Voyage of Adventure

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 364, 26 May 1928, Page 1

Voyage of Adventure

Storms, Strikes, and Derelicts BELGIAN STEAMER ARRIVES BATTERED by heavy seas and with five feet of water in her hold, the Belgian steamer Scheldepas limped into Auckland at 9 o’clock last evening. Throughout the voyage from Antwerp, which port the Scheldepas left on February 29, mishap followed mishap with monotonous regularity.

Calling first at Kingston, Jamaica, with the intention of coaling, Captain Nepper was held up by waters!ders’ strikes. As there did not seem any immediate possibility of settlement, it was decided to sail Cor Newport Nows on the East Coast of America. This deviation from the original cruise cost the ship 14 sailing days, and was the first of the major troubles of the voyage. From Newport News to Panama conditions were comparatively satisfactory, but after passing into the Pacific, heavy storms were encountered off Galapagos Islands. A few days after leaving Panama, at 9.40 p.m. one night, the Scheldepas struck a derelict. Captain Nepper, who was in his bunk, rushed on deck. He could feel the derelict bumping along the side of the ship, but could see nothing. Ha is, however, convinced that it was some semi-submerged wooden vessel, as a steel boat would have sunk immediately when rammed by the stem of the Scheldepas. SHIP SPRINGS LEAK After this occurrence, water found its way into the No. 1 hold and, in a lesser degree, into the engine room. As no break in the plates is visible it is imagined that the stem of the ship has been strained. To remedy the defect the captain put into Tahiti, where temporary repairs were effected. Carrying on with her greatly delayed voyage, the Scheldepas visited Rarotonga, after which extraordinarily heavy gales were encountered. So tremendous were the seas that Captain Nepper, afraid for his boat, which was again making water, turned and ran before the wind. During this storm, which lasted several days, waves and spray swept as high as the steamer’s funnel, and the officers on watch were drenched. One of the boats was smashed from the davits and swept overboard. Considerable damage was done to railings and deck gear, and the officers’ cabins were swamped. To quote the captain’s own words: “The ship was like a sub-marine-ploughing through the seas with only her upper deck showing.” Captain Nepper considers it fortunate that he was able to bring the Scheldepas into Auckland before today’s heavy storm broke. This morning the marine surveyor examined the ship. SHIP TO BE SOLD Registered at Ghent, the Scheldepas is a vessel of 8,500 tons, carrying a crew of 63, mostly Hindus. She was for 20 years a British ship, sailing as the Othello. One of several ships engaged in

contract work, the Scheldepas carries a cargo o£ basic slag for the New Zealand Shipping Company. Half of the cargo will be unloaded here, the remainder being taken to Wellington. Instructions have been issued to Captain Nepper to take the boat to Yokohama, where the crew will be paid off and the vessel sold.

RIMUTAKA IN CYCLONE POOPED BY 30-FOOT WAVES DECK-GEAR SMASHED LIKE MATCHWOOD WELLINGTON, To-day. A terrific cyclone was encountered by the New Zealand Shipping Company’s liner Rimutaka on the voyage from London and Southampton to Wellington. The storm lasted for 48 hours. Mountainous seas dashed against the sides of the vessel and over the stern, doing a good deal of damage. Railings and skylights were smashed, cabins flooded, and lifeboats torn from their lashings. On the night of May 14 a long, heavy swell set in from the south-east, and within 24 hours the barometer dropped from 30.11 to 28.99. The waves rose to 30ft, gradually increasing in height until they towered high above the ship and broke with fury on the port quarter. A corresponding increase of wind force was registered, until a velocity of over 75 miles an hour was reached, making the stays and rigging set up a high-pitched howl. Daylight broke to the accompaniment of a roaring gale seldom encountered in equitorial latitudes of the Pacific at this time of the year. The vessel shipped heavy seas from both port and starboard quarters, continually rolling the main deck rails under water. At 4 p.m. the climax v/as reached. Waves dashing along the full length of the vessel smashed the gangway lashed to the side * rails of the promenade deck, and stripped the rails like wire and matchwood, twisting 3in pipes and stanchions, bursting the deckhouse vestibule door, and smashing skylights on the boat deckthrowing lifeboats about like corks, and washing their equip ment over the side, at the same time stripping the main deck of all movable objects. At 4.30 p.m. not a ladder from the saloon to the main deck was left in position-. The deck ladders were smashed or torn from their socke-ts, and washed over the side. Rafts on top of the officers’ quarters were torn from their lashings, and thrown against the rails and splintered into matchwood. Throughout the 48 hours, the commander of the Rimutaka, Captain Hemming, except for two short periods, remained on the bridge drenched to the skin, and but for his excellent seamanship the damage would undoubtedly have been greater. When the lifeboats were torn from their lashings Captain Hemming personally assisted to make them secure. The engineers were for 36 hours without sleep, and, under the most trying conditions, kept the ship under way. with the engines racing, and the propellor cutting the air every few revolutions. After 28 hours’ battling with big seas the starboard engine became disabled, rendering steering both difficult and dangerous. From May 17 to 23 the vessel ploughed against a 20ft swell, but made good speed under the conditions.