NOTABLE RESCUE AT SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1921, Page 5

NOTABLE RESCUE AT SEA.

HOW SEALARK WAS SAVED. WILD FIGHT WITH STORM. Sydney, April 12. of the saving of the coastal steamer Sealark during the past week is a thrilling one. The Sealark, loaded with produce, left Devonport for Sydney on Sunday, with just enough coal to see the voyage out. She met a wild northeast storm, and when she was off Kiama, about 80 miles south of Sydney, on Wednesday night, the coal was almost exhausted. At five o’clock on Thursday morning the captain called all hands on deck and set them to work chopping up the deck cargo of timber for firewood. Thay worked at this all Thursday, but it was no use. The timber was soaked by the blinding rain and the seas, which constantly broke over the little vessel, and the engine fires gradually died out. The steamer began to drift rapidly southwards, in the grip of the storm, and distress rockets were sent UP. About this time the steering gear was carried away.

The rockets brought the . passenger coastal steamer Merimbula about 11.30 p.m. on Thursday. The two ships talked With signal lamps, and the Sealark asked to be towed into Jervis Bay. The sea was too wild to permit the launching of a boat, so the Merimbula was manoeuvred round till a heaving line was got aboard the Sealark. A wire hawser was sent aboard, but no sooner did the tow start than the hawser parted. The whole manoeuvre was repeated and another line got aboard the Sealark. Again the hawser parted. The storm increased in fury, both ships were being lashed by a terrific sea and gale, and "both wbre getting dangerously near the coast. It was now 3 a.m. on Friday. The Merimbula’s deck cargo of benzine had broken loose and endangered the whole ship. The Merimbula then went into Jervis Bay, reported the plight of the Sealark —which resulted in the detroyer. Tattoo being rushed away from Sydney—got another hawser and went back to the Sealark. The Merimbula got back to the Sealark in the afternoon—she was now perilously near the rocks, and after a long hard fight got a hawser aboard and fast. The Sealark' was then towed into Jervis Bay soon after dark. A few hours later the destroyer arrived off the bay and began to search for the Sealark. Eventually the lighthouse sigpalled that the Sealark was safe, and the destro.ver went back to Sydnev. The littie. cargo steamer was only saved by indomitable pluck and British seamanship.