STORM AT SEA

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19878, 6 May 1936, Page 7

STORM AT SEA

TERRIFYING WAVLS. WORST FOR 31 YEARS. )lAKL‘RA‘S ROUGH PASSAGE. United Press Assn—Elem Tel. Copyright. SYDNEY. May 5. Captain )lacdonald. of the Makura. slated io—duy that never in his 36 years All sea had he experienced it worse gale iimn the one just encountered by his Vessel in the Tasman on the voyage from \\'ellinglon. “The sons were as sleep as the faces 01' cliffs." said Captain Macdonaid. "Heavy weather began in Cook Strait on Thursday night and the sale was at its height on Friday and Saturday, reaching a velocity of '75 miles an hour. “ The seas were terrlt'yins to look at. We would ease the Makura to the 30D of one at an angle to allow her to lower herself down the other side without doing structural damage- Several times we thought the walls of water would cause her to topple over. “ Some or the waves were more than 60ft. high. The otllcers were without sleep for 36 hours clinging to the rail 01' the bridge and watching every sea closely. The [ore and aft well decks shipped avalanches of water, and the crew had great dimculiy in moving round. The Makura came through with only minor damage.“ Much Damage Done. The Monowal. however, s‘ufiered a goud deal of damage. lier steel companion—way carried away, and several porthoies forward were broken. The crew's quarters were flooded and the forward galley was put out of action. A plate-glass window on the bridge was broken, the ofilcers‘ quarters on the boat deck were flooded and the 1’355911581'5 were confined to their cabins the whole way. ' The delays to the two vessels resulted in 24 passengers missing their connections in Sydney for the East and for London. _ A member of the crew of the Monowai named Hill was rendered unconscious when :1 wave hurled him against the SCUDPEI‘S- An ambulance met the vessel to-day and conveyed him to hospital. a