GEERTJE BUISMAN on time charter to Donaldson Line, Glasgow leaves Hamilton for Humberstone

Safmarine's S. A. SEAFARER closes at South Wales for receiving cargo for south and east Africa

Contributed by Frank Lloyd.

   This coming voyage was destined to be her last.

   On 1st July 1966 the S. A. SEAFARER, having just been renamed from SOUTH AFRICAN SEAFARER,  was carrying a cargo of highly dangerous tetra-ethyl-lead and 12 passengers.

   She was advised to stay outside the port but decided to enter Cape Town Harbour in rough weather and ran aground off Green Point.

    Several unsuccessful attempts were made with a rocket life saving apparatus, but in the end all persons aboard had to be airlifted off by helicopter. 

   The ship became a total wreck and was broken up where she lay aground.

Harrison Line's chartered INGER SKOU closes at Liverpool for receiving cargo for the West Indies

GEERTJE BUISMAN on time charter to Donaldson Line, Glasgow arrives in Humberstone from Hamilton

EASTERN QUEEN leaves Melbourne (Australia) on a six week return voyage to Japan

In New Zealand Lyle Shipping's CAPE HORN (1957-1967) answers a Mayday call from collier KAITAWA

Kaitawa
History
Name	Kaitawa
Owner	Union Steamship Company
Yard number	375
Fate	Wrecked 24 May 1966
General characteristics
Type	Collier
Tonnage	2,485 GRT
Length	85.1 m (279 ft 2 in)
Beam	13.2 m (43 ft 4 in)
Draught	5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
Installed power	2 × 725-horsepower (541 kW) diesel engines
Speed	9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph)

MV Kaitawa was a 2,485-ton collier owned by the Union Steamship Company. She was lost with all hands on 24 May 1966 near Cape Reinga, New Zealand.^[1]

Description[edit]

The vessel was a 2,485-ton steel collier built in Leith, Scotland in 1949 by Henry Robb Limited for the Union Steam Ship Company. Kaitawa was one of three ships ordered by the company. The other two were the Kaiapoi and the Kamona. She was used primarily to bring coal from the coal fields on the West Coast, New Zealand to North Island ports. Her dimensions were 85.1 metres (279 ft 2 in) long, 13.2 metres (43 ft 4 in) wide and a draught of 5.3 metres (17 ft 5 in). She was propelled by two 725-horsepower (541 kW) diesel engines and was capable of 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph). Her yard number was 375.

Kaitawa did not have an echo sounder or radar.^[2] Her British Polar twin diesel main engines were prone to cut out and stop if the collier rolled more than about 15 degrees.^[3]

Voyages[edit]

During the 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute she was manned by Royal New Zealand Navy personnel.^[4]

Final voyage[edit]

The Kaitawa sailed with 29 crew from Westport under Captain George R Sherlock at 1.15pm on 21 May 1966 with a cargo of 2,957 tons of coal. She was bound for the Portland cement works at Whangarei via the North Cape. Her departure had been delayed because the second mate, R P Oakton, suffered appendicitis the night before and a replacement mate, M G Jenkins, had been flown in.

Cape Maria van Diemen and Motuopao Island. Pandora Bank lies about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south southwest beyond Cape Maria van Diemen

At 8pm on 24 May the Kaitawa was seen by the watch officer on the Lyle Shipping Co cargo ship MV Cape Horn about five miles (8.0 km) west of the northern end of the Pandora Bank. The seas were heavy and there was a strong 35-knot (65 km/h; 40 mph) westerly gale. She hit the Pandora Bank at about 9pm. Her hold breached and the cargo of loose coal shifted causing her to capsize and sink with all hands.

Her final message at 9.18pm was:

Position (some words missing) 10 miles Cape Reinga bearing 035 (word missing) 30 degrees require immediate assistance.

On receipt of the message the Cape Horn began to retrace her journey towards where the Kaitawa was thought to be. A red flare at 11.50pm bearing 23 degrees and between five and ten miles (8.0 and 16.1 km) away from the Cape Horn, but due to the proximity to Pandora Bank and the rough seas the search was held off until first light. At 11.25 am on 25 May a No. 5 Squadron RNZAF Sunderland flying boat sighted an oil slick about one mile (1.6 km) north of Pandora Bank, and wreckage drifting towards the coast. Most of the wreckage drifted ashore at Twilight Bay (Te Paengarehia).

The wreck was located at 24 fathoms (144 ft; 44 m) and without its superstructure and cargo. Her position was fixed at 246 degrees True and 4.77 miles (7.68 km) from Cape Reinga light on 8 June by HMNZS Tui. One body was recovered which washed up on Ninety Mile Beach.^[1]

In response to the disaster the Kaitawa relief fund was established with Auckland City Councillor and former Royal Navy officer George Forsyth as the fund's chairman.^[5]

Memorial[edit]

A memorial to the Kaitawa tragedy is located at the breakwater on the Buller River mouth near Westport. The GPS location of memorial is 41° 43.629′S, 171° 35.355′E. The memorial consists of a plaque bearing the names of the crew and an anchor (not from the Kaitawa) mounted on a round concrete plinth.^[6]

In New Zealand the collier KAITAWA sinks and all 29 crewmen are drowned

Kaitawa
History
Name	Kaitawa
Owner	Union Steamship Company
Yard number	375
Fate	Wrecked 24 May 1966
General characteristics
Type	Collier
Tonnage	2,485 GRT
Length	85.1 m (279 ft 2 in)
Beam	13.2 m (43 ft 4 in)
Draught	5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
Installed power	2 × 725-horsepower (541 kW) diesel engines
Speed	9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph)

MV Kaitawa was a 2,485-ton collier owned by the Union Steamship Company. She was lost with all hands on 24 May 1966 near Cape Reinga, New Zealand.^[1]

Description[edit]

The vessel was a 2,485-ton steel collier built in Leith, Scotland in 1949 by Henry Robb Limited for the Union Steam Ship Company. Kaitawa was one of three ships ordered by the company. The other two were the Kaiapoi and the Kamona. She was used primarily to bring coal from the coal fields on the West Coast, New Zealand to North Island ports. Her dimensions were 85.1 metres (279 ft 2 in) long, 13.2 metres (43 ft 4 in) wide and a draught of 5.3 metres (17 ft 5 in). She was propelled by two 725-horsepower (541 kW) diesel engines and was capable of 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph). Her yard number was 375.

Kaitawa did not have an echo sounder or radar.^[2] Her British Polar twin diesel main engines were prone to cut out and stop if the collier rolled more than about 15 degrees.^[3]

Voyages[edit]

During the 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute she was manned by Royal New Zealand Navy personnel.^[4]

Final voyage[edit]

The Kaitawa sailed with 29 crew from Westport under Captain George R Sherlock at 1.15pm on 21 May 1966 with a cargo of 2,957 tons of coal. She was bound for the Portland cement works at Whangarei via the North Cape. Her departure had been delayed because the second mate, R P Oakton, suffered appendicitis the night before and a replacement mate, M G Jenkins, had been flown in.

Cape Maria van Diemen and Motuopao Island. Pandora Bank lies about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south southwest beyond Cape Maria van Diemen

At 8pm on 24 May the Kaitawa was seen by the watch officer on the Lyle Shipping Co cargo ship MV Cape Horn about five miles (8.0 km) west of the northern end of the Pandora Bank. The seas were heavy and there was a strong 35-knot (65 km/h; 40 mph) westerly gale. She hit the Pandora Bank at about 9pm. Her hold breached and the cargo of loose coal shifted causing her to capsize and sink with all hands.

Her final message at 9.18pm was:

Position (some words missing) 10 miles Cape Reinga bearing 035 (word missing) 30 degrees require immediate assistance.

On receipt of the message the Cape Horn began to retrace her journey towards where the Kaitawa was thought to be. A red flare at 11.50pm bearing 23 degrees and between five and ten miles (8.0 and 16.1 km) away from the Cape Horn, but due to the proximity to Pandora Bank and the rough seas the search was held off until first light. At 11.25 am on 25 May a No. 5 Squadron RNZAF Sunderland flying boat sighted an oil slick about one mile (1.6 km) north of Pandora Bank, and wreckage drifting towards the coast. Most of the wreckage drifted ashore at Twilight Bay (Te Paengarehia).

The wreck was located at 24 fathoms (144 ft; 44 m) and without its superstructure and cargo. Her position was fixed at 246 degrees True and 4.77 miles (7.68 km) from Cape Reinga light on 8 June by HMNZS Tui. One body was recovered which washed up on Ninety Mile Beach.^[1]

In response to the disaster the Kaitawa relief fund was established with Auckland City Councillor and former Royal Navy officer George Forsyth as the fund's chairman.^[5]

Memorial[edit]

A memorial to the Kaitawa tragedy is located at the breakwater on the Buller River mouth near Westport. The GPS location of memorial is 41° 43.629′S, 171° 35.355′E. The memorial consists of a plaque bearing the names of the crew and an anchor (not from the Kaitawa) mounted on a round concrete plinth.^[6]

LENA arrived at Ardrossan Harbour (Scotland) with a cargo of bitumen from Stanlow (England)

May 1966 advert by Karlander New Guinea Line for Masters and Deck Officers

GEERTJE BUISMAN on time charter to Donaldson Line, Glasgow leaves Humberstone for Toledo

Shell tanker ACTEON arrived at Ardrossan Harbour (Scotland) with a cargo of Petrol and Avtur

Tug BRIGADIER at stern assists Shell tanker ACTEON from roadstead to berth at Ardrossan Harbour

Tug SEAWAY at bow assists Shell tanker ACTEON from roadstead to berth at Ardrossan Harbour

Puffer ANZAC arrives at Ardrossan Harbour from Scottish Highlands to load drums of bitumen for Islay

Tug BRIGADIER, having assisted berthing Shell tanker ACTEON, leaves Ardrossan Harbour for Troon