Tall Ships visit Auckland

Tall Ship Europa

 Tall Ships Arrive

Beginning of Labour Weekend October 2013 marked an event not often seen in Auckland, New Zealand in modern times - the arrival of nine "tall ships" - part of the Tall Ships Festival. They were New Zealand's own Spirit of New Zealand along with the barque Picton Castle, ship Lord Nelson; from the Netherlands - Bark Europa, three-masted topsail schooner Oosterschelde and Tecla; NZ Northland's own R Tucker Thompson, a gaff rigged top sail schooner; last but not least-Breeze, a brigantine.
 

Stern of Tall Ship Picton Castle at Queens Wharf October 2013 - photo CRB

The Tall Ships berthed at Queens and Princes Wharf. Queens Wharf has played a significant historical role in the development of Auckland City since its beginnings way back in 1852. Then it was a timber wharf.

Tall ship Bark Europa from the Netherlands alongside " The Cloud " - Photo CRB

The Tall Ships berthed at Queens Wharf, bought back Part of the Past - another era when tall ships and masts crowded Queens Wharf in the Port of Auckland. A time when Queens Wharf was bustling with the loading and unloading of cargo.

Queens Wharf Auckland Waterfront

In those days Queens Wharf was a bit like an International  Airport - people

coming and going, emigrants arriving, newspaper journalists hovering around to get the latest story from shipping owners such as Henderson & Macfarlane,

Northern Steamship Company, Union Steamship Company. ( In those days there was no Skype or television news.) Nor was there " The Cloud" on the wharf such as there is in 2013.

Bow of Europa

                             

Those aboard ship throughout this Part of the Past, as in 2013, continued on with the daily tasks of scrubbing the decks; getting sails and rigging ship shape and ready for sea ; catching up on personal chores.

Washday aboard Picton Castle

Ship Shape in the washing department

Making sails and rigging ready for sea

Decks Shipshape and ready for sea

Mainsails Set

Sailing on

The last day of Labour Weekend 2013 and the end of the " Tall Ships Festival." They sailed out of Auckland Harbour and out to sea on the next leg of their voyage.

Down the Channel, in view of Bastion Point

Past Takuranga (what also became known by early European settlers in the early 1840s  "Flagstaff Hill"). Part of the Past in New Zealand History - the era of sailing ships. There were no motors in those days and with reliance on winds, tides and waters, the journey into Port could sometimes take days. Signalmen on "Flagstaff Hill" raised different flags to let the townspeople of Auckland know which ships were arriving. Also to help guide the ships in. 

One such flag used was to signal arrival of the clipper barque, Joseph Fletcher. This ship's  flag that of a private signal - a lion rampart holding a scallop shell, argent, on a field, gules. 

Past Takukuranga

Then on out to sea past Bean Rock Lighthouse and Rangitoto Island on the Port side of the tall ships. Bean Rock Lighthouse seen by these tall ships and many others since its installation in 1870.

Bound for the next leg of the voyage.

Reference Source:

• Tall Ships Festival 2013 Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum
• Takuranga - Flagstaff Hill North Shore's Monthly Magazine Channel
• Passenger Lists Joseph Fletcher New Zealand Yesteryears