REFUSED TO ENTER PORT HEDLAND.

 

The Pibarra Goldfield News, 3 March, 1906

Port Hedland

(From our own Correspondent.) .

Our Port Hedland correspondent

writes, under date February 19, as

follows :—

Last Friday the mail boat Tyrian

arrived in the roads and refused to

approach the jetty, notwithstanding

the tide gauge registered 19ft. of water,

which was signalled to the steamer.

The captain, however, preferred the

delay of sending in two of the ship's 

boats with the passengers and mails.

One boat leaked to such an extent that

on arriving at the jetty it was nearly

half full of water. Much indignation

was shown by the passengers and

shippers towards the action adopted by

the captain without a reasonable cause

as the steamer was only drawing 15ft.,'

3in.

This was the reality. Koombana drew 16 ft. aft and the the 'gauge' read 19 ft. over the bar when she made her run for open sea. There can never be any doubt as to the challenges presented entering and exiting Port Hedland. That 20 March offered a heavy ground swell coming in from the northwest and turbulence over the bar weighed very heavily on Koombana's captain who was reported to have looked ill - who wouldn't?

SS Tyrian - courtesy State Library of Queensland.

courtesy Flotilla Australia:

SS Tyrian. 1,455 gross tons; 260 ft. x 33 ft.; passenger/cargo steamer built by Day Summers, Northham for Union S Co Ltd, Southampton. Single screw, steel hull. Triple expansion engine. 1895 - 1938.

courtesy Trove.