The launch of the Helen Dawn at the AWM Settree slipway on the banks of Currambene Creek.
The Helen Dawn was a Danish Sein trawler, built for Mr Clancy and Mr Johnny Owens who
worked with the Puglisi family at Ulladulla.
The event was quite an affair when a large number of carloads of people travelled from Milton to
Huskisson to watch the launch. By 11 a.m a large crowd had assembled to look over the ship
and admiring the workmanship, all eagerly awaiting the ceremony. Opening the ceremony
Mr Clancy called on Mr. P.N Ingold to explain the reason for building the ship. Mr Ingold stated that
vessel the was to be used for deep sea fishing, after being taken to Sydney, where the engines
will be fitted.
The ceremony continued with the wife of the joint proprietor christening the ship by taking hold
of the bottle suspended on red, white and blue ribbons and smashing it on the bow as she
named it "Helen Dawn," telling the assembled onlookers "Dawn" was her suggestion, as it
would be the dawn of a new adventure.
With great excited expectation, the ship immediately glided to the water's edge, but to the
intense disappointment of the spectators, some slight hitch prevented the successful launching.
The shallow tide had caused the ship to stall on her slip, with the change of tide it was hoped
the launch would be complete.
The vessel was commandeered by the US Navy during WW2. 4.500 pounds was paid in compensation.
Fred Woods a crewman nearly lost his arm when it was caught in the winch.
The vessel was lost during enemy action in 1942 in New Guinea, she was run aground loaded
with ammunition abandoned and sunk by enemy planes.
MEANING: Sein Trawler - is a method of fishing that employs a seine or dragnet. A seine
is a fishing net that hangs vertically in the water with its bottom edge held down by weights and
its top edge buoyed by floats. Seine nets can be deployed from the shore as a beach seine, or
from a boat.
Boats deploying seine nets are known as seiners. There are two main types of seine net
deployed from seiners: purse seines and Danish seines.
REF: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seine_fishing
No comments :
Post a Comment