If there is one summer outing to invite friends along to and gather your family for, then this is it! We have not taken the Daldy to Kawau Island for some time.

We have arranged another great day out on the William C Daldy. This is a family fun day on Kawau Island.

Cruise Tickets: Devonport – Kawau Island Return only $90.00 each

Boarding the Steam Tug at its base in Devonport, a loud blast on the whistle will mark our sailing as the smoke billows from the funnel and we steam down the Waitemata Harbour. At North Head, it will be full steam ahead as the engines are opened up for the “romp” up the Hauraki Gulf to Mansion House Bay in Kawau Island. The Tug William C Daldy rarely ventures out of Auckland Harbour these days. So book early.

We depart Devonport at 8am arriving at Kawau Island at 11.30am, where you can then enjoy several hours on the island – exploring Mansion House, The Island or take a picnic lunch.

We depart Kawau Island at 1.30pm arriving back at Devonport at 5pm.

A cash bar and BBQ will operate on this trip. Tea and coffee is available for a gold coin donation.

Enjoy a great cruise to and from Kawau.Island.Be quick – Limited to 110 passengers.

SCHEDULE

Tickets, a detailed schedule and full cruise information will be posted out to all booked passengers approximately seven to ten days before departure. Please read these instructions carefully in case there are last minute itinerary changes!

• DEPART Devonport 7:30AM
• ARRIVE Mansion House Bay 11:30PM
• DEPART Mansion House Bay 1:30pm
• ARRIVE Devonport 5:30pm

Click Here to download a booking form

Please note: This excursion is has been organised in conjunction with The Railway Enthusiasts Society INC and all bookings must be made via the PDF file (Link Above) or Email: secretary@railfan.org.nz

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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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

On Saturday 19th April, the engine was started again and the public were treated to an authentic piece of history in motion.

Former Prime Minister and Local MP Helen Clark opening the restored working pumphouse

Volunteers including engine enthusiasts from all over Auckland have dedicated hundreds of hours to bringing the engine back to life.

Steam section manager Ken Pointon has led the project.

An engine fitter and turner by trade, Mr Pointon says getting the engine working again has been very rewarding.

“No one ever really thought it would go again, but we decided bugger it. It”s a national treasure of New Zealand, we”re lucky it”s still here.”

Built in Scotland in 1877, the engine was shipped to New Zealand in pieces and assembled at Western Springs, where it has stayed ever since.

Click on movie above to play

Chief engineer Mike Austin says the pumphouse is now Motat”s oldest building.

“This building is the reason Motat is here.”

During it”s 51 years of use, it was the city”s main water supply, pumping water to reservoirs in Ponsonby, Mt Eden and Khyber pass.

It was decommissioned in 1928 after the dam at Waitakere took over as the main water supply.

It has become the biggest operational beam engine in the southern hemisphere.

Mr Pointon says it has been a huge task to restore it completely as parts of the machine had seized solid, requiring hours of piping and plumbing work.

Other work has included rebuilding valve spindles and installing a new cooling tower.

As for actually pumping water again, Mr Austin is optimistic.

Mike Austin with the Scotch Boiler that supplies steam for the pumphouse and the various other engines he maintains!

He says the next phase of work after the open day will hopefully see a pump hooked on to the engine but for now it is “one miracle at a time.”

In the most recent test run in December last year, the engine was able to sound Motat”s steam horn for the first time in 80 years.

Motat”s marketing and events co-ordinator Bridgette Johansen says it was exciting to hear the horn blow.

“People came running out of their offices all around Motat to see what was happening.”

Miss Johansen says they hope to spread some of their enthusiasm to the public on the open day.

“It”s getting people excited about history while tying in a quintessential piece of history, especially kids.”

Mr Pointon says there is a huge educational story behind the engine and the way water pumps work.

“Kids today just turn on a tap and see water come out.

“They don”t know how it got there.”

Miss Johansen says Motat”s April school holiday programme will also centre around water and steam.

The open day was a steam celebration day featuring a Victorian theme.