NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
April 1881 Southland Fog ( 1881-04-29 )
Poor visibility caused SS Tararua to be shipwrecked on Otara Reef, off Waipapa Point
Southland
Fog
at
Waipapa Point
Poor visibility due to fog could have been the cause of the shipwreck of 'SS Tararua'.
A haze hung over the land and no distinguishing features could be seen.
The SS Tararua, bound for Bluff, ran onto the Otara Reef (off Waipapa Point) shortly after 5 am on the 29th of April 1881.
131 people died including 12 women and 14 children and only 20 people made it to shore.
Maritime / Coastal
High seas hindered rescue efforts and from noon on the 29th no help could have been given by either sea or land. Two of the boats were smashed, another capsized and nearly a score of people were washed overboard when sea swept over ship.
Multi Hazard
The Tararua was carrying an est. £4000 of silver coins which was not recovered.
Wreck was primarily caused through the failure of the master to ascertain at 4am on the 29th of April the correct position of the ship. There was also negligent failure to keep a proper lookout. The broken water of the reef must have been observed some minutes before the vessel struck and in all probablity sufficient time afforded for the danger to be avoided.
References
- Ingram, C. W. (1990). New Zealand shipwrecks: 195 years of disasters at sea. Auckland, NZ: Beckett Books Ltd
- Ingram, C. W. and Wheatley, P. O. (Eds.). (2007). New Zealand shipwrecks: Over 200 years of disasters at sea. (L Diggle, E. Diggle and K. Gordon, Eds. 8th ed.). Auckland, NZ: Hachette Livre NZ. (Original work published 1936).
- Headline: Rest in pieces.
- Southland Times, 12 October 2002.
April 1881 Southland Fog ( 1881-04-29 )
Poor visibility caused SS Tararua to be shipwrecked on Otara Reef, off Waipapa Point
Southland
Fog
at
Waipapa Point
Poor visibility due to fog could have been the cause of the shipwreck of 'SS Tararua'.
A haze hung over the land and no distinguishing features could be seen.
The SS Tararua, bound for Bluff, ran onto the Otara Reef (off Waipapa Point) shortly after 5 am on the 29th of April 1881.
131 people died including 12 women and 14 children and only 20 people made it to shore.
Maritime / Coastal
High seas hindered rescue efforts and from noon on the 29th no help could have been given by either sea or land. Two of the boats were smashed, another capsized and nearly a score of people were washed overboard when sea swept over ship.
Multi Hazard
The Tararua was carrying an est. £4000 of silver coins which was not recovered.
Wreck was primarily caused through the failure of the master to ascertain at 4am on the 29th of April the correct position of the ship. There was also negligent failure to keep a proper lookout. The broken water of the reef must have been observed some minutes before the vessel struck and in all probablity sufficient time afforded for the danger to be avoided.
References
- Ingram, C. W. (1990). New Zealand shipwrecks: 195 years of disasters at sea. Auckland, NZ: Beckett Books Ltd
- Ingram, C. W. and Wheatley, P. O. (Eds.). (2007). New Zealand shipwrecks: Over 200 years of disasters at sea. (L Diggle, E. Diggle and K. Gordon, Eds. 8th ed.). Auckland, NZ: Hachette Livre NZ. (Original work published 1936).
- Headline: Rest in pieces.
- Southland Times, 12 October 2002.