Gael: Westland Trading Vessel
Build Date
1904
Boat Builder
Unknown
Length
Unknown
Beam
Unknown
Gael’s Trading Days
Gael was built in 1904 as a steamer and was later converted to a diesel engine in the 1930s. She was owned by the South Westland Shipping Company for a time and was skippered by Albert Tregidga. This is thought to be around the 1940s. At this time Gael was powered by a 90hp Fairbanks Morse and made regular runs between Wellington and the West Coast including Hokitika, Greymouth and Okarito.
Gael also had a regular run from Hokitika to provide general supplies to the isolated community at Jackson Bay. On her return trip from Jackson Bay, Gael carried timber and silver pine posts to Wellington. Gael was also known to carry cattle, timber out of Bruce Bay, cement from Tarakohe and supplies into Okuru south of Haast.
Gael’s Lost At Sea
On the 18th April 1952 Gael made her last voyage. At the time she was owned by the Southern Cross Shipping Co., which was a syndicate made up of WWII servicemen. While transporting 1,800 cases of apples from Motueka to Wellington, Gael hit the south eastern reef of the Beef Barrel Rocks at Current Basin. Gael was declared a total loss but her crew were saved by the coaster Motu.
References
To research Gael we used the book Voices From The Sea: The stories of some Nelson and Marlborough fishing families.
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