Greymouth landmark

Press, 15 June 1978, Page 22

Greymouth landmark

Greymouth’s signalstation on the end of the south tip is now just a picturesque landmark. In its active period, over 10 years ago, it was staffed

by a Harbour Board employee who signalled to ships coming in over the bar of the Grey River. Signal balls were hoisted to the yardarm of the signal-station’s mast. One ball meant that dredging was going on in the river, two ball’s meant, “wait for the tide”; three balls, “the bar is dangerous”; and four balls, “come on in.” Now shipping receives its information through ship-to-shore radio, and the Greymouth control room is at the back of the Harbour Board building in Guiness Street. When a ship is expected off the bar, the shipping

company receives a telegram from the ship, and notifies the Harbour Board. Their control-room then contacts the ship by radio and gives them bar and tide conditions, and a weather report. If it is a large overseas ship, a pilot is put on board before the ship enters the river. The port of Greymouth is fairly quiet these days. So far this year, only six large ships have berthed there. The control-room is manned for eight hours daily and a listening sked kept at intervals during the off-duty hours. In an emergency the Harbour Board is contacted by the Grey-

mouth police via Wellington. The Harbour Board are notified when any large overseas ship is in the area, even when it will not be entering the river. Recently they were told that two big Korean fishing boats would be lying oft Greymouth for some time. The William Steer is the Harbour Board’s 15.2 m launch, which was built locally in 1960. It is used for towing, sounding and pilot work, and for search and rescue. Regular soundings of the bar are taken by Harbour Board staff, especially after heavy seas or flooding. The depth varies from 2.5-sm.