DRIVEN ASHORE IN GALE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 803, 25 October 1929, Page 1

DRIVEN ASHORE IN GALE

Kahika Skilfully Handled PREPARATIONS FOR SALVAGE Press Association T r , r . , . GISBORNE, Today. HE members ol the crew oi the Union Company’s steamer Kahika, which ran aground yesterday morning on Waikanae Beach in a heavy southerly gale, say they owe a good deal to the seamanship of the master of the vessel, Captain Gardner, tv hose handling of the ship under trving circumstances is described with enthusiasm.

In view of the fact that an inquiry will be held, the officers are reticent, and refuse to discuss the occurrence. Arrangements for refloating the Kahika will not be taken in hand until the weather moderates, and until the tag Terawhiti arrives from Wellington to undertake salvage. FAVOURABLE POSITION The position of the Kahika appears favourable for comparatively easy refloating. as the vessel lies head on to the beach, aird though well up on the sand, the opinion of shipping men is that she can be kedged off on flood tides. She had about 200 tons of cargo aboard, and would have tdeared a roadstead yesterday but for the fact that Show Day intervened, with a general holiday on the waterfront.

Portion of the ship’s cargo was loaded at Napier for South Island ports, the balance being general merchandise and produce shipped from South Island ports for Gisborne. If the forward part of the Kahika proves to be high and dry at low tide, the cargo for this port will be discharged into vehicles on the beach. When the tide ran out last evening, it was seen that two blades of

the ship’s propeller had been snapped off. Additional details show in the ves-' sel’s struggle with the storm that the course was changed in an endeavour to use the gale’s velocity to assist her, but this manoeuvre failed, as the Kahika had been driven back to a point at which there was insufficient space for handling the vessel easily. Within a few minutes after the change of course, it became evident that the gale was going to beat the Kahika’s engines, and as the shore drew* nearer the crew made preparations for leaving the ship. The stern of the Kahika touched first in about eight feet of water, and a few moments after the ship began to swing round broadside to the wind. This made the evacuation of the crew easy, the hull breaking the force of the seas. The boats made a good passage through the surf for a distance of 100 yards. Later, as the tide rose, the vessel moved a little, and gradually worked her way down the beach. A message from W'ellilngton says that the tug Terawhiti, which left for Gisborne in a heavy southerly gale at 2.20 p.m. yesterday, is expected to arrive tomorrow. She has on board a 4|-ton mushroom anchor, and pumping gear for salvage work.