On a Jaunt

"Carpentaria” Goes Off On a Jaunt Torres Strait Lightship Drifts 300 Miles

ANCHORED near the Markura Shoal, at the western end of Torres Strait, the lightship Carpentaria guards Australia’s northern shores and warns mariners of the dangers of the reef-studded strait.

Frequently, however, the vessel will not “stay put” and, breaking away from her moorings, goes off on a jaunt out into the seas to the west.

Early in May word was received at Thursday Island that the frisky ship had slipped her shackles again and was mak ing off in the direction of the Aru Islands,

oft the coast of Dutch New Guinea. Hur riedly the Commonwealth steamer Gape Otway was despatched to search for the runaway.

Bearing evidence of battering in heavy seas, the Cape Otway returned to Thurs day Island on May 20 with the lightship in tow. The Carpentaria had drifted 300 miles westward. When she was located on May 15, the seas were so rough that eight hours were spent in getting the first man on board. Finally, after working under terrible conditions, a rope was got aboard and the anchor was taken in.

The lightship has no steering appar atus of her own and consequently, while being towed back to port behaved very capriciously. On May 17 the tow line parted, and as the light had been switched off the boat again drifted off into the darkness. She rambled 30 miles before the Cape Otway found her again.

A fresh tow line was got aboard and the remainder of the journey to T.I. was accomplished without mishap.

When she has been overhauled the Carpentaria will again be towed out to do sentinel duty at the western gate of Torres Strait. There with her flashing automatic light and her big booming bell she will be securely moored, and there she will stay until she is stirred by the winds of wanderlust to explore once more the seas that lie beyond the horizon.

The lightship “Carpentaria.”