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Goodbye To Agnes
Agnes, a Gisborne Lightering and Stevedoring Company barge, which has given solid service ferrying cargoes to and from overseas ships in the Giaborne roadstead for wore than ten years, was unceremoniously disposed of recently, when she was scuttled off Kaiti Beach.
Along with her sister ship, Florence, which mat a similar fate a short while ago, Agnes was towed to Gisborne front Wanganui by the Keiwaka in 1951, for the resumption of roadstead loading after the war.
Within a day of Agnes's departure, her replacement vessel, the Hauraki, sailed somewhat triumphantly into port after her voyage from Auckland in tow behind the G.H.B. tug, Hikurangi.
Moored alongside the Harbour Board's dredge in the entrance channel, Agnes takes on her last cargo....mud
Old salt takes off his hat to Agnes as she sinks to the depths
Agnes passes the end of the breakwater for the last time
Water gushes in as Doug Jessop smashes in temporary patch in barge's side
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Lightering Co. staff, Doug Jassop, Mo Mohene, and Ray Paul, hurry off the barge as she rapidly fills with water, to the safety of the tug, Tikirau. At right is Jim Campbell.
Agnes sinks low in the water before finally submerging
Replacement vessel, Hauraki, arrives in Gisborne with the Hikurangi