Page 25 - Insurance Times December 2023

the bewilderment of some crew members. The wind was before, there was no visible sign of a leak. Fortunately, the
now due east, blowing from right ahead, and bringing with engineer was a man with a good knowledge of his ship. He
it a rising sea that sent spray soaring over the Cumberland’s concluded that, as the tank sounding pipe was at its after
blunt bows. The futility of attempting to read the weather end, the unexplained reduction of 3 inches in the sounding
from an office 6,500 miles removed from the scene was now must indicate the Cumberland was trimming by the head,
becoming evident. Navitech’s forecast had gone badly whereas she should have been slightly by the stern. He rang
wrong, and by noon on June 4th, the Cumberland, then south the bridge, suggesting to the Chief Officer, who was then
of the Cook Islands, was experiencing a near gale from the on watch, that the forward holds and tanks be sounded.
east and labouring in rough seas. As the days passed, the
weather grew steadily worse, and by the time the deep Captain Kaisar was called and at once took a grasp of the
laden carrier was south of Iles Gambier, on the morning of situation. The Cumberland was at the time pitching heavily
June 9th, she was battling against a full gale and shipping and shipping water on the foredeck, so Kaisar brought her
green seas on deck. Navitech continued to talk of winds round onto a northerly course, putting the sea abaft the
force 4 to 6, although they did concede that there might starboard beam. This left the port side of the deck dry, and
be a very brief increase to force 7. a cadet was sent forward to take soundings. He came aft
again fifteen minutes later with the devastating news that
As per the ship’s routine, the Cumberland’s hold bilges were No. 1 port bilge was showing 20 feet of water.
being sounded twice a day by the carpenter. It was on June
9th, that he first reported water in No. 1 hold bilges. His The Captain then sent the Chief Officer on deck, who, armed
rod showed 3 inches port and starboard, not a great deal with a torch, entered No. 1 hold through the forward access
of water; it might be moisture draining off the cargo, or hatch. As he descended, he heard the unmistakable swish
water seeped in through a leaking hatch. In a ship as old of water below him. The beam of his torch revealed that
and badly used as the Cumberland, the latter would not be the cargo in the hold was completely submerged. The water
surprising. The pumps were started and the bilges showed level was, in fact, only five steps below him on the ladder;
dry within a very short time. Pitcairn Island passed at a at a rough estimate 30 feet deep. Regaining the deck, the
distance of 35 miles to the north on the afternoon of June Chief Officer then checked No. 2 hold in the same manner,
10th. and he found a similar state of affairs, the water being at
about half height of the hold, again around 30 feet deep.
The weather had eased somewhat, but it was still blowing There was a strong and obnoxious smell in the hold, and the
East northeast force 7, with very rough seas. The atmosphere was misty. This was probably due to the water
Cumberland was riding the weather comfortably enough, turning the lead concentrates in the hold to a slurry. It was
rolling and pitching moderately, and making 10.3 knots. with some trepidation that the Chief Officer, now thoroughly
Navitech was now predicting a further improvement, alarmed, moved aft to No. 3 hold, and shone his torch down
forecasting the wind to drop to force 5. The night went well, through the access hatch. He was relieved when the beam
and on the morning of June 11th the carrier was to the south showed only a mound of dry ore. If there was any water in
of Ducie Island, the easternmost of the Pitcairn Group. The the hold, then it was below the level of the cargo.
wind had veered to the east southeast, bringing it on the
starboard bow, but it continued to blow force 7, although The Chief Officer returned to the bridge and reported his
the sea seemed to be flattening out. The speed was up to a findings to Captain Kaisar, who instructed the engine room
little in excess of 11 knots. At 1130 hrs, the Second Engineer, to put its most powerful pumps on No. 1 hold bilges. Both
was making his rounds of the engine room, sounded the ballast pumps were brought into use, and by 1830 hrs, they
lubricating oil drain tank, and found it to be 1.5 inches below were pumping water over the side at the rate of 300 tons
the normal level. per hour. After two hours, the pumps were changed over
to No. 2 hold bilges. Capt. Kaisar seemed certain that his
Given that this tank when full contained only 19.5 tons, the ship had somehow developed a hole below the waterline–a
loss was not significant, but there was something about it sure sign that she was down by the head. It could be that
that worried the Second Engineer. He checked the sounding the pumps would be able to hold the water at bay, allowing
again, and then for a third time. The discrepancy was still the Cumberland to reach Balboa.
there. That afternoon, at around 1600 hrs, the Second
Engineer again went below to check the lubricating oil tank. Capt. Kaisar deliberated only for a short while, then decided
The sounding was down by another 1.5 inches, but, as to reverse course and make for Pitcairn Island, which

The Insurance Times December 2023 23