W C Daldy was last years Winning Tug Boat! Can we do it again? Come along and support our crew, especially the Stokers!

Click Here to book online now!

VICTORIA WHARF, DEVONPORT, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
30th January 2012

• Depart Devonport 8am
• Depart Princes Wharf (Downtown) 9am
• Return Princes Wharf (Downtown) 12.30pm
• Return Devonport 1.15pm

Please Note: You may embark or disembark in either Auckland City (Princes Wharf) or Devonport. (Victoria Wharf)
Times of events may change closer to or on the day.

PRICES:

• Adults $75
• Children $40 (up to and including 15yrs)
• Family (2 Adults, 2 Children) $200

All Prices include lunch of Sausage, Pattie, Bread Roll and Salad

Tea and coffee are only $2.00 each, we do NOT have eftpos on board

A fabulous day on the water is promised as Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour comes alive in one of the world’s biggest one-day Regatta’s.

Contact Bevan to reserve a seat and pay on the day or Click Here to buy a ticket online and secure your booking! Please book early as this is one of our most popular sailings. Book now and make sure you are at the boat in plenty of time to pick up and pay for your tickets, because your place on the tug will be sold to someone else 10mins prior to sailing if not paid for by then.

Ph: (09) 309 7526
Mob: (021) 801402

For more details E-mail: bevanct@yahoo.com

Monday 30th January 9.00am: Tugboat Parade
Tugboats young and old will gather at the entrance to the Viaduct Harbour and parade up to their start line off North Head.

10.00am: Tugboat Race off North Head
Watch this amazing display of maneuverability and speed as these wonderful craft roar up the channel, round Narrow Neck Buoy and return to finish off Devonport Wharf – best vantage points are North Head, East Coast Bays beaches, Devonport and Devonport Wharf.

• 11.30am Firefighting display off the Viaduct followed by a Parade through the Viaduct.
• 11.00am: First Start off Princes Wharf

Races start off Princes Wharf, Downtown Auckland at 5 minute intervals from 11.00am.

• 11.35 & 11.45am: Classic division starts
• 11.55am: Tall Ships and Waka start
• 12.00noon: Harbour Blast starts off Orakei Wharf
• There will also be aerial displays by the War Birds and the Red Checkers 

See some of the fastest boats on the water ‘blast’ off in a vision of colour and speed as they head off around the harbour.

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Once again we proved wisdom over youth and successfully won the 173rd Auckland Anniversary Day Tug Race!

With poor coal and blustery conditions we still managed sail to victory. A BIG thank you to our stokers and our supporters for making this day a HUGE success! Winning the best presented surveyed vessel is a testament to all the hard work our volunteers and supporters have put in over the last 32 years!

• The Thompson Towboat Trophy for the first on handicap
• The Parry Trophy for the best presented surveyed vessel

Click the thumbnails below for a larger image

Society Patron Keith Ingram with the William C Daldy accepting the spoils from the 2011 Auckland Anniversary Day regatta tug boat race.

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Turning a cruise liner around in Auckland could pump about $1.26 million into the local economy, says Royal Caribbean Cruises Australasia managing director Gavin Smith.

Royal Caribbean’s 1800-passenger superliner the Celebrity Century will have cruises that start or finish in Auckland from October 2011.

The employment that came with a full ship turnaround included coaches, taxis, baggage handlers, customs and border control agencies that attended the pier and engagement with the airport and local hotels, Smith said.

“We have local fresh produce provedoring requirements, we have fuel needs and we also have stevedoring needs because we’ll do a full store in Auckland, in terms of container movements and the more industrial side of the business,” he said.

“The general figure that the cruise lines use is around a million dollars into the local economy on a turnaround day,” he said.

“And then you’ve got the additional upside of most of the Americans and Europeans and Australians that are getting on and off the ship will be buying one, two or three nights [accommodation] pre- or post cruise.”

Passengers were more inclined to buy accommodation to experience the city because it was the start or finish point of the cruise, Smith said.

The Celebrity Century would be the third vessel the company had in the region, although the other two would not embark and disembark in Auckland.

The company said it would bring 6000 visitors to New Zealand in the 2010/11 season, rising to 36,000 in 2011/12 . Americans and Europeans made up about 70 per cent of guests.

Auckland was the cruise capital of New Zealand, Smith said.

“Importantly, the port is an industrial working port so there is a continuing interest in Auckland harbour being a working harbour. What’s exciting for passengers is it’s one of the few ports in the world where you still get a downtown experience because the passenger wharf is adjacent to the downtown area.”

Cruise New Zealand chairman Craig Harris this month said 113,000 passengers would come to New Zealand this year, with bookings for 134,000 and 180,000 in 2010/11 and 2011/12 respectively.

Royal Caribbean’s Gavin Smith said that in the next three to five years congestion would drive the investment to create another purpose-built pier in Auckland. However, any facilities would need to be multi-purpose for the off-season.

CRUISING ON IN

Season:

2009/2010 – 113,000 passengers
2010/2011 – 134,000 passengers
2011/2012 – 180,000 passengers

By Owen Hembry | Email Owen

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All sailings are free Phone: 0800 767 678 to reserve a seat!

Due to the success of last year’s Auckland Heritage Festival and the continued support of the Ports of Auckland we are delighted to announce a series of public sailings will be available in September this year.

The hour-long, family-friendly tours will cruise through the commercial wharves, providing a close-up view of port operations.

The trip will also include a special stop at the Auckland Harbour Bridge, where the William C Daldy proved its might salvaging a runaway piece of the bridge during its construction in 1958. Click Here for the full story!

A detailed heritage commentary will also offer a unique insight into the history of the port and Auckland.

The development of the city and port over more than 160 years is a fascinating story.

Daldy has the capacity for 120 passengers which, if based on last years success will fill very fast!

The tours are free; however, a donation to the William C Daldy Preservation Society is appreciated.

The tours will be held at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm on Saturday 17th and 24th of September as well as Saturday 1st of October during the Auckland Heritage Festival.

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P&O Cruises’ Pacific Pearl will be re-christened in the Waitemata Harbour next year.

P&O Cruises plans to base its newest superliner in New Zealand. The 1800-passenger Pacific Pearl will be re-christened in the Waitemata Harbour on December 19, 2010. Auckland will be the ship’s home port and from here it will travel to Australia and the Pacific Islands. Craig Harris, chairman of Cruise NZ, said basing the Pacific Pearl in Auckland “is a real coup for New Zealand”. He said the industry already had bookings for the 2010 summer season and expected around 135,000 passengers. Mr Harris said cruise passengers were the fourth-largest group of inbound travellers.

Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia and New Zealand, said it chose New Zealand as the base because the country was driving much of the company’s growth. “Cruising has proven remarkably recession-resistant. As the world economy starts to recover, I believe we are in for sustained growth,” she said. “If New Zealand is to capitalise on that growth, it needs the right infrastructure and planning in place.”

FACTS

Built: 1989, renovated for P&O in 2010.
Weight: 69,500 gross tonnes.
Length: 247 metres.
Width: 32 metres.
Decks: 11.
Speed: Maximum 21.5 knots.
Passenger cabins: 839.
Facilities: Three restaurants, six bars and lounges, spa, fitness centre and gym, two swimming pools, multi-level show lounge, cinema, casino, duty-free shopping boutiques. Click for images

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The Auckland Heritage Festival has been a great success for both the Ports of Auckland and William C. Daldy Preservation Society!

A BIG THANK YOU to our passengers, the Ports of Auckland and to the volunteer crew members who went out of their way to make this a fantastic success with all sailings fully booked!

Over the weekends of September 19 to October 3, the Daldy ran Saturday trips around the Ports of Auckland wharves and to the harbour bridge as part of the Auckland Heritage Festival. The Ports of Auckland chartered Daldy Megan & Debbie from Ports of Auckland, Jessica-Lee and our own Barry Parsons gave the commentary during the sailings for these trips to give people a closer look at the Port and provided a commentary on its history.

All trips had a full complement of about 120 passengers plus crew and we threaded in and out of the wharves, the commentators explaining the development of the Auckland Harbour and each wharf’s history and use. As we went up past the harbour bridge, the passengers were told about Daldy’s part in the construction of the bridge.

From comments made by the passengers, they thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the Port and the experience of being on an operating steam tug which has been part of the Port of Auckland’s history.

Was there a down side to the three trips? We don’t think so! The crew worked really hard to make the trips enjoyable for the passengers and the William C Daldy gained a great deal of exposure that should help to raise our profile with the people of Auckland.

Below are some images taken from the Auckland Heritage Festival. All images are copyright to their respective owners.

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4:00AM Sunday Sep 20, 2009
By Jane Phare

Kiwis are following the trail of television’s gooey Love Boat and snapping up bargain cruises in the wake of a recession-driven slump in the American and European markets.

But industry figures warn that New Zealand ports need to invest in world-class facilities to keep pace with growing trade.

Executives from Carnival Australia – which runs P&O, the Princess ships and Cunard Line in New Zealand – say Kiwi ports must lift their game to handle the industry goal of one million passengers by next year.

August was a record month for P&O Australia, with 30,000 New Zealanders and Australians booking cruises.

P&O has extended Pacific Sun’s three-month New Zealand cruising season to four months next year. Bookings for the ship last month were 213 per cent up on August last year and family bookings rose 20 per cent. Carnival plans to bring a record 52,000 passengers to New Zealand in the coming season.

P&O chief executive Ann Sherry said to fully capitalise on growth, New Zealand needed the right infrastructure and planning in place.

Port owners, the Government and others in the industry all needed to play a part.

Carnival senior vice-president Jenny Lourey said the lack of sufficient infrastructure at New Zealand ports was a barrier to the future of the local cruise industry.

The country’s ports were not keeping pace with local demand for cruising and the number of ship visits.

Next February, three cruise liners will be in Auckland at the same time. The Europa will berth at Princes Wharf, where the Hilton Hotel’s conference venue will double as a passenger terminal, forcing the Dawn Princess and Clipper Odyssey to berth at ageing Queens Wharf with its makeshift facilities.

Plans are under way for an $85 million development of Queens Wharf, including a new passenger terminal, in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

A spokeswoman for Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key said the Government had contributed $20 million to help secure Queens Wharf as a cruise ship terminal.

Flash facilities or not, Kiwis are already planning next year’s holidays, taking advantage of two-for-one deals and discounts of up to 70 per cent.

Jacqueline Unsworth, who has worked in the industry for 18 years, said cruising has “never been so cheap”.

“There are deals that I’ve never seen in the whole time I’ve been in the industry.”

A 28-night round-Australia cruise on the Sun Princess and Dawn Princess starts at $3000, down from $8500.

And many companies are offering two-for-one deals, such as a 17-night cruise from Italy to Florida for $2900, with the second person paying only $280 taxes.

Apart from offering good deals, the cruise industry has worked feverishly to change the impression that a blue rinse is the only qualification needed for the high seas.

Go Holidays’ cruise consultant Samantha Fowler has been taking her two young daughters on cruises since they were babies. The introduction of kids’ clubs and activities for older children meant more families were booking.

jane.phare@hos.co.nz

Source: NZ HERALD

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MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 2 September 2009

Vintage steam tug brings history to life

Ports of Auckland is inviting Aucklanders to experience a ‘living’ part of the city’s maritime history through a series of free heritage tours during the upcoming Auckland Heritage Festival.

This year, for the first time, the tours will be hosted on board the historic steam tugboat, the William C Daldy.

“We are very excited to offer the Auckland public a chance to experience a part of their city’s history firsthand,” said Managing Director Jens Madsen.

Built in 1935, the William C Daldy was one of the Auckland port’s first tug boats, and worked welcoming and departing ships on the Waitemata Harbour for more than 40 years.

The hour-long, family-friendly tours will cruise through the commercial wharves, providing a close-up view of port operations.

The trip will also include a special stop at the Auckland Harbour Bridge, where the William C Daldy proved its might salvaging a runaway piece of the bridge during its construction in 1958. Click Here for the full story!

Daldy saves Auckland Harbour Bridge

Mr Madsen said the detailed heritage commentary would also offer a unique insight into the history of the port and Auckland.

“The development of the city and port over the last 160 years plus is a fascinating story.”

The tours will be held at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm on three Saturdays during the Auckland Heritage Festival, between 19 September to 4 October.

Bookings are essential. To book, phone 0800 AK PORT (0800 25 7678) or see www.poal.co.nz for more information.

The tours are free; however, a gold coin donation to the William C Daldy Preservation Society is appreciated.

For land-lubbers, Ports of Auckland is also running Red Fence Heritage Walks throughout the Festival. Walks will be guided from the meeting point outside the NZ National Maritime Museum on Sunday 20, Thursday 24, Sunday 27 September, and Sunday 4 October, at 3pm. Bookings are not required.

Ports of Auckland is New Zealand’s largest container port by volume, handling around 840,000 TEU (20ft-equivalent units), more than 1,700 ship calls and 3.6 million tonnes of break-bulk (non-containerised) cargo per annum. It is New Zealand’s major import port and a key partner to export industries. Ports of Auckland is 100%-owned by Auckland Regional Holdings.

The William C Daldy is a 38 metre, coal-fired steam tug, built in Scotland for the Auckland Harbour Board in 1935. After an 84 day delivery voyage to New Zealand, the tug began handling ships on the Waitemata Harbour in 1936. Following a 41 year career, the vessel was retired in 1977 as one of the last working coal-fired tugs in the world. Thanks to the efforts of The William C Daldy Preservation Society, the tug is still active on the Auckland Harbour.

The Auckland Heritage Festival, delivered by Auckland City Council, will run from 19 September to 4 October 2009. The two-week festival, comprising more than 100 events encompassing art, architecture, fashion, music, ecology and sociology, is a chance for Aucklanders to embrace and discover everything that is unique about their city. This year’s theme is living heritage – the customs, stories and traditions we keep alive today. For more information and a full event programme visit the events page of the Auckland City website at http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz

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