Detail from an M.R. Jackson painting of the less than 2-year-old interisland ferry Wahine on the rocks near Seatoun just inside Wellington harbour on 10 April 1968.
Although the 53 fatalities didn't make it the worst shipwreck in NZ history, it is the worst in living memory, and something which those who were in Wellington at the time will never forget.
The storm not only caused the sinking of the Wahine but also caused a lot of damage to the city: roofs were blown off and prefab classrooms at the Karori primary school were ripped off their foundations.
For details, see the book Strait Crossing by Vic Young. The new book All at Sea also has some coverage of the event.
1 comment:
I have almost completed a painting of this day -similar to the Jackson painting , though not intended as a copy .It includes the tug boat Tapuhi and Railway ferry Aramoana taht assisted in the rescue attempt .
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