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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900

Washed Overboard

Washed Overboard.

During 1888, when the Turakina was bound from London to Port Chalmers, she encountered another terrific gale, during which the chief officer and a seaman were washed overboard and drowned.

the Turakina made many successful runs to New Zealand. Her best effort from London was in 1886. She sailed on October 30th, and passed Start Point seven days later, crossing the equator twenty days out from land. She rounded the Cape on December 22nd; passed Tasmania January 18th; three days later was abreast of the Snares; arriving at Port Chalmers on January 24th, 83 days anchor to anchor and 75 land to land.

In 1889 she made a very fine run from Hamburg. Leaving Bishop's rock on November 25th she crossed the equator on December 12th, only seventeen days out; rounded the Cape January 6th; passed Tasmania January 28th; Cape Saunders February 2nd; and anchored at Port Chalmers on the 5th, 84 days port to port or 72 days land to land. The ship's best day's runs were 312, 310 and 302 miles.

the Turakina also made another good run to Wellington in 1889. On this occasion she sailed from London on October 11th, had fine weather to the Line, which was crossed twenty-eight days out. Passed Cape Leeuwin on December 20th, Tasmania 26th, and Cape Farewell on January 2nd, making the run from this point to port in nine hours, or 83 from Beachy Head.

A writer in one of the Southern papers, referring to this clipper ship, stated: "the Turakina averaged runs of 80 days on ten consecutive voyages to New Zealand." It will be seen from the records given below that the ship, although a fast sailer, never had the luck to make one voyage to New Zealand under 80 days port to port. She, however, did some remarkable sailing on many occa-page 132sions, and especially when on a voyage to Auckland in 1893. She sailed from Liverpool on August 21 of that year, under the command of Captain J. J. Hamon, and arrived at Auckland on the 30th November. After passing the Cape of Good Hope on November 1 the ship encountered a severe north-west gale, and with similar weather she logged in 48 hours 610 miles, and on the 8th and 9th of the same month she travelled 666 miles in the 48 hours. Many large icebergs were encountered when in the Southern Ocean. After discharging her cargo the Turakina sailed for Lyttelton and loaded for London.