STORMY PASSAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 661, 13 May 1929, Page 16

STORMY PASSAGE

BENHOLM FIGHTS OUT GALE VESSEL NOW IN PORT Twenty-two days of violc.it weather were e:;oe::. ,sed by the largo steamer ?? 'm w'~ ross.ng the Nor*;'- Atlantic .i; ■iarch iast. The 33 o' is at present un!- -.g , the Print 's Wharf. The Benh Jm was in this port in ■ ovember of last year, _ -_cl from her proceeded to Australia, where when, was loaded for Italy. -fter this cargo had been discharged at Italian ports, the vessel went to Algiers for bunkers, and then made for New York, where she loaded the cargo now being discharged. It was on this passage, between Gibraltar and New York, that the Benholm received such a buffeting. Gibraltar was passed on February 26. Trouble commenced that day, and lasted until the ship made New York on March 20. Violent gales, mountainous seas and icy weather had to be contended with. The vessel was on her beam ends most of the time, and to make matters much worse she was an empty ship. Those versed in nautical matters will appreciate what the Benholm went through when it is said that, empty as she was, her well-decks were almost continuously submerged. Of course, plenty of dishes and pieces of crockery were smashed on this trip. OUT OF CONTROL When the Benholm was two or three days off New York, so tempestuous were the conditions that she became completely out of control. She went off her course and the helmsman was unable to work her back to it. The master, Captain R. H. Lennie, had eventually to be called. He quickly saw that the vessel was out of control, and the appropriate warning signal, two red lights above the br: | was shown at once.

To leeward the empty Benholm went for six solid hours, and Captain Lennie at the wheel the whole time using every art of the mariner to bring his ship back on to her course again. Finally he succeeded. Members of the Benholm’s personnel aver that their skipper an exhibition of accomplished seamanship in “bringing her to” as he did. A KIRKWALL MAN

“He is a Kirkwall man,” they said proudly, “and Kirkwall breeds sailors.” Kirkwall is the chief town and port of the Orkney Islands, and is noted for its sailors, *who go to Iceland and Arctic waters chiefly in search of fish. The story of the Benholm’s six-hour battle would not be complete without mentioning the engineers, engine room staff and stokehold crew, who were taxed to their utmost in their efforts to obey the order received: Give her all you can!