Tag Archives: Whangaroa Harbour

WOODEN MOTOR LAUNCH – ZEPHYR AT WHANGAROA HARBOUR

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MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR LAUNCH – ZEPHYR AT WHANGAROA HARBOUR

Todays woody photo is another mystery launch that comes to us from the Far North District Library collection via Dean Wright. The photographer being Trevellyn Guest .

The location is Whangaroa Harbour and the date is unknown.

In the photo we see a straight stem launch with a tram top, the lack of a dog house may date the photo c.1910 > early 1920.                                                 Her unusual coamings window configuration may help with ID’ing the boat. That centre square (with curved top) window is a very distinctive feature.

Can anyone put a name to the boat and comment on its back story.

29-07-2025 UPDATE: As identified in the comments section by Fred Walker and latter confirmed via a phone call. It is ZEPHYR and was owned at the time by Joe Shephard who was managing the Whangaroa slip at the time.

Ethel Big Game Fishing

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Ethel Big Game Fishing

The passage of life sometimes is a tad scary – recently I have been doing several stories based around Whangaroa Harbour in the Far North and  yesterday the phone rings and one of the last standing relatives has passed on – and where is the funeral – Whangaroa, so tomorrow the car will be pointing north. These events are never good but in her mid 90’s, it will be a celebration of life.

Anyway moving on to todays story – thanks to a Lew Redwood fb post we get to see a c.1931 photo gallery of the launch – Ethel in / around Whangaroa Harbour, in her big game fishing heyday. Regular WW readers will known my personal views on this heinous practice – one photo is tagged ‘Mako shark being killed with a spade’. Ok its not a spade, but seriously how barbaric is that.

(Photos ex The British Museum collection)

Get a Wee Bit Excited About The Upcoming Mahurangi Regatta – next weekend – Jan 28th.

Valhalla At Whangaroa 1932 + Woody Quiz

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Valhalla At Whangaroa 1932

In the above March 1932 photo we see the launch Valhalla alongside the wharf at the Whangaroa Swordfish and Big Gamefish Club in Northland.

Two very impressive Mako sharks are being weighed in – must have been a hell of a battle to land that pair in a boat the size of Valhalla 🙂

I’m a bit light on intel on Valhalla – can we learn more on her?

(Photo ex Lew Redwood fb)

INPUT ex Greg Philpott – below press clippings. I wonder if she survived the fire i.e. rebuilt.

WEDNESDAY WOODY QUIZ – Win WW t-shirt + a Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar

⎈ Name the boat yard and location (approx) in the photo below – and your are in the draw for a WW t-shirt + LRC&WB calendar. ENTRY ONLY VIA EMAIL TO THE ADDRESS BELOW (entries close 6pm 18-01-2023

waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Mooching Around Whangaroa Harbour

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Mooching Around Whangaroa Harbour

Pointed the car north yesterday for a fleeting visit to one of my favorite woody haunts – Whangaroa Harbour in the Far North. Always a great display of classic craft either tied up at the marina or moored in the bay.

Terrible internet connection and battery life disappearing fast – so I’ll add names to the vessels when I’m back in the big smoke 🙂

Enjoy the gallery.