A Wahine Memory
David Jasper remembers. The 10th of April was the Anniversary of the 1968 sinking of the Wahine. I have a couple of tenuous memories of that ship.
They were from the wonderful times when ZLO was part of the Long Distance Area Scheme. See this link http://jproc.ca/radiostor/radiogram.html
It was 1966 and happily swinging on the 16meg calling freqs and there was this ship calling various station with what started as SSWA.
Of course that not being a Commonwealth callsign, I kept on swinging.
A long time later up comes SSWA calling CQ. OK what the heck dahditdit dit ZLO.
All hell let loose as the SSWA became SS WAHINE which was enroute from the builders to NZ. No callsign. Had a bit of a backlog as nobody would talk to him.
Wondered about that no callsign thing off and on (as you do when you get older) until last year when on Wahine Day I asked Google.
If you go to www.thewahine.co.nz you will find the story of a ship no suspicious sailor would ever set foot on.
Think they were so glad to head home, paperwork was the last thing on their minds.
On what was a happier note.
I think I actually saw the Wahine from outside the church in Kaikoura the day our Irirangi watch filled the dance card for the late Basil Newport’s wedding.
The Wahine must have been on a day sailing and did not seem to be that far out to sea.
And here is a question…… Was there any Navy involvement the day the Wahine sank?
That should read superstitious sailor…….. And it looks like we might have wiped out the poor guys bandwidth.
ZMGW
Dont think there was any navy involvement unless the Ngapona Ml went out. I was working in Caa/Search and rescue that morning, finishing approx 1330 and as far as i can remember the only naval involvement was the involvement of the 3 usual service people (Army, Navy and Air Force) amongst the other specialists in the Sar Centre in the Stout Street building.
I remember being on watch at ZLO the night of that event …although we weren’t directly involved I do remember us all being alert and at the ready all night (very unusual for the midnight til 8 shift) hehe ….
The only Navy involment on the water was HMNZS Olphert’s ML
My wife Nan Bryenton (deceased) was living at Fort Dorset (working Navy Office) and was on the beach helping the surivors as the life boats came into Dorset. Have some photos of Army RL Trucks on their side, blown over by the wind that day (If I can find them will send them to Frank)
Gary Bryenton
I met up with the Wahine R/O – Bob Lyver, a number of years later when working at ZLB – He was still working for the USS Co. He has since crossed the bar
Here’s the story of radio communications related to the Wahine tragedy. http://maritimeradio.org/in-distress/wahine/