Pearl Kasper: 77ft Niccol Trading Scow

Captain Tregidga Takes Over The Pearl Kasper

Kasper owned her until 1912 when Richard Gill Tregidga took ownership until 1945.   Tregidga brought her down to Nelson where she became one of the Blind Bay hookers.  In 1913 the Pearl Kasper and Orakei (another blind bay hooker) salvaged the Manaroa which had sunk off D’Urville Island.  In 1917 she was installed with two engines totaling 166hp though it is said she almost always have a sail up to help steer and sometimes only used the sails to get about. 

Richard Gill Tregidga’s brother Albert Douglas Tregidga purchased six shares in the Pearl Kasper in 1944 and he was the master of the boat at this time.  With Tregidga at the helm she struck a submerged object in Waitapu.  The Tregidga’s used the Pearl Kasper to take coal from Golden Bay to Picton, transport cargo from all over Tasman Bay as well as move stock and wool from D’Urville Island to Nelson.  They transported the cargo on deck. But at Christmas time she was used for family holidays. Tregidga would load the scow up with supplies and they would travel between Nelson and Puponga stopping in at many ports on the way for a drink with friends. Puponga would be their main base at this time though and they would erect tents on the scows deck and load up the piano.

Captain Inster recalls on Stuff his time working on the Pearl Kasper.  He joined the boat one year before World War Two changed its work.  The war stopped their normal trade routes and instead they were called on to transport shingle and bulldozers to assist with the building of gun emplacements in the Marlborough Sounds.  These structures were built at high points in Post Office Point and Maud Island in the Pelorus Sound and Tory Channel, Blumine Island and Maraetai in Queen Charlotte Sound to protect the New Zealand coast from Japanese ships.  Captain Inkster recalls the amount of manual labour involved was astonishing.  Everything was moved with shovels and people power.  The shingle was shoveled from trucks to the Pearl Kasper’s deck in Picton.  When they were half loaded they would need to turn around to protect against listing too far to one side.  Then once they were fully loaded they, would head to the sites only to repeat the process again to empty the ship.  Captain Inkster recalls this work was completed by tough men in their 40s and 50s.

Captain Inkster only worked on the Pearl Kasper for two years but by the time he finished he had been promoted to leading hand.  He recalls on Stuff being very lucky to have worked with the Tregidgas who trained him well and though he worked when required without any union support he believes it was a good start.  He says if the cargo was delivered by midday they could finish early.  They were free to hit the land or take the dinghy fishing.

In 1917 the Pearl Kasper gained a new engine whicb came from the scow Southern Isle which had capsized off Farewell Spit.