CLASSIC WOODYS FROM RIWAKA INLET – A PHOTO UPDATE

A good friend, John Burland, used to split his year between Germany and Motueka in Nelson – a rather handy arrangement for WW, as John has a great eye for photography and a passion for mooching around waterfronts.

Regularly, WW would receive a welcome ‘dump’ of photos from the Riwaka Wharf, Harbour and Marina, giving us a wonderful glimpse into the local classic boating scene.

Those visits have become less frequent over the last few years as life has got in the way, so I was particularly chuffed to receive an email yesterday containing a fresh gallery of classic wooden boat photos.

Some familiar faces make an appearance, but it’s always reassuring to see that the TLC is continuing, along with plenty of new additions to the collection.

Whenever I see boating communities like this, I can’t help feeling a little envious. The loss of so many traditional waterfront working and storage areas around the Waitematā Harbour has played a significant part in the decline of our classic wooden boat fleet. And perhaps just as sadly, we’ve also lost many of the people, skills and facilities that once made keeping these beautiful old craft afloat part of everyday boating life.

It’s great to see that Riwaka is still keeping some of that tradition alive.