PREVIOUS WRECKS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1929, Page 7

PREVIOUS WRECKS

CLUTHA-BLUFF TOLL. The Manuka disaster adds the twelfth one to the dismal record of wrecs in the coastline between the mouth of the Clutha River and Bluff with the past half century. 184.3 Buna, whaling brig, lost on AVaipapa Point. 1867—South Australia, total loss in vicinity of Clutha River mouth whilst on voyage from Port Chalmers to Alelbourne, April 2. 187-I—Surat, immigrant ship, 1000 tons, Captain E. J. Johnson struck the land at Chasland’s Mistake, January 1, and made water at the rate of about 18in an hour. She refloated, sailed up the coast and was beached at Gatlins Harbour. The only person who witnessed the loss of the ship was Captain C. E. Hayward, who was liarhour master at Gatlins at the time. The ship also landed about 100 passengers at Jack’s Bay. At that time communication with Gatlins was very diffilicit, and a horseman was ordered to gallop to Balcutha and to send word to Dunedin with the result that the next morning the French warship Vi re lying in the Lower Harbour, the Government steamer Luna, also the small Wallaby, entered Catlins Bay. The Wallaby managed to get inside the entrance and pick up a large nunijier of passengers, transhipping them to other vessels. The passengers were brought to Dunedin, no lives being lost The ship was subsequently sold to a company , and men worked -many months salvaging the cargo. 1874—Steamer Early stranded at AVaipapa in September, hut got off. 1874—Comerang, paddle steamer, struck at AVaipapa Point in August, but was refloated.

1876—Steamer Otago, one of Mae-Aleekan-Blackwood’s Line Captain C'alder, totally lost, December 4. 1876—William Ackers, barque totally wrecked, in December on AVaipapa Point.

1887 —'I hie schooner, Bessie, commanded by Captain C. E. Hayward, was lost within a mile of the present wreck. Captain Hayward, his son and a passenger named G. Wilson were lost. One life was saved. The Bessie was bound to Catling from Dunedin. She was caught on the south side of Long Point Bay in a heavy sou’-wester and could not beat out, being driven ashore against the cliffs.

1881—Taranin,* Union Company’s steamer, struck Waipapa Point whilst hound from Port Chambers to Melbourne, via Bluff, and broke to pieces during the night of April 29. Captain (■«oorge Garrard and 130 others were drowned.

1883 Union Company’s /otomahana struck for a while on Waipapa Reef hut, being built of steel, she stood the knocking about and was refloated. 1892—Star of Erin barque, total loss in February, near Otarau Point.