JS Comet - Arrival and first attempt at departure!!!!

A new ship to Bundaberg, the "JS Comet", sailed up the Burnett River yesterday from Tasmania, assisted by local tug "Ballina", with the "SMIT Leopard" from Gladstone standing by.

For this docking the port anchor was dropped into the river, and the "Ballina" then pushed the stern around until it was again parallel to the wharf. Then the tugs eased the ship the remaining metres to successfully tie up.

These days the 178m ship can be loaded in under 24 hours, so ETD was set for 7:30 this morning. The departure to Melbourne seemed normal from my position on the bank of the river in line with the bow, the lines had been cast off and the "Ballina" was easing the ship away from the wharf, when all of a sudden the starboard anchor was despatched into the deep. One of the linesmen then made a dash for the moored lineboat in order to ferry the mooring lines back to the wharf.





Panic on the fore-deck !!!! Notice the starboard anchor has been deployed.

 Further enquiries told me that the ship's engine had stopped - now that wouldn't be good if it happened five minutes later.