STRENUOUS BATTLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 6

STRENUOUS BATTLE

SALVAGING OF MOTAU SUCCESSFULLY REFLOATED The auxiliary schooner Motau, which recently ran ashore in the Fiji group, was refloated after a strenuous battle with heavy seas, conditions during the salvage being bad, with the exception of an occasional fine day. AX7HEX Mr. Charles Whippy, the ’ ’ salvager, arrived at the stranded vessel he found her nearly full of water. She was dry forward and she lay in six feet at high tide. Mr. Whippy was compelled to unload 60 tons of cargo Into two cutters, and 30 tons of stone ballast were diynped overboard. The holes which covered the space of three plans near the keel on her port side to the length of 10 or 12ft, were patched up. Part of the bottom had about 18ft of planks “chewed” by rubbing on the coral. This was carefully sheathed. The work would have been hard enough if the reef had been dry at low tide or if the sea had been calm, but most of the time the men were working beneath water. They had to have stones tied to their feet to hold them down. For three weeks the fight went on. As the wind was abeam, It was decided to run guy ropes from forward and wire slings were fastened round “horses’ heads” on either bow. This was a dangerous operation. A man went down 15ft with bags of stones wrapped round his legs and holding in his mouth a tube, the top of which was held in a dinghy. In this hazardous manner he worked until the ropes were securely fastened. The weather became rough and continued so. It was only after strenuous efforts that the vessel slipped into deep water, but before she could be safely anchored a good deal of management was necessary. The Motau was moved farther out and bag-anchors were iffeed to support her.

When all was ready for a start, it was found that one of the main anchors had fouled the coral. This had to be sawed in two. The vessel sailed for Naigani. When making through the Vatu Passage, the engine refused duty, but the sails were drawing and under them, for two hours, headway was made. Then the engine started up and Naigani was reached.

The next move was for Ovalau. Vori, which lies on the nort-west coast of Ovalau, was reached, and as provisions were required, the vessel reached Levuka under power, after a run of two and a-quarter hours. Then it was found that a certificated master was necessary, so Captain McKenzie was placed in charge, and under his command the Motau reached Suva on Saturday afternoon, after 12 hours’ run.