SHARK BAY STRANDING - 'INQUIRY'.

Northern Times, 12 June, 1909.

S.S. KOOMBANA.

The Chief Harbnnrmaster (Captain C. J.

Irvine), having made inquiry into the 

circumstances attending the stranding of the

steamer Koombana in Sharks Bay on the

morning of March 15, has furnished his 

report and finding to the Under-Secretary.

The report and finding is as follows:

"The s.s. Koombana sailed from Fremantle 

on March 12, for Derby, via ports and 

rounded Cape Levillian at 3 a.m. March 15,

and steered the usual course for Heirisson

Flat Buoy (the outer or westerly mark for

the entrance to the channel leading to

Denham) painted red. At 7.10 a.m., when

nearing the channel, the westernmost

black buoy marking the north side of the

channel was sighted, but the morning

being hazy, together with the rising sun,

gave the buoy a red appearance, which led

the master, also the chief officer who was

present on the bridge, to conclude the ship

had made her course good from off Cape

Levillain, and that the buoy in sight was

the red one marking the north end of 

Heirisson Flats, and a course was shaped 

for the channel accordingly, the result being

that the ship grounded on a small isolated

patch of sand, having a least depth of 14

feet over it, the ship's draught being

approximately 16 feet 10 inches. Some

twenty minutes before sighting the buoy

a leadsman was placed in the chains, and

the lead was kept going till the buoy was

sighted. The engines were also stopped

immediately prior to picking up the buoy,

and when the buoy was sighted the 

engines were ordered full speed, and 

the vessel took the ground about ten 

minutes after the order was given. Every 

endeavour was made with the appliances 

to hand to refloat the vessel, but without 

success, until the s.s. W infield rendered 

assistance. The bottom being soft sand 

and the water smooth, the vessel sustained 

no damage.

"My finding is:-(a.) The s.s. Koombana,

whilst on a coasting trip from Fremantle

to Derby via ports, grounded in the vicinity ;

of the entrance to the channel leading to i

Denham; (b) that the grounding was

caused by the master mistaking the mark

buoy in north side in the channel for the

outer or westerly buoy; (c) under the 

circumstances owing to the haze preventing ;

the master from verifying his position by 

bearings from the headlands, and the fact

that the lead would give little warning of

the approach of shoal waters, more care

should have been exercised when approaching 

Bar Flats, and the speed of the ship reduced 

to 'slow' until the vessel's position

had been definitely ascertained; 

(d) considering the past good record of the

master, and the fact that the vessel did

not sustain any injury, I recommend that

no further action be taken. (Signed) C. J.

Irvine, Chief Harbourmaster"

It is quite possible that the haze prevented accurate identification of the mark buoy. I would imagine that Captain Rees was both experienced and familiar with the intricacies of the channel. Conditions must, to a large degree, have 'plotted' against him. There is a clear implication that Captain Rees was over confident, running at high speed onto the sandbank, which in itself should have been viewed as negligence.

No further action taken is an interesting outcome. Mr. Irvine obviously believed this to be a genuine mistake. The image below confirms the complexity of Denham's location and surely this was not the first occasion when haze interfered with visibility and interpretation of buoys? Caution should have been the watchword, and I am constantly reminded of the politics behind the pride of the Australian coastal service.

If the standards of the east coast were to be mirrored on the Nor'-west, there should have been a port pilot to deal with this tricky approach to Denham. Perhaps this was a large part of the reason why Captain Irvine took a more lenient approach. 

How on earth could Captain Irvine have known: 'the vessel did not sustain any injury' ?? From what I understand, Koombana continued on to Derby and then back to Fremantle. 2 months later, when this statement was released, does not seem a feasible time period allowing for the round trip and dry-dock inspection of Koombana. Yes, a diver could make a cursory examination but this could not be considered complete.

Dry-dock - Brisbane (1910) - courtesy State Library of Queensland.