The Ghost Ship

The vessel, "opua" was bound from Gisborne to Wellington when, at about 3 a.m. on October 2, 1926, she stranded at Tora. There was a dense fog at the ...
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The vessel, "opua" was bound from Gisborne to Wellington when, at about 3 a.m. on October 2, 1926, she stranded at Tora. There was a dense fog at the time, and the vessel went ashore on the rocks just below the homestead of Mr. Eric Riddiford, all the members of the crew getting ashore without difficulty. The Opua's hull was torn by the pounding on the rocks, and she quickly settled down. The engine room was flooded on the afternoon of October 2, and the vessel soon went to pieces. The Opua stranded on an even keel, 100 yards from the beach. She bumped heavily in the breakers and quickly filled. The tugs Toia and Terawhiti were sent from Wellington, and approached within half a mile of the wreck however it was too damaged to return out to sea. The captain abandoned the steamer on October 3.
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