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A lifetime of memories from Stu Murray - We had a blast down at the old wharf

 

 

thumbnail Stu Murray-272We had a blast down at the old wharf

I very clearly remember the last two visits by scows bringing goods and unloading at the wharf. One of them had to wait at a deep hole downstream; for obvious reasons it was called ‘the Anchor’.

A bit of by-talk: Snapper could be caught at the Anchor when they sheltered in the harbour when a big storm was brewing, but you had to have your lines in the water before they got a belly full of pipis. Roy King was the champion Anchor fisherman.

The scows unloaded at high tide and the goods were loaded onto a trolley which was on tram tracks and taken to the road. I recall a bag of sugar sliding off the trolley and catching on a wheel stud just before it reached land. Not much was saved as the bulk fell through the inch gaps in the wharf boards.

We as kids used to give one another rides up and down the wharf – it was great fun. I recall Father saying “Open the shed doors then you won’t bang into them.” The trolley had no brakes. At the time I didn’t understand Fathers sense of humour. He knew we would stop as I couldn’t swim.

I recall a regatta held there which had a handicap boat race for all, big or small, from the wharf around buoy down harbour. There might have been 20 or so boats from 1.5 horsepower Seagulls up about 7-10 horsepower other makes. But, the boat of most interest was something like a 14 foot punt entered by Fosh Wintle and Eric Judd. The motor was enormous, probably in the vicinity of 40 horsepower. Remember this was pre-1950.

Fosh was sitting on a plank beyond the bow and Eric steered and controlled it also from the bow. Most of the boats had rounded the buoy and were heading home when the punt was given the flag to go. It really had impressive speed for its shape and size. It’s wake near swapped the smaller boats. Who won I don’t recall.

There was a slippery pole event, the aim was to get the flag at the end. It looked like it could be a life ending experience if one slipped the wrong way.

Cam Maingay was the gun fisherman off the wharf at high tide. At around the high tide mark there was a solid plank running horizontally which he would stand on with about a 6 to 8-foot spear in hand, and about 2-foot of it in the water. He would have the spear vertical with his eyes all in a straight line. Kingfish would circle the wharf and when one came directly underneath, silently the spear went straight down. One kingi was a feed for several families. Once he gave me three steaks which really made Mum and Dad smile when it was hometime from the pub. Maybe that spear was an ex gum spear? Ivan also had one for spearing flatties.

Wharf memories couldn’t end without a mention of Charlie Hunter at the wharf at high tide. He was the gelignite king. He would have his dinghy tied up near a ladder and would throw in half a stick with about four inches of fuse. It was herring he was after, the stunned ones would come to the surface for him to pick up. Later in life I was told that the greater number sank rather than floated.

All visitors to Port Albert walk the wharf, it’s great exercise for oldies. Many are fishermen. Kids love running back and forth. Evening walks are often with a wine in hand. Mangawhai needs a wharf, end of that story.

 

Charlie Hunter at the wharf at high tide… He was the gelignite king.


 
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