By Plane to the Lighthouses

When an assistant lighthouse-keeper was needed urgently at Portland Island last month, the aero-plane once again demonstrated its speed and usefulness on the East Coast. In less than three hours a Cessna aircraft owned by Marshall's Air Transport Ltd., piloted by the proprietor, Mr Noel Marshall, travelled from Gisborne to the isolated East Cape, picked up Mr Chiles, the assistant keeper there, flew him to Portland, off the coast of Mahia Peninsula, and returned to Gisborne.

Aboard the plane was Mr Ken H. Walters, well-known Gisborne chemist, who took these pictures illustrating the flight. The aircraft left Gisborne at 7.30 a.m., arrived at East Cape at 8.10 a.m., at Portland Island at 9.30 a.m., and after some time spent on the island, was back in Gisborne shortly after 10 a.m. East Cape, by road to Te Araroa and then by track and beach to the lighthouse, is at least eight hours from Gisborne by road, while Portland Island, accessible only by launch in good weather, is a full day's travel from here.

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East Cape from the air, with the lighthouse on the prominent headland in foreground. The landing strip is at extreme left of picture.

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Aeroplanes being rare visitors to the Cape, the Cessna soon attracted curious visitors.

Portland, above, is a lonely island off the southern tip of Mahia Peninsula. In earlier days it was a haven for the whalers who frequented the East Coast. For navigators by sea it is an important landmark, marking the entrance to Hawkes Bay. The only inhabitants are the two lighthouse keepers and their families, who live in the small cluster of buildings clearly visible in the picture. In this exposed position they suffer the full brunt of the southerly gales sweeping across the outer bay.

At Portland recently, the head keeper, Mr Shepherd, had a remarkable escape from injury or death while grading the steep road which leads from the jetty to the plateau on which the settlement is situated. The grader blade struck a boulder and the machine crashed 400ft to the beach. Fortunately Mr Shepherd was able to jump clear.

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Map shows location of lighthouses in rotation to Gisborne

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Lone cow regards lone plane on Portland landing strip

Picture at right shows plane at Portland, with (left to right) Mr Marshall (the pilot), the assistant-keeper at East Cape, Mr Chiles (who was taken to Portland), and the head keeper at Portland, Mr Sheppard.

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Mr Williams, head keeper at the East Cape lighthouse.

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As old whaling pot on Portland Island

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The jetty on Portland.... for use at high tide only

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Boat, up-side-down, has been used as shelter on Portland.