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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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Queens
Wharf Auckland Waterfront
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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.
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| 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.
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| Washday
aboard Picton Castle |
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| Ship
Shape in the washing department |
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| Making
sails and rigging ready for sea |
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| Decks
Shipshape and ready for sea |
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| Mainsails Set |
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| 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.
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Down the
Channel, in view of Bastion Point
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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.
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| 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:
