Large Steamers - Small inconveniences - 1858

Timing and patience were a necessity in days gone by.

The first steamers to ply the south coast were relatively small nimble craft.  Their small size and shallow draft helped when crossing the shallow basins and rivers mouths where sand bars often created problems for the larger vessels.

The south coast between Sydney and Moruya was developing quickly driven by agriculture, the mainstay of most rural communities, but times were changing, other industries, tourism, coal and the blue metal trade were beginning to develop driving the need for faster larger ships along with better port facilities to service the growing fleets of shipping companies like the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company. (ISNC) that serviced the south coast of New South Wales, from 1858 to the early 1950s. They carried livestock and passengers and became know as the "pig and whistle line."


Robinson Basin at Kiama opened in 1876, became an important port of call for the new steamers. The excavated stone from blasting the basin was crushed and used for road construction and set into motion the development of the blue metal industry in the Kiama region, which still exists today. 

Belmore Basin at Wollongong was another important port south of Sydney. The smaller easily manoeuvred shallow-draft steamers suffered less trouble entering the basins and the rivers. The Crookhaven, Clyde and Moruya rivers all posed a challenge for the coastal steamers.

The Illawarra Steam Navigation Company almost having a monopoly on the south coast shipping industry commissioned larger ships capable of carrying more cargo and passengers.  The larger, faster more stable steamers could accommodate passengers in greater comfort making sea travel a quicker, pleasant option for reluctant sea travellers.
 

The Bega, 567 tons)  Illawarra (II), 533 tons and 190 feet in length and Kameruka at
515-ton were examples of large steamers performing a weekly service along the south coast of NSW.

Paddle Steamer S.S.Illawarra (11)  533 tons and 190 feet in length

S.S.Bega -  567 tons

S.S.Kameruka - 515-ton

The new deeper longer draft steamers accentuated the problems for the captains and crew entering river mouths.  Captains had to pay particular heed to the changing tides or risk going aground or wrecking the ship possibly drowning all on board.

The passage south.

Passengers leaving Sydney could enjoy a perfectly calm voyage with little or no swell.  Arriving at the entrance of the river all could appear calm and apparently easily negotiable,  only to be greeted by the "stand-off" signal flag displayed on the flagstaff of the pilot station positioned near the entrance of the harbour. The vessel was then bound to standoff, and wait until the pilot considered the entrance safe to enter,  this came about simply because the vessels arrival coincided with low tide.  The vessel had no option but to wait offshore,  or as more frequently happened continue on to the next port or seek shelter and wait for hig tide. The reverse was true when the steamers tried to leave the river mouth. The shifting bars caught many steamers in there grip.

Experienced captains would if possible time their arrival for the high tide, sometimes waiting at Wollongong or Kiama for up to three hours, which was preferable to tossing about in the swell before leaving for the Crookhaven. If a berthing position wasn't available they would be forced to continue their journey.  Vessels sometimes anchored in Shoalhaven Bight to await the tide change.

Other vessels arriving at the Crookhaven and seeing the 'standoff" signal would continue on to Jervis Bay where they would spend the night anchored in the calm and protected waters near Hole in the Wall. On the most part, it is reported the inconvenience was treated with good humour, especially when the men on board indulged in fishing, with many good catches of snapper reported. Once the tide changed they would continue their journey back to the Crookhaven.

A myth surrounding this story has the Crookhaven Station pilot, Captain Craig, only allowing steamers to enter after passengers and crew had caught a certain amount of fish. Of course, this was pure coincidence.

Another benefit of the delay, a fine haul of fish for friends and family patiently waiting at Greenwell Point.

Dredging and building breakwaters went someway to relieve the problem, but over a short time, the ever moving sandbars returned, the problems for the ISNC, the steamer captains, and their passengers would once again require patience.

1883 - the ISNC steamer Illawarra was frequently detained in port for hours waiting on sufficient water to enable a safe crossing of the Crookhaven bar,  the wait on a swaying vessel caused many passengers, men, women and children to suffer seasickness.  The situation was becoming unbearable for local business people and travellers who were forced to rely on one or two bar-bound steamers to conduct their commerce. The situation motivated local businessmen to push the Minister for Works to urgently extend the railway line from Kiama to service the people and industry of the south coast.

There are many examples of steamers caught on the sand bars at Crookhaven Heads, I have listed many in a previous post - Continue reading.


By 1895 newspaper reports under the heading "Bar Harbours" appeared showing the current soundings at many bars along the east coast.



Moruya.

By 1912 despite constant dredging by the Public Works Department the problem at Moruya was so bad and dangerous,  the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company stopped all passenger service to Moruya landing all passengers at Batemans Bay. They started
a motor car service delivering passengers between Batemans Bay and  Moruya leaving the bar crossing to cargo steamers only.

The situation still goes on today, the steamers and manned south coast pilot stations have all but disappeared, small and large pleasure craft still have to treat any bar crossing with care and respect.