NOW A LANDING STAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue CXXIII, 10 April 1937, Page 24

NOW A LANDING STAGE

OLD WHALER OTHELLC^.

For several years Norwegian whalers have operated from bases in other

countries, but the base at Pryse's Bay, Stewart. Island, is still maintained in good order, a resumption of operations there no doubt being a prospect of the near future. Two Norwegians are in charge. ,

The landing stage.smacks of romance ■itself for it was once an old sailing .vessel, the Othello. Now partly submerged, it is used as a wharf.. Time was when the Othello set a record for the passage from Melbourne to Bluff, a record that defied both sailing and steam ships for many years, and was broken only a few years ago. : ' ■

The Othello was a whaler of the old type about these waters, the whaling grounds being about eight miles off the Solander Island, which lies some 32 miles off Mason's Bay, on the western side of Stewart Island. It was here that the sperm whales fed, and this was the centre of activity of the early 'day whaling and sealing fleets.

-'After being retired from active service the Othello was used as a coalhulk at Bluff for years, and the Norwegians purchased her for about £60, realising that it was a cheaper, method of making a permanent wharf at Pryse's Bay than erecting one.

. "Your people were foolish not to have bought that vessel, burnt her, and collected the copper," a member of 'the Norwegian expedition told a Stewart Island- friend. The Othello, was all copper-fastened.

Another, famous old vessel lies at the entrance to Paterson Inlet, this being the old inter-colonial and . coastal steamer Tarawera,. famed for, .its siren whistle. She was secured from . the' Union ■ Company several years ago, by the Norwegians to use as a bulk store ship. at the base. Towed down to Pryse's Bay from Port 'Chalmers and 'moored there, she served her purpose at the base, but when operations were suspended she became rather a responsibility, and in case she should break away and become a menace to shipping, the Norwegians obtained permission from the Marine Department to sink her at Lowry Bay, and there she lies, forming, a breakwater or shelter for the Neck fishing boats.

Where all was so much bustle at the whaling base a few years ago, a spirit of restfuln'ess hovers over the wellsheltered bay now, but there is much about the place to remind one of the operations of the fleet, and not far from the wharf are moored three of the fleet's coal-burners. These have been replaced in the fleet's operations by, oil-burners, but their engines are of value, and there is no doubt that the ships would be useful as trawlers. The men in" charge keep the fleet's launches in first-class order, and the buildings are kept spick and span, everything about the place being so maintained that in the event of the necessity arising the base could be ready for use again at' very short notice. -Perhaps the time is not far distant when Pryse's Bay will again re-echo to the activity of the Norwegian whaling fleet, .