 She was in a leaking condition with engine problems that required immediate dry docking that was expected to take several days.By extraordinary effort the ship was repaired early, but in the meantime much of the crew had left town in expectation of a longer stay.Three days late, with a crew filled out from seaman volunteers from a local Naval brig released from minor offenses, the ship got underway in the early hours of 27 October in an unescorted dash across the Atlantic to join the convoy.