TAPUHI (N.Z.)

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D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen
Posts: 871
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 7:46 pm

TAPUHI (N.Z.)

Post by D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen » Mon Mar 12, 2018 3:51 pm

Built by Alexander Hall & Sons Ltd. Aberdeen, #706, launched on 27-07-1945, completed 08-’45 as EMPIRE SHIRLEY for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) London.
Tug, Gt:232, Lbp:34.35m. B:8.35m. D:3.70m. Scotch boiler, fitted for oil fuel 1-3 cyl. triple expansion engine:123 nhp. IMO.5352575.
Sold in 1947 to Union Steamship Company of New Zealand and renamed TAPUHI.
On 10 April 1968, TAPUHI rescued 170 of 733 passengers of the stricken New Zealand inter-island ferry, WAHINE (see there) when the ship was hit by a storm and sunk during a routine channel crossing from New Zealand's South Island to its North Island.
Sold to Fijian owners in 1976 and renamed TUI TAWATE for Salvage Pacific Ltd., Suva. Used in salvage operations on the ss PRESIDENT COOLIDGE (see there) Carried salvaged oil to the passenger ship ARCADIA.
Sold in 1980 to Reece Discombe, Suva, Fiji and renamed TUI TUATE. Sold in 1987 to Clement Griffiths, Wellington, New Zealand. At this time, she was laid up at Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Mr. Griffiths intended to move the TUI TAWATE back to Wellington and renovate it as a floating restaurant to memorialize WAHINE Day. However, the tug was not sufficiently sea worthy to withstand the tow and so the TUI TAWATE was left abandoned in Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. Now a Dive Site.

(New Zealand 2018, $1, StG.?) in the background.
Many websites
Attachments
wahine met slb.jpg
tapuhi 2.jpeg

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aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: TAPUHI (N.Z.)

Post by aukepalmhof » Sun May 20, 2018 8:17 pm

1990 The wreck was sunk in Segond Channel between Santo and Aore.
2018 It is a dive site for experienced divers due to the strong tidal current. She is standing upright on the seafloor in a depth of 44 meter.
Her last name was TUI TUATE and not TUI TAWATE.

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