and after that I did not see him again. When my feet touched the beach I let go dinghy and reached a ledge of rock where I must have fallen asleep. I later wandered around the shore until I found a house and reported what had happened.” Witness said no signals could be given from the scow as the rocket#, detonators and flares, which were kept in a locker in tho fore part of the cabin, were washed overboard on the afternoon of January 13. The lifebelt* were kept in the bunks but no one seemed to think of putting them on before they abandoned tho scow. The Auckland Grammar School boy, Donald William Woodroofe, aged 14, gave similar evidence. “We were all thrown into the water when something —I think it was a big wave—struck the dinghy and four of us again reached the dinghy after it overturned,” said witness. '* I remember being washed away about twice, but regained the dinghy each time. Then another big wave washed me away and I remember nothing more until I found myself on the shore about six feet from the water. It was then getting light and I was found by some men who took me to a house.” “It is obvious that iu all the cases deceased were drowned after having left the scow Rangi which wag foundering,’’ said the Coroner. “ Great efforts were apparently made by residents of Tor Bay to find the bodies of these unfortunate men and the thanks of the public and police are due to them for their fine work under difficult conditions. ''