COOK STRAIT “GHOST”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 255, 28 October 1936, Page 6

COOK STRAIT “GHOST”

ALL-WEATHER STEAMER NIKAU’S REPUTATION NOW A DIESEL VESSEL . “Arrived: Nikau, t.s.m.v., 248 tuns, i Captain 4V. MacMillan, at 2.25 a.m. . from Tarakohc.” A brief announcement in the shipping notes of the day, perhaps a line or two notifying the public that she brought a matter-of-fact cargo of ceI ment and sailed again on the night tide, covers teh arrival and departure ! of the Anchor Company’s coastal , motor-ship Nikau on her frequent trips to Wanganui. Nothing else ! really matters in the prosaic but i necessary commercial routine of the vessel’s existence. To those who know and follow the , movements of ships, however, the I Nikau brings memories of other . years; of wild nights on the Cook I Strait crossing, of a proud little ship ■ that tossed her short bows in defiance , to the southerly rollers and with a full passenger list battled her way , across to Nelson or Wellington. Less . than a decade ago the Nikau was a , familiar ship in the ferry service. . . During her career she carried hun- I , dreds of passengers, many bags of mail and merchandise of all descripi lions. Practically without exception, no matter how severe the weather, , she put to sea often when larger ves- , seis remained in port. ’lhe i\iKau became so well known as an allweather ship that sailormen called her the Cook Strait “Ghost.” "An Ethereal Ship.” in those days she had a long white funnel, and immediately abalt the 1 wheel house carried a deck lamp. This would shire upon the swaying stack, throwing it into bold relief ana giving ’ the impression that the vessel moved, as it were, in a white glow. Observed from a passing ship the Nikau often had an ethereal appearance, particularly on a wild night, when, low in the water as she was, she steamed through showers ot spray. She remained the “ghost ship” for many years and it was not until about 1926 that she was withdrawn from the ferry run and placed in commission as a cargo trader. In 1909 the steamer arrived In New Zealand waters, having been built at Home for the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Company, Ltd., of Nelson, j Her supervising engineer at the construction yards was Mr. A. I. Brown, a veteran marine engineer who is now the company’s shore superintendent, at Nelson. Mr. Brown came out as chief engineer when the ship made her maiden voyage and remained in this capacity for several years. He supervised also the vessel’s conversion from steam to Diesel machinery, which took place as recently as last year. Prior to that the Nikau had accommodation for 35 passengers and space for 120 tons of cargo. Larger vessels were accomplishing the work carried on so well when the Nikau earned her reputation on the Welling-ton-Nelson highway. As a passenger vessel she was now to small. As a splendid sea boat., however, it was considered that she had many years of usefulness ahead of her. Diesel Engines Installed Two new British Polar engines, each capable of developing 150 nurse power, were purchased and the conversion took place at Nelson. Her passengetr space was ripped out, a big cargo hold substituted and electric winches installed. The vessel was equipped also with a 40 h.p. Gardner Diesel engine for generating electricity. When she went to sea again it L was obvious that a had taken place. The Niljau now has space for 175 tons of cargo and is engaged chiefly in transporting cement between Tarakohe and other New Zealand ports. Her present master is Captain W. MacMillan and her chief engineer is Mr. D. J. Paton. She arrived at Wanganui early last Sunday morning, discharged about 75 tons of cement at the Town Wharf yesterday, and sailed at four o'clock in the afternoon for Lyttelton to unload the remainder of her cargo. The Nikau, on occasions, still tramps across the Straits on dark nights; her short funnel glowing in the rays of a deck lamp; her bows flinging away the spray. And when they see her lights and hear the pant of Diesels and dynamo, old sailors think again of the “ghost ship” of I yesterday.