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The Gisborne Photo News

 

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The Macuata Mishap

On a stormy Saturday night last month, an 83ft former Islands trading vessel, the Macuata, struggled gallantly down the East Coast against rising seas whipped up by a strong southerly buster. She was on her delivery voyage from Auckland to Napier where she was to be converted by the Cellina Trawling Company for deep-sea fishing.

Somewhere along the way, she sprang a leak, and at day-break on the Sunday morning, when it was reported that the pumps were unable to cope with the inflowing water, and that the engine would probably operate for only half an hour more, the vessel's master, Captain R. Lidgard of Auckland, abandoned his attempt to reach Gisborne, and decided to beach the craft at Whangara.

To do this, the Macuata had to negotiate a narrow channel in the reef across the entrance to the bay...a very dangerous manoeuvre in the prevailing conditions....but once through, leaving the storm-tossed seas behind, she sailed across the quieter waters and was driven firmly onto the sandy beach in the lee of an island at the southern side of the bay.

Here she remained for six and a half days, during which time, several unsuccessful attempts were made to refloat her, until she was finally pulled off the beach by the Auckland tug, Otapiri, and towed to Gisborne, and safety.

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At low tide the Macuata was left high and dry

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A few hardy spectators braved the biting southerly to have a look at the vessel shortly after it was beached

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The Macuata, watched by a sprinkling of people on the beach, with the Whangara Beach settlement in the background. (Picture by Lloyd Cornish).

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At low tide, the vessel dwarfs the salvage company's truck on the beach

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Captain Lidgard.

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After beaching, the Macuata slowly turned broadside on to the breakers, and was driven higher up the beach with every high tide. It was on the fourth attempt, after she had been turned bow out to sea, and a channel had been dug by a bulldozer, that she was finally towed free by the tug, Otapiri.

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Gisborne mechanics winching out a side-plate off the main engine which was removed in pieces to lighten the vessel.

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The Gisborne Aero Club's Cessna aircraft flying over the stranded vessel

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Two of the Gisborne Fire Brigade's pumps were installed on the Macuata for her short trip to Gisborne. Unloading them from a truck are: Deputy Chief Fire Officer M. L. Goodwin, Mr H. W. Walker, Second Engineer Jimmy Thompson, and Chief Engineer E. Holmes.

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Mr Walker examining one of the pumps, while the other one is winched aboard

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A large crowd gathered on the beach to witness the East Coast Fisheries' vessel, Sea Harvest, make an unsuccessful bid to free the Macuata

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Deputy Chief Fire Officer Goodwin examining the hull where its copper sheathing had been lost. At first it was thought that the water may have been leaking in through here but a hole was later found in her bottom.

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Mr R. Huston, a Whangara fisherman, in his light boat, which played an invaluable part in the refloating operations by providing a taxi service between the rescue vessel and the shore.

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Workers pulling a light line with the heavy wire towing cable attached to it from the Sea Harvest. This attempt was abandoned when the cable snapped

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Captain Lidgard (in bow) being ferried out to the Macuata in her dinghy shortly before towing operations began. The men on board are mechanics from Machinery and Tractor Company Ltd, who removed the engines.

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With the taut cable from the Sea Harvest straining at her bow, the Macuata is buffeted by breakers.

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Mr H. W. Walker bulldozing away sand from around the stranded vessel at low tide on the day she was refloated, (Picture by Mr Randall Witters)

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Against a stormy black sky, divided by a rainbow, the Auckland tug, Otapiri, works back and forth across the bay as it endeavours to free the Macuata from the clutches of the sand.

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Safely berthed in Gisborne for the night, the next morning the Otapiri manoeuvred the Macuata over to the slipway for inspection. She was later towed to Auckland for repairs. (Picture by Randall Witters).