STRANDED ON REEF

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1935, Page 7

STRANDED ON REEF

TASMANIAN MAID FOUNDERS. OFF NEW PLYMOUTH IN 1867. Following the course laid down by a faulty chart the vessel, Tasmanian Maid, was stranded 67 years ago to-day on the long south reef outside the Sugar Loaves at New Plymouth. The 19 people aboard her were saved but the accident meant a loss of £3OOO and a: cargo of £5OO or £6OO to her master, Captain William Soutar. The Tasmanian Maid sailed from Manakau on January 15, 1868, with acargo of potatoes, cheese and onions. She was to have sailed direct to Greymouth and Hokitika but a shortage of coal caused the captain to put in at New Plymouth to refuel and to shelter from the strong wind blowing. There was nothing defective in the construction of the vessel. She was fully manned and well found in rigging, cables, anchor and sails; nor was she overladen. She set out from New Plymouth at dusk and was shaping her course outside the Sugar Loaves, when the accident occurred. Her captain was relying on a chart with the position of the ’ uoys and significant pointe marked. This was, however, evidently inaccurate and a reef known as Long Reef on the southern side of the town was not drawn out sufficiently far on it. Tne Tasmanian Maid struck it and sank in ten minutes. , Steering a course parallel to the Tasmanian Maid but outside her art the time the accident was another ship, the Storm Bird. She was able to assist the 1- ’-courmaster, who had rushed to the spot, in picking up the passengers and crew from the stranded vessel.