This week has been a bit frantic, which is why there’s been no post about my party yet. It’s still on its way, but in the meantime, here’s some history about NZ’s worst maritime disaster, plus a performance from my choir.
50 years ago yesterday, on the 10th April 1968, a week after my 10th birthday, the Interislander passenger ferry Wahine sank in Wellington harbour during a storm. Despite heroic rescue efforts, 53 lives were lost.
On this 50th anniversary, a number of events were planned to commemorate this event, to acknowledge the lives that were lost and to remember those that did everything they could to help. Ironically, the weather decided to join in and there was a storm yesterday as well. It’s still very wet and windy here and all up and down the country.
Image is from the NZ History website, which has this to say (and more if you want to read the details):
The sinking of the Lyttelton–Wellington ferry Wahine on 10 April 1968 was New Zealand’s worst modern maritime disaster. Fifty-one people lost their lives that day, another died several weeks later and a 53rd victim died in 1990 from injuries sustained in the wreck. The Wahine’s demise also marked a coming of age for television news broadcasting in New Zealand as images of the disaster were beamed into the nation’s living rooms. The footage was later screened around the world as the international media spotlight focused on Wellington.
Would-be rescuers stood helplessly on the beach at Seatoun as the Wahine succumbed to one of the worst storms recorded in New Zealand history. It seemed impossible that so many lives could be lost so close to shore. Although the main cause of the accident was the atrocious weather conditions, the subsequent inquest also acknowledged that errors of judgement had been made both on board the ferry and on shore. Shipwrecks were commonplace in the 19th century, but this was the 1960s – how could a large, modern vessel founder almost within sight of New Zealand’s capital city?
Some of the news footage at the time is on Youtube. This clip is about 12 minutes long, and there are 3 more parts. You would probably just want to watch bits of it
You may remember I said that the Community Choir’s next gig was part of this commemoration. We gathered in the Wellington Railway Station from 7.30am to 8.30am yesterday, and sang some of the songs from the era, including some that are known to have been sung by the passengers on the ship as it was going down, and in the lifeboats.
The set list included:
• Rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
• Sloop John B
• Michael Row the Boat Ashore
• We Shall not be moved
• Blowing In the Wind
• Hey Jude
• Pack up Your Troubles
• And a few more
Here’s a 5 minute video clip with excerpts from three of them. As we only had two rehearsals to learn 10 songs, this is one of the rare occasions you’ll see us with word sheets. And the multitude of puffer jackets testifies to the coldness of the weather in what is technically still autumn. But still, nearly half of the choir made it there. I wasn’t one of them, though, sorry.
Also, I can’t embed the video, so you will have to go to the dreaded Fakebook if you want to have a look. https://www.facebook.com/WellingtonCommunityChoir/videos/1908757842482292/
This article from news website Stuff has a bit more about the disaster and the commemorations and a different short clip from the choir. The photo of a small part of the choir, below, is from this article.
An apology
Sorry to those whose comments I haven’t replied to over the past week. Check your Replies tab soon, I might get up to date over the next couple of days.
PS
It's just started hailing! In Wellington we seldom see hail (or snow) except VERY occasionally in the depths of winter. Here's a photo of our deck. There's some thunder and lightening too. Do I really want to go out to choir tonight? (I do want to, cos it's last week of term and we don't get together during school holidays.)
Thanks for reading and listening
Images from Pixabay, or by myself or @sift666, unless otherwise stated.
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