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Information on Henderson Creek "Wrecks"


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After many months of planning, I finally got out on the kayak over the weekend to explore Henderson creek. My plan was to locate the "mast in the mangroves" I've frequently spotted from the NW motorway. 

I was hoping it was a simple story of some adventurous sole finding a great mooring but sadly the reality isn't to be. Photos give some indication of a boat being in a place it shouldn't

 

Boat 1.jpgBoat 2.jpg

 

There is a second wreck further down stream, another pleasure cruiser buried to above the deck in mud and the whole thing under water at high tide, but I couldn't get close enough to safely take a picture - incoming tide against an opposing wind and current were chopping it up and making it hard to keep the kayak balanced. That second "wreck" is visible here https://www.google.com/.../@-36.8307585,174.../data=!3m1!1e3

 

I've done some googling to see if anyone has some information on them, but there is not much info out there. I'm just curious to understand how both boats could come to be where they are. 

 

Does anyone here have information on the backstory of both these boats?

 

 

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Can't help with these as they would seem to be "recent " arrivals in terms of my history with the creek Spent childhood and teenage years living and playing on the creek and then lived there again in late 1980's.

 

There were a number of notable wrecks on the creek - an old sugar lighter from Chelsea at the end of Matipo Rd which we always thought was a scow as kids but was one of 4 lighters from the sugar refinery (another one in relative completeness was or still is in the Whau River up by Span Farm on the Kelston bank while another is by the mouth of Hellyers Creek .

 

There was the remains of an old barge and paddle steamer past the marina (buried in the mangroves), which was associated the with the old Clark brickworks by the start of Scot Road. The channel by Scot Road is still lined with old pipes and earthenware which came from the operation which became Crown Lynn then Ceramco.

 

At the end of Colwill Road in the mangroves was an old Harbour Board workboat which had been damaged by fire - an adjacent neighbour had plans of doing it up but this never happened. The same dude had plans to excavate out a mud berth marina for numerous boats but of course ran into staunch bureaucracy (of which, I add, I was part of). 

 

There was an old trimaran in the mangroves next to Renata Crescent - no known history.

 

I am sure others will chip in with snippets.

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Very interesting, thanks Big T. I'm picking that most of the wrecks you describe long ago sunk into the mud... but the one in the Whau river is still there going by this satellite shot:

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/@-36.8898966,174.6682281,97m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

Be a good excursion when the tide is right. Don't fancy trying to drag a kayak through that muck 

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When I look at those photos, the name Gladden starts circulating in the grey matter.

 

John, I posted this in a Facebook sailing community I am also a member of (that's where it was suggested I head here for any backstories). One of the other members also thought it might be a Gladden.

 

Interesting how the lines of a boat can give away it's maker. If it is a Gladden then it is a sad end to a piece of local boatmaking history

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Crikey that’s a most depressing image.

Agree with Gladden.

Got four abandoned ghost yachts on our marina finger and although I am sure each one has a unique tale of woe attached it makes for a salutary trudge to the boat and personally I would prefer to see them removed.

The quartet of neglect obviously are having their berth rental needs meet and all have been decaying in variating ways for many moons.

If you want my opinion on what sort of boat endures lengthy periods of neglect the best well as much as it pains me to say the yoghurt pot beats the woody hands down. The Young 88 looks retrievable quickly followed by the SR26 and the Tracker is borderline.

The fourth member of this unsightly collection may have once been a Clark in its last reincarnation.

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Where old boats go to die? Out from Halfmoon Bay Marina, a old ferro ketch, been there for years. The name escapes me but she had a great cabin and classic lines, slowly rotting away. Was told the hubby died and she cant bare to part with it, wont sell it, just pays the mooring fees. Lots of "floating grave yards" heading up the Hatea which the birds have taken over. Obviously too expensive to do up?

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There is a hartley abandoned next to the road at Milford, free to a good home if only someone would take her away.

Hmmm I know someone who just rebuilt 2 Hartley 16's. He's always looking for a new project.

 

Which road?

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If you want my opinion on what sort of boat endures lengthy periods of neglect the best well as much as it pains me to say the yoghurt pot beats the woody hands down. 

It would be interesting to see how the bones of those yoghurt pots are holding up. If the hull is being neglected then surely there's a bit of invisible damage as well

 

It's just a sad sign of the times that people are getting busy and the first thing they neglect is the basic maintenance because it's just too much effort to either get up on the hard or put it in a dry dock.

 

Am out in Milford later today, will drive past and see if I can spot that Hartley 

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The fourth member of this unsightly collection may have once been a Clark in its last reincarnation.

Westhaven? G or H? There are not many Clarks around... if it’s one I’m thinking of, it is unused but keeps an atrophied dream alive inside the breast of its owner. It’s last decent cruise would have been Xmas 2012, where it was known to cross from the barrier to tuts on with a jury rigged runner on a particularly vigorous day when the recorders at the mokahinous topped out at nearly 50 in the gusts....
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