LONG TOW ENDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 424, 4 August 1928, Page 14

LONG TOW ENDS

KAITOKE BRINGS WAITOMO TO AUCKLAND BROKE DOWN IN GALE For nearly three days after breaking her tail-shaft in the Tasman Sea on Monday, July 23, the Union Company’s collier Waitomo drifted helpless before a raging gale. Towed by the Kaitoke, the vessel arrived at Auckland last evening. The Waitomo sailed from Newcastle with a full cargo of coal for ‘Bluff on July 19. For the first two days out from Australia fair progress was made, but on July 21 a storm rose, and on the following day. Sunday, it increased to a cyclone, and the vessel pitched and tossed before the fury of the seas which pounded her continuously. At eight o'clock the next morning the Waitomo was shattered by the blow of a great wave, which lifted her out of the water. For a few seconds the propello.r raced madly, and then the screeching of the engines told the crew that the tail-shaft was broken, and the Waitomo was adrift, helpless in a raging sea, which showed no signs of abating. The nearest port was Westport, 400 miles away. For nearly three long days the 'Waitomo drifted at the mercy of the weather. Access to various parts of •the vessel was rendered extremely dangerous, through the constant shipping of tons of water. The ship’s boatswain was thrown heavily while trying to scramble across the deck on one occasion, and suffered a painful injury to one knee. TAKEN IN TOW When the Kaitoke arrived on the scene on the evening of the third day after the mishap, the seas were still raging. Floodlights were erected on the Waitomo. After manoeuvring for three hours, the Kaitoke got into position, and a line was thrown from her to the Waitomo. A cable was then run from the disabled steamer to the Kaitoke and shackled to a hawser.

Slow progress was made at first, the ; vessels averaging about a mile an i hour, but then the gale abated finally, and better progress was made to port. At four o’clock yesterday afternoon the vessels arrived off the Rangitoto Beacon and were met by the tugs Te Awhina and Simplon. The Waitomo berthed at King’s Wharf to discharge her coal cargo, and will later shift to Western Wharf to undergo repairs. The crew was paid off this morning.