REEF AT MOUTH OF HARBOUR

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25088, 21 January 1947, Page 8

REEF AT MOUTH OF HARBOUR

PASSAGE ON EACH SIDE WANGANELLA 15TH SHIP TO RUN ON ROCKS Barrett’s Reef is the chief obstruction at the entrance to Port Nicholson, and consists of a cluster of rocks, most of which stand well clear of the water nearlv in the centre of the harbour moutn. The reef extends a little more than half a mile almost north and south, with an average width of about 200 yards. The main entrance to the harbour is between Pencarrow Head and Barrett’s Reef, with a clear breadth of riot less than 1200 yards. West of the reef is Chaffer’s Passage, which, being rather tortuous, and having several smaller rocks on its western side, is seldom used. The Wanganella is the fifteenth ship to run on to Barrett’s Reef. The earliest recorded mishap on the reef occurred on October 16. 1848, when the ship Sobraon stranded on the reef loaded with passengers fleeing from Wellington because of earthquakes. In 1850 the ship Inconstant struck the reef. The hulk, beached at Wellington where the Bank of New Zealand now stands, was used by Mr John Plimmer as a store. On September 21, 1871. the threemasted schooner Lady Bird stranded on the south end of the reef. On May 28, 1874, the barque Earl of South Esk became a total loss after stranding on the south end of the reef. On April 8, 1876, the schooner Hunter. of 22 tons, stranded on the most southerly rock. Another small schooner, the Shepherdess, ran on the reef on September 10. 1876. On July 25. 1880, the barque Malay struck an outer rock of the reef. The first steamer to run on Bar-rett’s-Reef was the Napier, of 48 tons. This mishap occurred on December 8, 1882. I On November 3. 1883. the barque Cabafeidh struck the' outer rock. The parting of a towing warp on August 10. 1885, caused the barque Coronilla to strand on the reef. On October 6. 1897, the schooner Clansman struck the reef. The steamer Corinna ran on to the reef on August 5. 1915. The largest ship to strand on Barrett’s Reef before the Wanganella was the American freighter Golden Harvest, of 5644 tons, which struck on May 30, 1933. when bound from Wellington for Melbourne. She was refloated 24 hours later and returned to port for repair. According to Admiralty charts and other compilations the name is Barret Reef, but according to common usage the name is Barrett’s Reef. The reef takes its name from Dicky Barrett. one of the port’s original pilots and a well-known character of the earlv days. who. on retiring from whaling in Cook Strait, became host of a hotel on Lambton quay. The existing hotel on the same site still bears his name.