This shot is a 40 second exposure at 10pm using just the moonlight to illuminate the landscape.
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15 April 2014
Sailors Grave ?
On this day, 15th April 1892
Why is it called Sailors?
I have talked to people that have lived in the local area for more than 20 years, that don’t know why the wave and the point is known as Sailors or that the grave exists.
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If you take a walk along the new boardwalk that winds it’s way around the headland of Tapalla Point Huskisson, next to the path you will come across a single grave site of the Seaman Robert Johnson who Drowned on the 15th April 1892 aged 19 years.
Robert Johnson was serving on the First class cruiser, HMS Orlando, built in England in 1886.
Circumstances surrounding the accident.
H.M.S. ORLANDO.—FATAL ACCIDENT.
The flagship yesterday returned to her moorings in FarmCove. She has been away several days at Jervis Bay for target practice, and while there a fatal accident occurred. On Friday last, between 3 and 4 p.m., while one of the ship's boats was proceeding from the shore to the ship, a heavy sea running at the time swamped her. All the occupants, with one exception, were picked up. An ordinary seaman, named C. Johnson, a native of Yorkshire, sank,and was not seen again. An attempt was made with grappling-irons to find the body, but without success,owing to the heavy range in the bay.
At the time of the accident, the Orlando was involved in training operations in the bay and was at anchor near Tapalla Point.Johnson was initially buried near the beach but upon the matter being brought before the notice of Flag Captain
Dicken, of the Royal Arthur, that officer raised by subscription amongst the naval people a sufficient sum
to have the body of young Johnson removed to a point which overlooks the anchorage of the men-of war.
The Orlando and the Boxer Rebellion.In the whole record of the operations in China there is nothing more stirring than the splendid effort made by Admiral Sir E H Seymour to relieve the Peking Legations at an early stage of their beleaguerment. In the mixed force under the Admiral's command there was a strong detachment of ordinary seamen from HMS Orlando. When within 23 miles of Peking, the force had to retire, as it was utterly impossible to cut a way through the masses of well-armed Chinese troops between it and the capital. In the retirement, leading seaman George of the Orlando specially distinguished himself by his gallantry in towing junks full of wounded out of the enemy's fire For this splendid action George was given the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, and was also presented with a gold medal by the United States Government.
HMS Orlando was sold for scrapping on 11 July 1905 to Ward of Morecambe for £10,000.
REF:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14372740?searchTerm=%22robert+johnson%22+drowned
On this day 1943
HMAS STUART, (destroyer), rescued the crew of an Anson aircraft which crashed into the sea off Port Perpendicular.
The first two B/W images are from Movietone News footage shot by Eric Bieve.
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| Outside the Museum you will find a display dedicated to the Air Crews and Ground Staff that gave their lives during training in World War 2 in the Shoalhaven Area including the propeller from a Beaufort Bomber |
11 April 2014
9 April 2014
Launch of the Maclaren King 1923
Many of the ships built at Huskisson, whether they were big or small sailed out of the bay to destinations far and wide.
The Maclaren King, was a schooner that left the bay in 1923 bound for Papua via Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville across the Coral Sea to Samurai island in Papua New Guinea for the Anglican Mission.
It’s main task was to support the missionaries, delivering mail, supplies and passengers.
The name of the schooner honoured two pioneer Australian missionaries to Papua New Guinea--Revs. Albert Maclaren and Copeland King.
During mid July she arrived on the north coast of New Guinea to deliver supplies to the Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) stationed in the area. While anchored off Buna, the ship was unsuccessfully bombed by a Japanese seaplane.
The story of Captain Fred Rennels who steered her to Papua is one of adventure.
Fred Rennels came from England in 1922, moved to Wreck Bay living off the land with the Aborigines, then to Huskisson working as a carpenter building the Maclaren King, to becoming the Captain, bound for Papua New Guinea.
It’s quite a tale and one worth reading.
http://anglicanhistory.org/aus/png/rennels_reminiscences.html
other references.
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/veterans/champion/buna.
htmlhttp://anglicanhistory.org/aus/png/rennels_reminiscences.html
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/mv/maclaren_king.html
6 April 2014
Mynora wrecked - on this day – April 6th 1864
Monday 4 April - The new wooden paddle steam ship the Mynora built for the Clyde, Moruya and Wollongong trade, cleared Sydney heads bound for Moruya where she arrived safely the following day.
Tuesday 5 April - She set sail back to Sydney carrying cargo, crew and passengers that included 9 children, two ladies, two natives from India and one Chinaman. Slowly easing her way north the Mynora became enveloped in a thick fog, unable to make out her position, the captain was unaware that disaster lay dead ahead.
Wednesday 6 April 1am - In what must have been a terrifying shock for all on board, the Mynora struck a small reef off St Georges Head. The master Captain Barter backed off the reef and continued his journey north, the Mynora was making water very fast. The Captain fought to keep her afloat but to save the lives of all on board the Master drove her on shore at a small beach 3 miles north of the reef, now known as Steamers Beach, where she became a total wreck. While the boat was lost, all of the passengers and crew on the Mynora were saved.
Overland walk.
The women and children walked overland 5 miles to the Cape St George Lighthouse where they were kindly received and treated by Superintendant Mr Lee.
The rest of the crew stayed with the ship and saved a portion of the cargo. When news of the disaster reached Greenwell point, Captain Sullivan of the S.S Hunter hearing of the misfortune started on the following morning to the scene of the disaster, and took off the male passages, then proceeded to the lighthouse station, Jervis Bay, where she took off the females, and left again for Sydney.
This was the second loss in a few months for the Illawarra Steamship Company, unfortunately for the owners the Mynora, she was uninsured.
Ship Details.
Mynora name - (the native name of the township on the Moruya River)
117 ton wooden paddle steamer
120ft x 17ft x 31ft deep
Built at Pyrmont in 1863 for the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company
who serviced the South Coast Trade from 1858 to the early 1950s.
By 1864 the company was operating a fleet of at least four ships
REF:
http://trove.nla.gov.au
Google Earth
5 April 2014
On this day – April 5th 1812
The explorer George Evans claimed to have been the first white man to cross the Shoalhaven River 1½ miles west of the present location of Nowra. Evans was on his way north from Jervis Bay.
The crossing by Evans and his party took 6 hours.
However, he was not the first.
Survivors of the “Sydney Cove”, wrecked on Preservation Island Tasmania, walked to Port Jackson in 1797 (see May 15th). They must have crossed the Shoalhaven River about April 26th/27th of that year.
And survivors of the cutter “Nancy”, shipwrecked south of Jervis Bay walked to Port Jackson in 1805 April 20th.
So George Evans wasn’t the first, despite his claim.
This situation does not diminish George W Evans other great exploits – Read more
But this leads us to more remarkable story’s of survival along our coast.
The tragic and harrowing story of the Sailing Ship the Sydney Cove.
Built: Calcutta.
Type: Square rigged merchant ship.
An example of the type of ship - Alexander’ (Marine Artist Frank Allen)
November:
Leaving Tasmania on 10th of November 1798 she encountered heavy seas in December and started to leak.
January:
She ran into more bad weather and the severity of the leak meant the pumps had to be manned continually.
February:
The ship struck more bad weather and the leak had become unmanageable ad the bailing efforts couldn't cope. By February the 9th 1797 with water up to the lower-deck hatches, and in imminent danger of sinking, Hamilton decided to ground the stricken vessel on an island north of Tasmania, now called Preservation Island, in the Furneaux Group. He chose a sheltered location, so everyone was able to get ashore safely and most of the cargo was saved, too. Salvaged rum was stored safely out of the crew's reach, on nearby Rum Island.
17 set off only 3 men survived the journey.
A party of 17 men set off on the 28th February in the ship longboat to reach help in Port Jackson 400 nautical miles (740 km away}. Ill fortune struck again and they were wrecked on the mainland at the northern end of Ninety Mile Beach.
Their only hope was to walk along the shore all the way to Sydney, a distance of over 600 kilometres.
They had few provisions and no ammunition, and fatigue and hunger lessened their number as they marched. Along the way they encountered various aboriginal people, some friendly and some not. The last of the party to die on the march was killed by a man named Dilba and his people near Hat Hill. Those people had a reputation around Port Jackson for being ferocious. Matthew Flinders and George Bass had feared for their safety when they encountered Dilba the previous year.
May:
Nearly 60 days after starting the walk in 1797 the three survivors of the march, William Clark, sailor John Bennet and one lascar had made it to the cove at Wattamolla and, on 15 May 1797, with their strength nearly at an end they were able to signal a boat out fishing, which took them on to Sydney.
This remarkable walk was the first known European exploration of the south eastern coast of Australia and marked the first contact between Aboriginals and Europeans in this area.
Of course this is a condensed story for the full story of this remarkable true tale explore the links below, It’s a tale well worth reading.
Ref:.http://thedirton.therocks.com/2010/08/fire-water-sydney-cove-shipwreck.html
http://www.ulladulla.info/sydney-cove-wreck-1797
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/indeX.aspX?base=1736
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks13/1300541h.html
http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/disaster/maritime/display/23400-sydney-cove
http://thedirton.therocks.com/2010/08/fire-water-sydney-cove-shipwreck.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Evans_%28explorer%29
http://trove.nla.gov.au/result?q=subject%3A%22Evans%2C+George+William%2C+1780-1852%22
https://www.anmm.gov.au/webdata/resources/pdfs/collections/rum_tobacco.pdf
1805
The Cutter Nancy.
The Nancy was a wooden sloop of some 20 tons constructed in 1803 on the Hawkesbury River, New South Wales by Kable & Co. It arrived in Sydney on its maiden voyage on 17 October 1803. On 18 April 1805, the Nancy commanded by Captain Demaria was just off Jervis Bay when a violent squall hit the area. The Nancy's mainsail split and the ship could make no leeway. Everything on board was washed overboard and then the ship struck a small sandy beach between two headlands. The ship promptly broke up with one crew member, Richard Wall, from Exeter, drowning. The remaining crew walked to Sydney, arriving on 1 May 1805
An interesting story.
“The same morning the hull parted, and shortly after went to pieces, the continued violence and rapidity of the surf preventing any part of the cargo from being saved; and such few articles as were washed ashore were carried off by the natives, who, though they offered no personal violence, had become too numerous to be resisted. One of the people, whose conduct Mr. Demaria, the master of the vessel, notices as being in all respects opposite to that of his brethren, cheerfully undertook to conduct his distressed party round to Jervis’s Bay [Jervis Bay], for which place they set out on the morning of the 20th, and reached it the same evening; and net morning perceiving that the natives, possibly with no other design than the gratification of curiosity, were clustering round them from all directions, it was considered most advisable to commit themselves to the Providence that had thus far bountifully preserved them, to make the best of their way for Sydney by pedestrian travel. Destitute of provisions, without a musket, except one that was useless and only borne to intimidate the natives, the proposal was readily concurred in, and after a terrible journey of eleven days, lengthened much by the inundated state of the country, they attained the much-desired object on Wednesday night last, crippled by fatigue, and reduced to the last extremity by actual want.”
REF:
http://www.ozhistorymine.com/html/nancy__1805.html
4 April 2014
Lady Denman – On this day
April 3rd 1983.
After the epic adventure and endured the harrowing tow from Sydney the Lady rested temporarily inside Currambene Creek in sight of where she was built 71 years before at the Dent Slipway.
While arrangements were underway the Lady Denman Committee was subjected to a lot of criticism for leaving her this way.
But the dedicated Denman committee spearheaded by John and Vera Hatton had a vision and were not deterred and their hard work and determination resulted in what today is a unique, fascinating and inspiring Maritime Museum and one of the Shoalhaven’s greatest assets.
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1 April 2014
This Saturday 5th April
MONTHLY PRODUCE MARKETS
Held on the grounds of the Lady Denman Museum.
Opens 9am
31 March 2014
Sobraon 1866
The Sobraon under full sail must have been an impressive site as it crossed the great ocean between England and Australia carrying passengers in comfort surrounded by luxury.
Exhibition.
If you visit the museum you will be impressed by a large brass bell engraved Sobraon 1866.
Accompanying the bell there is a display of paintings by Ian Hansen depicting the Sabraon in varying maritime scenes.
This ship was so impressive a small search across the net will reveal other paintings of the ship done by other marine artists.
 |  |  | The bell and part of one of the magnificent paintings by Ian Hansen. An an Australian stamp celebrating this mighty ship. |
Ships statistics.
The vessel displaced some 2131 tons when empty and 3500 tons when loaded, with a length overall was 317 feet, and a beam of 40 feet. The lower masts were made of wrought iron, and the topmasts and lower yards on each
mast were of steel. With all sail set, the Sobraon had a spread of just over two acres of canvas.
SOBRAON could carry 90 first class passenger, 40 second class, and livestock below her decks.
She traversed the ocean between England and Australia for 24 years and under full sail was capable of covering 2000 nautical miles in a week. She once covered the distance between Plymouth and Melbourne in 70 days.
she often ran into storms and high seas on her voyages.
One though stood above all others in severity and a lesser ship may not have made it through.
The most serious incident.
The most serious storm experienced by the Sobraon was in 1889, when running her easting down. She was a little to the north of the Crozet Islands, and it began to breeze up on a Sunday morning. The glass gave every indication of a real snorter, and by 4 p.m. had tumbled down to 27.75. By that time the Sobraon had been shortened down to foresail, lower fore topsail, upper foretopsail reefed, main lower topsail and fore topmast staysail. The shift from N.W. to S.W. came at 5 o’clock, and the yards were hardly round before the foresail went, and in a few moments there was nothing left for it.
The sea was running in mountainous ridges, and with the foresail gone threatened every moment to poop her badly. It was too late to heave to and the ship was kept away before it. After four hours’ battling and over 30 men aloft a brand new foresail was bent and set reefed.
This was hardly done before the fore upper topsail blew away. However, with the foresail reefed and two lower topsails the Sobraon fled before the blast like a startled deer. The squalls every few minutes were terrific and in spite of such short canvas the Sobraon was making over 14 knots an hour.
The sea was all the time running higher and higher and breaking aboard in the most alarming fashion. During the night the greater portion of the bulwarks on the port side was carried away; a boat in davits, hanging 22 feet above the water, was filled by a sea and disappeared, the davits breaking off short, the main skylight over the saloon was washed away and tons of water found its way below before the open space could be covered over. The amount of water in
the saloon at this time can be imagined when passengers were actually being washed off their feet.
On deck there were many narrow escapes of men being washed overboard, the broken bulwarks being a great source of danger. The mate and three of the men were washed from the main life rail to the break of the poop, and, after being dashed up against the heavy boarding which had been put up to protect the fore end of the poop, managed to save themselves by the life-lines which had been stretch across. The forward deck house which held the galley and engine room was almost demolished and everything moveable in it was washed over the side.
The storm continued at its height from the Sunday afternoon until Wednesday morning. The passengers, who had been battened down for three days, were in a sorry plight owing to the quantities of water that had got below and the catering for them under such conditions proved very difficult.
As is usually the case after such a storm, the wind subsided very much quicker than the sea, and for a few hours on the Wednesday night, the wind having dropped completely and the ship losing way, the rolling was terrific. Fortunately everything held aloft in spite of the great strain on the masts during these few hours.
Other incidents
Twice she caught fire, firstly in 1884 when straw in a hold was accidentally lit by the carpenter, and again in 1888 when coal stored in the fore peak ignited by spontaneous combustion. On both occasions tragedy was averted by prompt action by her crew.
A few unlucky crew fell to their deaths from her rigging, while others survived the fall and resumed work.
In 1891 the Sobraon was purchased by the NSW Government as a replacement for the boys’ training ship Vernon.
Sobraon was assigned to the State Welfare Department and refitted for use as a reformatory ship, where delinquent boys were trained in the skills for a maritime career.
Later commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Tingira (an aboriginal word for "open sea") in 1912, and refitted at the Cockatoo Docks, Sobraon continued in service until 1927 when she was sold.
An ungraceful end.
After serving the people of Australia and the Navy so well for so many years you would have thought this mighty ship would have deserved a more glorious end to her story, attempts to preserve her as an exhibit were made, but as these last few pictures show, her fate ultimately saw her moored at Berry’s Bay until 1941, and with the onset of war, she was scrapped and broken up.
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REF:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn4654096
http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/today-in-history/today-in-history-may
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/PhotoSearchItemDetail.asp?M=0&B=11642170&SE=1
http://trove.nla.gov.au/version/175966542
http://www.schoonerman.com/CLIPPER-SHIPS/sobraon_clipper_ship.htm
28 March 2014
Portraits
The ladies from the exhibition team have been hard at work hanging and arranging the fantastic collection of images.,
The exhibition has received a fantastic response from artists and photographers.
Old and new images grace the walls of the gallery.
Opening hours are from 10am-4pm daily.
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