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NZ Gazette 27th June 1840
THE SIREN
....The Schooner Hannah had proceeded to the Kiapara Harbour, to assist in getting off the brig SIREN which was wrecked
some short time since.
LOSS OF THE AURORA
NZ Gazette & Wellington Spectator 30th May 1840
The "Bee" reports the total wreck of the Aurora at Kiapara (Kaipara)
lately from this port.
The Sophia Pate
NZ Gazette & Wellington Spectator 20th October 1841
The Sophia Pate after visiting Auckland and the Bay of
Islands, proceeded to Kiapara (Kaipara) to load timber. She unfortunately
got upon a sand bank at the entrance, and become a total wreck. Melancholy
to relate, out of 24 passengers on board, twenty-one met a watery grave.
The crew were saved.
LOSS OF THE BARQUE MARY
CATHERINE
New Zealander 23rd May 1846
On the 25th April, the fine barque Mary Catherine, Capt.
Howlett, 400 tons, left Auckland for the Port of Kaipara on the western coast,
to take in a valuable cargo of spars for England. It is with regret, we
have to announce that advices were received last Sunday, overland, with account
of the Mary Catherine having being driven on a sand-bank in the harbour of the
Kaipara, after parting from the chain and warps, in that most tremendous gale
which occurred during the night of Saturday, the 9th May. It is most
satisfactory to state, that no lives were lost, and that what cargo there was on
board of copper, oil, flax, and kauri gum, will be saved.
The Mary Catherine arrived off the harbour of Kaipara,
on the afternoon of the 5th May, when she lay to until the following morning,
Wednesday, the 6th; - when she entered the heads, with a north-east breeze, and
work in, beautifully, between the shoals. The Tory shoal was weathered at 5
p.m., and she anchored at 7 p.m., in nine fathoms water, off Point Dawson; she
remained at this anchorage until Saturday, the 9th, when, at 3 p.m., as the
barometer was rapidly falling and the weather bore a very threatening aspect,
the barque got underweigh, blowing hard at south-west, under double reefed
topsails; but at the first cast of the lead the water shoaled from six to two
fathoms, and she immediately struck. However, the stream anchor was immediately
got out ahead, with 140 fathoms of good warps, and she was hove off to six
fathoms water; but the breeze increasing to a perfect gale, it was found
impossible to get her into deep water, and the larboard chain veered out, until
her heel was in three fathoms water, and still holding onto the warps. The
gale during the night increased to a prefect hurricane, and continued until the
following Wednesday, with increasing violence. On Monday, the 11th, the
ship parted from both warps and chain, and was driven height on the sand-bank.
It then being the full moon, the spring tides, added to the force of the
gale, forced the vessel higher on the bank. A survey has been held on
board the vessel by the captains of other ships in the harbour of the Kaipara,
where there are so few facilities as well as inhabitants, will be so great, that
it will be more to the interest of the underwriters and all parties concerned,
that the vessel should be publicly sold as she now lies.
Mary Catherine Rebuilt -
Renamed the Charles
Nelson Examiner & NZ Chronicle 23rd October 1847
The ship Charles, built from the wreck of the Mary Catherine,
at Kaipara, sailed from Auckland for London on the 16th of September.
New Page 1
The Barque Helena wrecked between Manukau and Kaipara
The Barque Posthumus wrecked
at Kaipara Heads
Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle 26th November 1853
By the Sydney newspapers we have news until the 8th of
October. the violent gales of wind which were experienced in the early
part of September, noticed by us on the receipt of our last intelligence from
Auckland, proved very disastrous to shipping. The barque Helena was
wrecked on the West Coast, between Kaipara and Manukau, with the loss of the
captain, mate and four hands.
The Barque Posthumus has also been wrecked in entering Kaipara
Harbour, but no lives lost.
LOSS OF THE STAR OF THE EAST
Southern Cross 6th Feb 1855
We regret having to record the loss of the ship "Star of the
East," Captain A. Ashmore, which occurred off Kaipara, on the morning of the
30th January.
The following are particulars, as far as we have been able to
ascertain, of the unfortunate occurrence:-
The "Star of the East" was timber laden, and had been waiting
for some days for a fair wind to enable her to proceed to sea; on the morning of
the 30th ult. a strong breeze set in from the North, and the Capt. immediately
made all sail in order to get to sea, unfortunately before the vessel was clear
of the outer shoal, the wind fell light, with puffs from the S.E., there being
no hopes of getting the ship through the main channel, the Pilot recommended
that an attempt should be made to get to sea by the Fanny Channel. Owing
to the lightness of wind, and the ebb tide, the attempt did not succeed, and the
vessel struck in the Fanny Channel. The boats were cut adrift, the long
boat filled, and was washed overboard; one of the gigs was also stove, twenty
men got into the remaining boat, while the Captain was stunned, by a blow
received from some of the falling rigging; on recovering he round two life
buoys, one of which he fastened on, he handed the other to the Chief Officer,
who had remained on board, then jumped overboard and swam to the remains of one
of the boats which was floating bottom upwards, where they remained until the
crew having reached the long boat, and bailed her out, came to their assistance,
in about an hour and a half afterwards. During the time the Captain and
Chief Officer were on the bottom of the boat, they saw three sharks swimming
around them. After some time all hands reached the North Head; and
eventually Mangawhare, the residence of H. Atkin's, Esq., where they were
hospitably received; and intel of the unfortunate catastrophe was immediately
forwarded to Auckland.
Wreck of the Lotus
Taranaki Herald 3rd September 1864
The Schooner Lotus, Capt. Nelson was wrecked on the Kaipara
bar on the 18th ultimo, when bound for Taranaki with 60,000ft of timber.
Vessel a total wreck - no lives lost.
Otago Witness 10th September 1864
....The Schooner Lotus was quite new, this being her second
trip only. She is said to have cost L2200. The crew suffered greatly
from hunger before being rescued from the wreck.
Daily Southern Cross 12th October 1864
From the latest accounts from Kaipara, we learn that the
ill-fated schooner Lotus, which was recently wrecked at Kaipara Heads, had been
safely beached and had not sustained any serious damage. The Wild Wave was
still attending her for the purpose of rendering what assistance might be
required.
WRECK OF
THE SCHOONER MIDGE
The Schooner Midge came to
grief at Poutu while crossing the Kaipara Bar on 15th December 1871. The
following is a contemporary account taken from the Daily Southern Cross 18th
December 1871:-
TOTAL WRECK OF THE
SCHOONER MIDGE
News was received in town
yesterday of the total wreck of the fine schooner Midge, inside Kaipara Heads on
the 15th of December. To Messrs L.D. Nathan and Co. we are indebted for
the following particulars taken from letters just received by them from Captain
Stewart. The Midge left Auckland on the morning of the 9th of December,
with a general cargo of merchandise for Ahipara and Aratapu Saw Mills, where she
was to load 70,000ft of timber for Dunedin. The Midge arrived at Ahipara
on Wendesday the 13th December, after fine weather passage. She landed a
portion of her cargo, but night coming on had to stand out to sea, arriving at
the Kaipara Heads on the 14th. Took on board the pilot and proceeded over
the bar; the weather at the time being fine, with a heavy roll on the bar. At 3
pm on Thursday last the Midge struck at Poutu, inside the Kaipara Heads, and
near the mouth of the Wairoa River. The weather at the time was fine (at
all events in the river), though a high sea was running. The crew were all
safely got on shore, and every means used to save the cargo, but without
success. A few hours after the schooner struck it was found that she had
six feet of water in her hold, and that her back had been broken. The crew
were then set to work to save the spars, sails etc, the seas all the time making
clean breaches over the vessel. At noon on Friday last all hopes of saving
the vessel were given up, the sea still running high and continuing to break
over the Midge; to was seen that she was breaking up fast.
Mr Thomas Peacock and Mr Stewart
(of Steward and Anderson) who arrived in Auckland from the scene of the wreck on
Saturday night last, report that a great portion of the cargo of the vessel and
a quantity of her timbers had been washed ashore before they left on Friday
evening. The Midge was insured in the New Zealand office for one thousand
four hundred pounds, and a portion of the cargo was insured in the Pacific, but
to what amount we are unable to learn.
It will be in the remembrance of
our readers that the Midge, (then a screw steamer) came out from London about
five years ago, under the command of Captain Loutitt, Captain Stewart (her
owner) and his family being passengers by her. Shortly after her arrival,
the Thames gold fields were thrown open, and the Midge's machinery was at once
put in order, and she was placed on the Thames trade, in which she continued
until faster vehicles were placed in opposition. She was then taken off the trade, and after her machinery had
been taken out, she was transformed into
a schooner, and since then until the time of the unfortunate mishap that has
occurred to her, has been successfully engaged in the South Sea Island trade.
The Midge was originally built for, and employed as one of the pilot boats in
the English Channel.
THE SCHOONER
MIDGE - OFFICIAL ENQUIRY
(Daily Southern Cross - 1st January 1872)
An official enquiry was held at the
Custom-House on Wednesday last, before H.S. McKellar, Esq., Collector of
Customs, and Captain Clayton, Nautical Assessor, into the cause of the wreck of
the schooner Midge, at Kaipara. The following evidence was given:
David Arthur Stewart Master of the Midge:
I was master of the schooner Midge. I hold a New Zealand certificate as
master of steamers, and a mate's certificate from the Board of Trade. The
Midge sailed from Auckland on the 9th December, and arrived at Kaipara on the
14th. I took the vessel over the bar myself at about 2 a.m. and came to
anchor off the Pilot station in 3.5 fathoms. I was boarded shortly afterwards by
the pilot (Mr. Chapman), who took charge of the vessel. We started about 1
p.m. When off Poutu Point, a strong ebb tide at the time (a three quarter ebb),
the pilot anxious to stem the tide, kept close to the bank. The pilot was
paying every attention to his duty -attending to the lead himself. When
at 3.5 fathoms the helm was put hard to port, but it was too late, her heel
touched the sand, and she fell broadside on to the bank. The weather at
the time was fine and not much sea. At the first of the flood, the wind
freshened, and a heavy sea set in, which drove the vessel hard up on the bank.
The waves came broadside onto the rocks, and striking hard, knocked the
schooner's bottom in and broke her back. The vessel now lies a total
wreck, full of water, sanded up outside and in. All hands, at daylight,
the next morning, were employed in saving cargo, spars and sails etc. The
exact position is between a quarter and half a mile south of Poutu Point.
There is no buoy marking the outline of the bank. The wind was S.W.
I consider the value of the vessel to be one thousand eight hundred pounds.
It was insured for One thousand four hundred pounds. The value of the
cargo was about one hundred and sixty pounds, which I believe was partly
insured. The pilot was in a perfectly fit state to his duty. -
Martin Henry Burrell, mate of the Midge, and holding a master's certificate from
the Board of trade No. 5,880, also gave evidence.
George Prowse Chapman Harbour Master of
the Kaipara Station: I am a master mariner, holding a master's certificate from
the Royal Navy. I am Harbour-master and pilot at the Kaipara station.
I boarded the Midge about north of the Otamatea channel, near Tapora spit
channel. I got under way, as she was not in a safe position, and steered
for the Wairoa. I ported the helm when I sounded at 7 fathoms, she did not
answer her helm at all. I then got 3.5 fathoms. She then touched the
ground. I think the tide took her on the starboard bow and swept her round
the edge of the bank. It is very steep there. I was about half a
mile from the shore. She struck about 2.50 p.m. The officers and the
crew tried to save the vessel. The nature of the bottom is soft sandy
rock. (The rest of the witness's evidence was corroborative of Captain Stewart's
and his officer's).
John Edwards Able Seaman on the Midge:
I was engaged as an able seaman on board the schooner Midge, and was on board on
the 14th December last. I was at the wheel at the time of the casualty,
about 2.30 p.m. The pilot was in charge of the vessel. I was
steering by signals from him and not by compass. He was at the lead
himself. The first sounding I heard was 6 fathoms, next 5.5 fathoms, and
last 3.5 fathoms. He sang out to me to port the helm. I did so.
There was a strong ebb tide running down, about half-ebb - I should think over
five knots; very strong. I noticed the vessel did not appear to answer her
helm very well, scarcely at all. The helm was a-port 5 or 6 minutes before
she struck. the pilot cam aft twice, and asked if the helm was hard
a-port. I said Yes. As soon as we struck, we got a kedge anchor out
with the intention of heaving her out. When she floated again as soon as
the tide began to make, a heavy sea set in, and as soon as she began to float
she labour very heavily. Her anchor was let go, but it seemed to be of no
good. I thought she would go to pieces. The place where she struck
is hard sand, and it appears to me to be about twice the vessel's length from
the Wairoa Channel. The boat was smashed to pieces alongside. We go
to shore at low water about 6.30 a.m. of the 15th; the vessel was then about
half embedded in the sand. We saved all the cargo that was in her, and the
sails, spars etc. In my opinion the vessel is a total wreck without any
possibility of recovery. The pilot appeared to be perfectly sober, and capable of doing his duty.
This was all the evidence taken, and the
depositions will be forwarded to Wellington.
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