Te Kaukau Shipwreck

On 8 March 1989, the fishing vessel ‘Magnet’ ran aground off the Wairarapa coast just north of Te Kaukau Point. ‘Magnet’ carried a master and a single crewmember. On the morning of 7 March 1989, ‘Magnet’ set sail from Wellington, with the intention to fish off the South Wairarapa coast. The day was successfully spent fishing. On the evening on 7 March, ‘Magnet’ was approximately 6 miles south of Te Kaukau Point. The forecast was for a southerly wind, but wasn’t expected until the morning. Both master and the crewmember turned in for the night at 2130 hours. As was their custom in fishing off that coast, they shut down the engine, turned off the lights and retired to sleep below without anyone on watch.

During the night a wind came up on the southerly quarter. By a combination of wind, tide and current, the vessel drifted toward land. The crew was awoken by a large crash at 0300 on 8 March. ‘Magnet’ had struck the rocks off Te Kaukau Point.

The crew, a local farmer, and a marine surveyor appointed by the company who owned the boat tried fruitlessly to salvage the ‘Magnet’ – however, the strong winds and unfavourable tides meant that the ‘Magnet’ continued to beat against the rocks – and it was declared a write-off.
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