Tag Archives: Idalia

Idalia

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IDALIA 

On Thursday one of the Lake Waikaremoana launches we featured was – Idalia, we enquired about her whereabouts and sadly Toni Metz informed us that she was abandoned and subsequently broken up and removed from the lake front. Toni spent some time yesterday trolling thru his photo album and uncovered the above collection of Idalia when she was well cared for.

The b/w photo above was from her early days on the lake.

Toni has also search the launch on the Papers Past site and uncovered two interesting mentions – the first is from the Poverty Bay Herald, 23 Feb 1925 and covers a wee (actually not so wee) oops while Idalia was in Gisborne. You have to love the terms they used back then – no steering = “she did not answer to the helm” and taking on water = “she commenced to fill up”. Press clipping below

The second mention is also in the Poverty Bay Herald, this time dated 13th October 1933 and covers Idalia’s overland journey from Gisborne to Lake Waikaremoana. Lots of background on the boat ownership in the press clippings below. She was 36’ x 10’ x 3’6” and powered by a 40hp Thorneycroft engine, recently installed in 1933.

Lake Waikaremoana Woodys – Belle Isla and Idalia

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Belle Isle – Home Bay 2003
Idalia c.1970’s

Lake Waikaremoana Woodys – Belle Isle and Idalia

It never ceases to amaze me how boats crop up on WW. Wayne Stevens posted the comment below recently on a 2013 story about the launch Belle Isle (link below to that story) https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/04/belle-isle/

I have reproduced Wayne’s comment below

“Hi, I’ve just discovered the WW website & love reading about these lovely old craft. On a whim I decided to search for a couple of the boats I know from Lake Waikaremoana, the Belle Isle & Idalia, & was interested to see your story on Belle Isle. I have a photo of her moored in the smaller bay at Home Bay in 2003, refer above. On another visit there I’m pretty sure it was her with only the tip of her bow above water, & I think she was taken away from the lake after that.

The Idalia was a big part of a friend’s deer culling life in the 70’s. The owner would drop Jim Wright (the culler) at the far end of the lake for his trips into the bush, then pick him up weeks later. Jim spent time on the Idalia recuperating then would be dropped back in the bush for more culling.

Unfortunately the last photos I have of the Idalia was of her tied to the bank in Home Bay after being broken into & scuttled, refer belowI’d love to know what happened to her once she was taken away”.

Can anyone help Wayne with any intel on what became of Idalia?

INPUT ON IDALIA FROM ANTONIA METZ – Unfortunately the Idalia is no more – she was refused permission to remain on her mooring at Waikaremoana due to her condition and left tied to the shore for some time – photos to follow – eventually the owner was asked to remove her and as that was not feasible she was broken up and taken away.