Our maritime history & present day news. No. 42 Summer 2013. Cost: doubloons (gold coins) donation
Maritime Museum to make a splash at the MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival with our exhibition ‘Home Made - Surfi ng in Tasmania’; wooden surfboards, Tasmanian surfi ng culture and more!
Details of the exhibition and the museum’s other activities at the Festival can be found inside. Maritime Museum of Tasmania
CARNEGIE BUILDING Cnr Davey & Argyle Sts. Hobart, Tasmania
Postal Address: GPO Box 1118, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, AUSTRALIA Phone: (03) 6234 1427 Fax: (03) 6234 1419 email: [email protected] www.maritimetas.org Open Daily 9am–5pm (except for Good Friday & Christmas Day)
Layout & production:
Ricoh Studio Phone: 6210 1200 [email protected]
Closing date for our next newsletter is the 16th May, 2013. Please lodge your articles by that date in the box provided at MMT, or email direct to [email protected]
New Zealand Schooner Huia
2 | Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 president’s message
Space…the Museum can never have enough! For years Many of the Museum’s objects stored in the basement, beyond we have been troubled by a lack of display, curatorial and the shop manager’s offi ce and stacked in the administration storage space. All of a sudden a dramatic change occurred area will be moved to the Cambridge warehouse, dubbed by when the Hobart City Council conditionally off ered us the some ‘Rona’s Shed’ owing to her work in planning the layout. Carnegie Gallery. Furthermore, we have completed the fi t-out After the artefacts have been cleared from storage in the of our warehouse in Stanton Place, Cambridge, allowing us Carnegie Building more space will be accessible for the vital more fl exibility for the preservation and display of our many jobs of research, cataloguing and exhibition management. objects. The year 2013 rings in an amazing period of opportunity for ‘Real museums are places where Time is transformed into the Maritime Museum. Space’ wrote Nobel literature laureate Orhan Pamuk in The Museum of Innocence. Our Museum now has the challenge of displaying additional artefacts from the collection and telling stories of earlier maritime times in the Carnegie Gallery space. At the Council Meeting on 12 December 2012 aldermen fi nalised their cultural strategy review. The relevant clause of their resolution concerning the strategy was: The Council cease to operate the Carnegie Gallery at the end of the current Exhibition Program in February 2013, and the space be off ered at appropriate terms to the Maritime Museum of Tasmania Incorporated with the cost of equal access provision for this space to be met by the Maritime Museum of Tasmania Incorporated. Last word from Carnegie Gallery Staff - a sardonic comment made by erasing three letters of the original sign! Their exhibition program has now ended and the Museum is considering lift designs, funding opportunities and lease conditions prior to accepting Council’s off er. However, in the interim we hope to be able to install the Museum’s Australian Wooden Boat Festival exhibition Home-Made: Surfi ng in Tasmania in the gallery while we fi nalise our plans. Liz Adkins has curated an interesting social history of surfboards, builders and others associated with Tasmanian surfi ng that we are keen to display again following the Festival. Council’s off er to the Museum may not sit well with those from the contemporary art world but the opportunity for one cultural establishment to occupy the whole building makes a lot of sense. The staff who took down the fi nal gallery exhibition, Iniquity, wouldn’t agree with me, making their One side of the Cambridge warehouse showing dinghy racks feelings known when they modifi ed the title at the entrance and the mezzanine fl oor. by removing three letters (see picture).
Capt. JK Davis and the South Tasman Rise The Naval Auxiliary Patrol DONATIONS SIR MAX BINGHAM JEFF GORDON HMS Orpheus We thank the following FRANK IKIN Kyarra by Sid Heatley members for their DAVID SMITH Westward went South continued support and DAVID COLEMAN Knot so hard #26 generous donations; MR D. FLOREY Notes from the Curator MR G.TEAKLE From the galley, Competitions and more...
Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 | 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR new members We are delighted to welcome the To the Editor, following NEW MEMBERS to the Good article re the Cartela in Maritime Isle de France was in Hobart Maritime Museum. Times Issue 41. November 1942 but she is too far out The image of Queen Mary from Colin in my photo which was taken out of a window of a house in the Glebe to see Denison shows the Breone alongside, not BRIAN BERWICK Cartela. I went through all my images which vessel was her tender. I wonder if (Concession) of the Queens in Hobart and it seems any old hands remember the Isle de France visit? I think the photography restrictions Breone was tender to Queen Mary and DAVID JOHN got tougher as the war progressed as this Mongana was tender to Queen Elizabeth (Interstate) (see photos below). Despite wartime is the only image I have see of the Isle de photography restrictions the Queens were France in the Derwent. NEIL ROSSITER well photographed Regards, Jonothan Davis (Interstate) RICHARD MACQUEEN (Individual)
Membership Fees Categories of membership and annual fees eff ective each year 1 July to 30 June (including GST) Queen Elizabeth and Mongana. Jonothan Davis Individual $30 Family $40 Concessions: $20 Interstate $20 Overseas $20 Quarterdeck $25 plus $275 donation Perennial $1000 once only, or 4 years Quarterdeck membership. Queen Mary and Breone. Jonothan Davis
walk around the terrifi c Hobart waterfront. To the Editor, Maximum berthing time is 3 hours. The Just a quick comment on your Maritime inner arm was funded by Pennicott Wilder- Times publication issue no. 41 and a com- ness Cruises and that section will be used ment on page 3 in The From the Brig article. by them once they get their 3 new boats The article advises Tasports have added up and running. additional short term visitor moorings. Love reading your publication, keep up the MAST funded the facility and the Hobart great work, City Council will take ownership after 12 Peter Hopkins months. Tasports only involvement is that they are not charging rent for the water Manager - Recreational Boating space. MARINE AND SAFETY TASMANIA HOBART The facility was funded by the boating public of Tasmania through MAST’s recre- [Editor’s note: My apologies to MAST and ational boating licences and the facility is many thanks to Peter for the correction]. not for visitors but for locals to come along- Photo : The new berths in the summer sun, with side, to enjoy a meal, a coff ee or simply a Juno alongside and Lady Nelson beyond. MMT/ Mark Hosking
4 | Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 From The Brig: Changes to the Maritime Museum Committee
The museum’s Annual General Beth Dayton joins the committee as Honorary Secretary along with Meeting was held in November, new members Larissa Deck, Aina Dambitis and Kim Newstead. and a number of changes to com- The incumbents of the positions of President, Vice President and mittee personnel occurred. Treasurer remain unchanged, being Colin Denny, Mike Webb and John Wedd retired from the posi- Ross Studley respectively. The institutional nominees to commit- tion of Honorary Secretary. We tee remain unchanged being Hobart City Council – Alderman Hel- thank John sincerely for his service en Burnet; State Government – Bill Bleathman, Director of TMAG; over the past ten years, an active in- TasPorts – Kristie Little, TasPorts’ Marketing Coordinator. volvement in many aspects of the A major challenge for the new committee will be to manage the museum’s activities that often went signifi cant and exciting project of the museum’s expansion into the John Wedd beyond the duties of Secretary and Carnegie Gallery space on the fi rst fl oor of the Carnegie Building. A which he maintains through his condition of access to the space, as noted by Colin in his President’s work on Westward and with opening and closing the museum itself. message, is that the museum provide equal access to the fi rst fl oor. John also maintains his passion for sailing at Risdon Dam, where he As a fi rst stage of this project, a ‘consultant’s’ report has been re- regularly sails his one metre model. Charles Scarafi otti, Mary Marsh ceived that off ers a number of useful suggestions, some of which are and Dugald McDougall also retired as committee members. Again, reproduced here. We await developments with excited anticipation! we thank the retiring offi cers for their work on behalf of the museum Best wishes for 2013 to all members of the Maritime Museum and during their time on committee. All three maintain active involve- readers of the Maritime Times. ment with the museum in diff erent areas.
Cartoons: Artist: Louis Rodway
Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 | 5 By Anna Lucas
Captain John King Davis and the discovery of the South Tasman Rise
Just south of Tasmania, the ocean fl oor rises this cruise was to check the charted position dramatically. This extensive elevation, of the Royal Company Islands, but the ship covering over 200,000 square kilometres, is sailed over the coordinates of this phantom the South Tasman Rise; it was discovered archipelago without sighting them. a little more than 100 years ago, by During this voyage, Davis was able Captain John King Davis. to implement his recently acquired In March 1912, Captain Davis had knowledge of oceanography. As he later returned to Hobart with the S.Y. Aurora reported to The Geographical Journal after transporting Douglas Mawson (October 1913), his Lucas sounding and his team to Antarctic bases at Cape machine was fi xed on the port side of Denison (Commonwealth Bay) and at the forecastle head on S.Y. Aurora. The the Western Base on the Shackleton wire was wound in “by means of a belt Ice Shelf, and to the sub-Antarctic base worked by a small horizontal engine close on Macquarie Island. Oceanography, a by and directly in line with the machine; this relatively new science at the beginning of engine, constructed for the Scotia (Scottish the twentieth century, was a major component National Antarctic Expedition, 1902), was very of Mawson’s program, and Davis was kindly lent to us by Dr. W.S. Bruce.” charged with overseeing this aspect Captain John King Davis (1884–1967). John Also on board was a Kelvin sounding of it. Before leaving London in 1911 King Davis Collection, Australian Antarctic machine. At Latitude 45o26’S. Longitude Division. ©Commonwealth of Australia. to bring S.Y. Aurora to Hobart, he had 147o26’E., where he was expecting 2300 received detailed instruction in the fathoms, he found a depth of only 1940 operation of equipment from Scottish oceanographer, fathoms over mud, and speculated that they might be on W.S. Bruce. In Australia, he gained further instruction from the edge of a bank. The next day, at 47o7’S., they sounded Harald Dannevig, the Commonwealth Director of Fisheries to 792 fathoms and rock. Davis queried this result and the on board a purpose-built vessel, the Fisheries Investigation weights were sunk again, this time returning a reading of Steamship, F.I.S. Endeavour. This ship (tonnage 331, length 794 fathoms. The next readings were 660, then 700 fathoms. 127 feet with a beam of 23 feet) was launched in Sydney in Surprised, he wrote in his journal “There is evidently a 1908. Data for fi sh species in Australian seas were minimal submerged ridge here which I hope we shall be able to trace and Dannevig was conducting a systematic survey of for some distance ...” but the barometer fell and they were marine life. His observations also included ocean depth unable to sound in the squally weather that followed. “It is sounding, ocean fl oor composition, currents, and water trying after making such an interesting discovery not to be temperatures. On the 10-day voyage to and around the seas able to follow it up. Certainly we should feel proud of the near Eden, N.S.W., in late October 1912, Davis kept notes of old ship. She mounts the high seas like a duck and seems as the equipment onboard, operating techniques, the results buoyant as ever despite her fuller load [of] 400 tons of coal.” obtained and general observations. S.Y. Aurora (tonnage 580, length 165 feet), was a “sturdy He was due to return to Antarctica in the summer of old whaler” a steam yacht, built in Dundee in 1876, which 1912–1913 to bring Mawson’s team back to Hobart; but had worked out of Newfoundland, when engaged in the prior to that, in November 1912, he left with S.Y. Aurora on whaling industry. Davis had negotiated the purchase, on a “dredging cruise” sailing south to Macquarie Island and behalf of Mawson, for his Antarctic expedition in 1911. the Auckland Islands. On board were passengers Professor He now set course for Macquarie Island, where they took Flynn (father of Errol), a biologist based at the University of more soundings and trawled for marine specimens, but Tasmania and his assistant, Mr. Denny. A secondary aim on the rocky surrounds of the island damaged the trawl; the
6 | Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 Above: S.Y. Aurora at Queen’s Pier, Hobart, c. 1911. MMT Collection. Left: Map showing South Tasman Rise. Modifi ed, with permission, from Australian Hydrographic Service Chart AUS 4601: Tasman Sea – New Zealand to South Eastern Australia. Editor’s note: A condition of reproduction of this image is that we note that the modifi ed map is not to be used for navigation. net yielded only a few fi sh there for the biologists. (More and also a lot of other good sounding work. I enclose a successful trawlings were made later in the voyage when cutting about it which will give you the news.” In his journal returning to Tasmania; they obtained “a large octopus and he had written “I think that we must name the rise we have several interesting fi sh.”) The soundings they made were discovered the ‘Aurora’ rise after the sturdy old vessel which added to a chart drawn by one of Mawson’s men stationed has carried us through so many gales.” Mawson, however, on Macquarie, Leslie Blake. Davis then proceeded towards in the Scientifi c Reports of the Australasian Antarctic the Auckland Islands, continued the oceanographic work Expedition wrote: “This sub-Antarctic cruise had succeeded in that vicinity, but did not land there. He was anxious to in securing a large number of soundings in a region of the return to the submerged ridge south of Tasmania, and to ocean hitherto devoid of such data. An outstanding feature investigate its extent by taking more soundings. In early of this part of the programme was the discovery of a deep- December he recorded, around 47oS. 147oE., soundings of sea rise of considerable extent lying to the south of Tasmania 835, 735 and 710 fathoms, then 543, 645 and 918 fathoms. At and separated from the latter by deep water. This we have 46oS 148oE., he found 1490, 935 and 840 fathoms. Unsettled distinguished by the title of ‘Mill Rise’ in honour of Dr Hugh weather again interrupted his work, and he returned to Robert Mill, the able historian of Antarctic exploration.” Hobart on 14 December to prepare for the second Antarctic Mill Rise, a north-west/south-east feature of the ocean fl oor, voyage, leaving on 26 December 1912. approximately Lat. 44o to 48oS. and Long. 146o to 151oE., is The discovery had been reported in The Mercury on 28 now referred to as the South Tasman Rise. In their paper November 1912 (page 5). A wireless report had been “Geological framework of the South Tasman Rise” published sent from Macquarie Island with the news and preceded in the Australian Journal of Earth Sciences in 1997, Exon et al. the return of S.Y. Aurora. The Mercury noted that where describe the Rise as a “continental fragment” of three main navigational charts estimated depths of 1,500 to 2,000 structural blocks with a composition which includes granite, fathoms, the recent work by Davis showed only 700 fathoms sandstone and dolerite. Part of this area, as described in and gave Hobart readers a point of reference by comparing the Commonwealth of Australia Environment Protection the depth of 700 fathoms (4,200 feet) to the height of Mt. and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, is now the South Wellington (4,066 feet). Tasman Rise Commonwealth Marine Reserve and has been From Hobart, on 19 December, Davis wrote to his father “We assigned the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation have just returned from a very unpleasant cruise a good of Nature) category of “managed resource protected area” deal of bad weather... However, as we made an important for the purpose of protecting and maintaining biological discovery I suppose we ought to be satisfi ed, a ridge diversity. Marine species noted by Anderson and Clark [carrying] 500 fathoms of water 200 miles south of Hobart in “Analysis of bycatch in the fi shery for orange roughy,
Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 | 7 Hoplostethus atlanticus, on the South Tasman Rise” include Fishing Zone]. This was part of the orange roughy stock small numbers of sponges, anemones, corals, jackknife management arrangement between Australia and New prawns, spider crabs, squid, and eels. They also noted larger Zealand, which agreed that there would be no fi shing for numbers of basking sharks, seal sharks, dory, dogfi sh, three orange roughy in 2007–08 and indefi nitely thereafter. This species of oreo and the orange roughy in their 2003 paper in decision was upheld for the 2010–11 fi shing season, for the Marine and Freshwater Research journal. Aggregations which no permits were issued for the fi shery. In the latter of orange roughy were discovered there in 1997 but, being years of STRTF activity, very little orange roughy was caught slow to mature and with a low recruitment rate, they were ... Resumption of fi shing will require agreement between soon classifi ed as overfi shed. Australia and New Zealand on issues such as an appropriate The Fishery Status Report for 2011 published by the total allowable catch (TAC) and a new harvest strategy.” Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics The topography of the ocean fl oor is interesting – and, as and Sciences (ABARES) stated: “Australian catches from the Captain Davis found, surprising. The Maritime Museum South Tasman Rise Trawl Fishery (STRTF) peaked in 1998–99, of Tasmania has DVDs which show the submerged peaks with orange roughy the major component of the catch. and troughs in the seas which surround Tasmania. Closer Following indications of depletion of the orange roughy examination of the South Tasman Rise and other geomorphic stock in the 2002 stock assessment and limited fi shing features of the continental margins of Australia can be made for several years, the STR was closed in 2007 to Australian at: http://www.ga.gov.au/image_cache/GA7950.pdf fi shing both inside and outside the AFZ [Australian
1 Tie a Figure of Eight Knot in the end of 2 Draw up the noose as in Fig 2 the line. Take the standing part around knot so hard the object and pass it through the loop as a series by Frank Charles Brown in Fig 1. No. 26 Butcher’s Knot This knot is traditionally used for tying up meat cuts but is also an excellent knot for tying up bundles of loose materials and parcels. 4 Draw up the Half Hitch as in Fig 4
3 Make an Half Hitch around the work- ing end as in Fig 3
NOTICE FOR MEMBERS: BOOKS FOR SALE The Museum has a surplus of maritime books for sale by donation. Any members who are interested in increasing their library are welcome to contact either Mike Webb or the Librarian. The best times are Monday to Wednesday mornings. Contact: Tel. 6234 1427 or 0428 254230 | email [email protected]
8 | Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 By Mike Webb Westward went South.
Westward approaching the windward mark in the fi rst race. Photo by Margaret Loring. Ever since Westward’s return to Hobart we had not had Unfortunately ashore we had been given a later start time the opportunity to do any real sailing with the boat. So, than those running the race on the water. So we went over naturally, when asked if we would like to take part in the the line late. We had a superb sail catching up the fl eet to Wooden Boat Rally at Kettering in early 2012, we agreed. We cross the fi nish line fi fth. After the race one of our noble knew the boat had some old sails, not of high performance crew suggested we needed a new staysail after putting his value, but we thought it would be good to show the boat hand through it. (Another staysail has since been donated). off at Kettering. The combined results left us the overall winner. John Wedd, Graeme Cook, Noel Barret and I set off on a Monday we returned to Constitution Dock with no wind but Saturday last year to Kettering, getting some sailing practice happy with the old girl who possibly had not won a race for in on the way. Bill Wright and Barry Jones joined us the over sixty years. following morning. Later in February 2012 Westward’s mast was lifted prior to This was the second successful rally the Wooden Boat Guild the boat going on the slip at RYCT, where new keel bolts along with the Kettering Yacht Club have arranged. The rally were inserted. Barry Jones has also been able to rebuild included boats of all shapes and sizes. The main features some of the suspect blocks. were the eight Derwent Class yachts with their young crews Westward is currently moored in Constitution Dock, courtesy racing over two days and the wooden built yachts that of a mooring generously supplied by TasPorts. She was once raced on the Sunday. The fi rst race was in very light wind again moored adjacent to Mawson Pavilion for the duration conditions. However a huge headsail, which had been of the Sydney – Hobart race, providing a suitable backdrop donated to the Museum, did the trick of pulling eighteen for the race media centre housed there. Westward is, of tons of boat round the course. Despite the light airs its sheet course, participating fully in the tenth Australian Wooden managed to explode a lead block to pieces. Out of twenty- Boat festival and the volunteers involved in her conservation fi ve starters we came eleventh. The afternoon race was with and ongoing maintenance welcome museum members and a pleasant sea breeze. The huge headsail was replaced with friends to inspect the work and perhaps enjoy a yarn or two. another acquisition. A sail, in perfect condition (said to be We hope to see you there! ex Mirrabooka) picked up from the Hobart Tip Shop, that with slight alteration proved ideal for the conditions of the second race.
Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 | 9 Shipwrights Arms Hotel (Established 1846) 29 Trumpeter Street, Battery Point Phone: 03 6223 5551 Situated in the heart of historic Battery Point, “Shippies” is lined with a unique collection of Tasmania’s past, both maritime and historical
Aaron Gray (Licensee)
A traditional old English corner pub, filled with history, tradition, and pride including photographs of every ‘Sydney to Hobart’ winner
10 | Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 HMS ORPHEUS By Digby Longhurst
Earlier in 2012 the Research section of the Maritime Mu- seum received a request for information about a memo- rial to HMS Orpheus, erected in the Mariners Chapel in Hobart. The memorial was erected to the memory of men lost in a tragic accident in 1863 when the vessel was wrecked at the entrance to Manukau Harbour, the western approaches to Auckland New Zealand. 1861 was a notable year for Hobart, the commencement of the building of the Mariners Chapel on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Morrison Street and in England, the commissioning of HMS Orpheus. The vessel began her service in north American waters before being sent to Australia in 1862 to become the fl agship of the Austral- asian Squadron. The vessel was a corvette powered by both sail a steam driven propeller, which could be low- ered to provide more manoeuvrability in light condi- tions. On New Year’s day 1863 the vessel took the Governor of Tasmania to the Cygnet regatta and back to Hobart, the vessel was open to inspection in Hobart before be- The HMS Orpheus memorial, photographed at the TMAG store. Digby Longhurst. ing sent to Sydney to take on stores and provisions to ry” and eventually the memorial was placed in the entrance support British forces engaged in the Maori wars in New to the Town Hall. Mention was made to the memorial by Zealand. On completion of loading the vessel sailed for Ma- then Lord Mayors, in the “Mercury”, in both 1933 and 1936. nukau Harbour. Investigations in 2012 however revealed it was no longer The entrance to the harbour was well charted and a copy there and no one knew where it was or when it had been of this chart was being used at the time of the accident, removed. however the latest soundings were not. These soundings indicated that the shoals in the area of the entrance were By accident it came to light that the memorial had been moving northward. Signals from the shore entrance station removed in c1950 (possibly to make room for additional were ignored with the result that the action of lining up the Honour Boards?) and taken to the HCC Cleary’s Gates store, entrance was taken too late and the vessel grounded, prov- where it remained until 1974 when it was placed in the ing impossible to move she gradually broke up over the fol- TMAG collection. lowing 24 hours. 189 men out of a total complement of 257 Following two installations and two removals, the memo- drowned on 7 February 1863. rial is a shadow of its former glory, gone is the black granite A collection by public donation was raised in Hobart short- surround for the tablet (approximate 3 feet square), gone ly after news of the disaster arrived, with the intention of are the marble columns, gone also is the heading piece over contributing money for the families of the deceased and the marble tablet comprising fl ags, crossed swords and an- a memorial to the incident. A sum of £180 was forwarded chors. The tablet itself has suff ered damage and some repair to the British Admiralty in 1864 for the fund set up to assist work has been carried out. The inscription, honouring the distressed families and £70 was set aside to purchase an ap- Commodore, Captain, offi cers and crew who perished re- propriate memorial, £7 for it’s erection and some £12 19s 3d mains in reasonable condition. for cost and administration. The importance of this memorial has heightened signifi - th In 1864 the memorial, constructed in Melbourne, loaded cance with the 150 anniversary fast approaching (7 Feb- aboard the “Tasmania” arrived in Hobart and was erected ruary 2013), a committee has been formed in New Zealand behind the pulpit in the new Mariners Chapel. to mark the occasion as the worst maritime disaster in their history. By 1917 the Mariners chapel was in a state of disrepair, roof falling in etc., the decision was made to demolish the build- Meanwhile, in Hobart, it has been agreed to place the me- ing with the Marine Board insisting the memorial be found a morial in the Carnegie Building where it will, once again, be new location. Public comment fl owed in the Hobart “Mercu- available for the public to view.
Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 | 11 By Paul Armstrong
THE NAVAL AUXILIARY PATROL
When most of us hear the word nappy we automatically Nappies were civilian volunteers who carried out security think of that essential square piece of fl annelette, or now duties in Australia’s inshore and inland waterways during more often than not, padded plastic baby undergarment. World War 2. Membership of NAP did not release men from Very few of us today would know that NAPPY and NAPPIES military obligations, with the organization actively seeking were terms given to those dedicated, forgotten and unsung volunteers from all walks of life between ages 16 and 60, volunteers of the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve who because of reserved occupations, medical conditions Naval Auxiliary Patrol RANVR (NAP) of World War 2. or age could not serve in the regular armed forces. The Naval Auxiliary Patrol evolved out of the Volunteer Coastal Patrol organization created by Australian yachtsmen in March 1938 and led by retired Royal Navy offi cer, Captain Blackwood DSO, RN. With unoffi cial cooperation from the Navy in Sydney the Volunteer Coastal Patrol’s role grew from June 1940 when the task of maintaining security within Sydney Harbour was passed from the RANR to the NSW Police and its water police units, with the police in turn seeking assistance from the private boating community. NAP boat JESTER moored off the Domain slip at Hobart.
The medical standard required for NAP was not very high, although eyesight and hearing had to be good, and men with poor colour vision were not accepted. Uniforms were preferred but not compulsory with the cost of uniforms having to be borne by the member; although from 1942 any member required to perform full time service was given a £20 gratuity towards the cost of a uniform. As service was voluntary, members could resign at any time and Nappies were not paid unless they entered into full time service. Statutory Authority was given in April 1942 for the mobilisation of certain personnel for full-time duty in the RANVR (NAP). NAP boats were all shapes and sizes with ownership always NAP boat HMAS Riawe in the Mersey River, Devonport. Note machine gun forward. Skipper - Gordon Allison. remaining the property of their owners. Apart from the cost of any alterations or special equipment that needed This led to a degree of offi cial recognition from the NSW to be fi tted to vessels for special duties, the only costs Sate government, and with similar developments occurring incurred by the navy were operating costs, including fuel. in Melbourne, the NAP was given offi cial recognition when All maintenance costs remained the responsibility of the on 17 April 1941, the Commonwealth Government gazetted owner, although an extra 4.5 litres of fuel per month was regulations to provide for the inclusion of members of the supplied for engine maintenance. Compensation would be Naval Auxiliary Patrol in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer paid for any damage to or loss of a NAP vessel and the same Reserve with the service becoming the RANVR (NAP). applied to volunteers who were killed or injured on duty. Who were the Nappies and what was their role in preserving Many boats kept their original names with names such as the security of Australia during those dark years of World Blowfl y, Bluenose, Jester, Vagrant, Lolita, Mate-O-Mine, Peter War 2?
12 | Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 Pan and Betty Too being very un-naval and no doubt raising a vigil for suspicious or strange craft, objects fl oating in the few senior naval eyebrows. water or unusual activity on or near wharves and jetties as Nationally some 600 odd private pleasure craft were well as on the shore. brought into service with nearly 80 of them being formally In major ports the NAP boats would patrol about the commissioned. Although generally unarmed, some NAP wharves, keeping constant watch on ships in harbour, boats were equipped with machine guns and in some noting wharf activities and being ever alert for any signs of instances depth charges. By the end of 1942 the RANVR sabotage. (NAP) nationally had grown to over 7000 volunteers. On night patrols vessels moved slowly about with blacked The Tasmanian division of NAP was established in late 1941 out wheel houses and saloons and with dimmed navigation with the Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, lights. It was often lonely, monotonous work requiring a Mr. George Peacock, being appointed State Skipper for the quick eye and sensitive ear with patrol craft ready for any patrol. Meetings were held at the Tamar Yacht Club and emergency. If necessary, NAP crews could stop and board a Mersey Yacht Club in October and at Burnie in November suspicious vessel either on their own initiative or on direct 1941 with resolutions passed to form branches of the NAP. orders from the navy. Some skippers were equipped with Recruiting was also being undertaken in other areas. side arms. The night of 31 May - 1 June, 1942 emphasized just how important NAP was to the security of our nation. It was a crew member of the NAP boat Lolita who spotted the periscope of a submarine in Sydney Harbour, raised the alarm and then like angry ants she and other NAP craft swarmed over and depth charged the Japanese midget submarine M-21. By 1944 the threat to the southern part of Australia had greatly lessened as the war in Europe was brought to a conclusion and the war against Japan move further north. The role of NAP declined in importance and by wars end it was a shadow of its former self. Men and boats were released NAP boat TASSIE moored off the Queen’s Domain Hobart with the old from service and the long vigil came to an end. Mercantile rowing shed in the background. How did the Australian Government formally recognize In early December 1941, the District Naval Offi cer in the service of the members of the RANVR (NAP)? Those Tasmania Commander C. W. Stevens toured most of the members who were mobilized for full time service in the Tasmanian coastline with the naval staff offi cer for the Naval NAP were deemed to be part of the Defence Force with Auxiliary Patrol, Lieut. R. H. W. Power and the squadron qualifying war service. However, the un-mobilised members skipper of the patrol in Tasmania Mr. George Peacock and (which were the majority) were not. was very pleased to fi nd that NAP was well established. Although recruiting was well underway, boats and crews were still urgently required in order that the organization might undertake any duty required of it during an emergency. EXHIBITION It was important to attract boat owners, fi shermen and others with boating experience into the organisation, but Art Society of Tasmania it was equally important to recruit other men for duties presents within the patrol such as watch keeping, signalling, engine maintenance and deck duties. Acting area skippers had been appointed to control specifi ed areas and these were WATER WAYS based at Hobart, Launceston, Woodbridge, Huonville, Triabunna, Cygnet, Dunalley, St. Helens, Devonport, Burnie, at Long Gallery Salamanca Wynyard and Stanley. during the Wooden Boat Festival NAPS carried out rescue work, security patrols, acted February 2013 as guard boats, escorted troopships when in harbour, undertook special investigation duties and patrols were ever 8–11 February 10 am –5 pm watchful for mines. The NAP boats carried out both day and night patrols in designated patrol areas, keeping a constant All paintings for sale
Maritime Times of Tasmania Summer 2013 | 13 Bill Mearns Fellow of the Australian Society of Marine Artists
High Tide, Port Sorell, Tasmania O MARK the 2013 TAustralian Wooden Boat Festival, Mostly Maritime, Masterpiece@IXL’s specialist marine art gallery, has a special event — an exhibition by acclaimed marine artist Bill Mearns, opening at 10:00am Friday 8th February. It’s a rare opportunity to see and acquire works by one of Australia’s foremost marine artists. Prince Phillip Cup International Dragon Race, Derwent River 2003
AN ENTERPRISE OF Mostly Masterpiece@IXL Fine Art & Antiques ! (UNTER 3TREET s (OBART s 4ASMANIA 0HONE s &AX