SS Paiaka. Wellington - New Zealand
Posted by: 
waiiti20
S 41° 22.614 E 174° 52.102
60G E 321746 N 5417209
This Waymark is located at the remains of the iron hull of the small steamer SS Paiaka which was wrecked near to here in a severe storm in 1906.
Waymark Code: WMQ5ZQ
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 12/26/2015
Views: 8
SS Paiaka was a small iron-hulled steamer, little larger than a good-sized launch. The official statistics state that the vessel was "an iron screw steamer, 14 tons gross and 10 tons net register, built at Wellington in 1881 by Mr David Robertson. Length 46.7 feet, beam 8.7 feet, depth 5 feet, engines 10 horsepower. Owned by Mr E. Seagar, of Wellington".
The Paiaka was wrecked in Fitzroy Bay in a severe storm on 9th July 1906 in full view of the lighthouse keepers at Pencarrow Head Lighthouse. Fortunately there was no loss of life.
The hull of the vessel lay buried in the deep shingle of the beach at Fitzroy Bay until 1987 when the Eastbourne Historical Society arranged for it to be excavated.
The severely-rusted hull now sits alongside the coastal 4 wheel drive road just above the beach, and there is a nearby plaque placed by the Eastbourne Historical Society with information about it.
The plaque placed by Eastbourne Historical Society is adjacent to the hull of the vessel
It is quite interesting to climb inside the hull - the old coal-fired boiler is still there, along with the crankshaft of the ship's steam engine which is directly coupled to the propeller shaft. The 3-bladed propeller is still attached.
Date of Shipwreck: 1906
Type of Boat: Steamboat
Accessibility:
Walk or cycle
Diving Permitted: no
Military or Civilian: Not listed
Cause of Shipwreck: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Only log the site if you have visited it personally.
Floating over a site does not qualify as a find if it is a wreck that requires diving - you must have actually visited the site - therefore photos of the site are good.