Page 56 - Greystones Archaeological Historical Society
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THE ACCIDENT THAT TIME FORGOT

          attempted to close the damaged doors using a crowbar but was
          unable  to  so  do.  Other  crew  members  also  tried  to  close  the
          damaged doors with no success and these attempts had to be
          abandoned after twenty minutes. An attempt to use what cargo
          was to hand to block the doors also failed.

              The rough conditions meant that after 9 a.m. serving food to
          passengers had ceased as many of them began to suffer from
          the  effects  of  sea  sickness  due  to  the  constant  pitching  and
          rolling of the ship.

              Captain  Fergusson  then  decided  that  they  would  sail  in
          reverse, i.e. stern first, back to Stranraer but to do this a bow
          rudder  had  to  be  lowered  and  locked  in  place.  Able  Seaman
          Nelson  with  Able  Seaman  McKinnon  and  carpenter  William
          Gowan went for’ard to remove the locking gear and engage the
          rudder but the waves breaking over them made this extremely
          difficult  and  they  were  unable  to  unlock  the  rudder  releasing
          wheel to engage the rudder.


              At  9.46  a.m.  radio  officer  David  Broadfoot  sent  an  urgent
          radio message ‘Hove to over mouth of Loch Ryan. Vessel not
          under command. Urgent assistance of tug required’.

              From 10 a.m. onwards, passengers began to hear the first of
          a series of public address system announcements advising them
          to prepare for heavy rolling but that they were safe. However
          third-class passengers noticed that they had to hold onto their
          seats  to  avoid  sliding  around  while  in  other  parts  of  the  ship
          furniture not tied down started to move around the place.

          In Distress


              At 10.30 a.m. the first distress signal was sent out:


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