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

Govt considers short-term Queens Wharf revamp

By Edward Gay and Bernard Orsman at NZ Herald

A short-term solution to revamping Queens Wharf could be on the cards if Auckland cannot get its act together.

Prime Minister John Key said a short-term option is being looked at and could cost between $15 million and $20m but half of that will be capital expenditure which can be used in the final design.

He said the wharf was an important part of Auckland’s waterfront and the design needed to reflect that.

“If it is in fact too rushed to reach a conclusion on a quality development for the site in the long-term perspective then the Government will have no qualms about erecting a good short-term live-site solution for the Rugby World Cup,” Mr Key said at a press conference this afternoon.

He said the Queens Wharf was important both for the Rugby World Cup and the long-term development of Auckland, namely an international passenger terminal.

Meanwhile, a larger and more expensive revamp of Queens Wharf has been labelled a last-minute kneejerk reaction to the Rugby World Cup by Heart of the City chief executive Alex Swney.

“When are we going to stop and take a longer-term view on the way we develop our city?” he asked.

Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully is pressing Auckland leaders to adopt a grander vision for the historic wharf than was proposed in the much-maligned design contest dumped in November.

This would push the cost of redeveloping the wharf from $47 million at the design contest stage to about $100 million.

Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee is keen to proceed with a cruise ship terminal in time for the cup if a new design appeals to the public.

He is at odds with Auckland City Mayor John Banks, who wants to spruce up the wharf for the cup and wait for the Super City when a plan can be put in place for the entire waterfront.

Mr Swney said the city needed to provide “party central” at Queens Wharf for the cup but also commit to a long-term masterplan.

“We need a plan that sees ports rationalisation, the freeing up of Bledisloe Wharf – a far superior site for a cruise ship terminal – and a plan that integrates the Tank Farm to the west with Queens, Captain Cook and Bledisloe wharves to the east,” he said.

Labour’s Auckland issues spokesman Phil Twyford said the Government’s determination to bully Aucklanders into an inadequate quick-fix solution seemed to be driven by Prime Minister John Key’s desire to create “party central” for the rugby cup.

“We are only 10 months away from a newly elected mayor and council for Auckland. It seems appropriate to wait to determine the future of the waterfront and cruise ship terminal until this occurs and decisions can be made in a democratic and accountable way,” he said.

Mr McCully said the Government explained in November an intention to step back, check the assumptions and look at all the options for Queens Wharf in conjunction with Auckland leaders early this year. He said some extra work had been done on the contest-winning design by architects Jasmax and Architectus. There were four or five other proposals on the table, but he declined to say what they were.

One option being considered by Auckland City Council is to spruce up Queens Wharf at a cost of $18 million, plus or minus $2 million, to provide services, safety, lighting and dress up the two 1912 cargo sheds for the rugby cup.

Mr McCully indicated the process was being driven by the need for a cruise ship terminal, expected to cost more than $50 million.

The other $50 million would be spent on strengthening the wharf and providing public open space. He said the cruise ship industry was worth $400 million a year.

By Edward Gay and Bernard Orsman

W C Daldy was last years Winning Tug Boat!

VICTORIA WHARF, DEVONPORT, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
1 February 2010

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

PRICES:

• Adults $75
• Children $40
• Family (2 Adults, 2 Children) $200

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

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 Richard to book now

Ph: (09)445 9900
Fax: (09)445 6606
Mob: (021)659 800
E-mail: rosecentre@xtra.co.nz

More Details

Monday 1 February 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

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

Date: 12 December 2009

Photographer: SeapixOnline.com

A BIG THANKS to the Railway Enthusiasts Society, all the passengers and crew, especially the stokers who managed to keep steam up with that awful coal!

Yes, we have created a different cruise to give you a chance to view Ponui, Rotoroa and Pakatoa Islands. We depart from Devonport at 8:30 a.m. and travel via the Tamaki Straight looking across at Maraetai Beach and the coastline. Once we reach Kauri Point on Ponui, we follow Ponui via the sandspit passage (a first for the Tug) passing between Ponui and Pakihi Islands.

RES trip east

We then steam past the outside of Ponui past such places as Third Bay, Bryants Bay and Scullys Reef. Next comes cruising between Ponui and Rotoroa Islands via the Ruth’s Passage giving fantastic views of both islands. We then turn right – travel past Rotoroa Island and travel between Rotoroa and Pakatoa via Frechmens Gap. We go past Pakatoa and return to Auckland via the Waiheke Channel. We aim to be home at Devonport by 4 p.m. Included in your fare is a muffin for morning tea and a light lunch of meat patty, sausage and bun. Tea and coffee is available for a gold coin donation at the ship’s galley.

Your support is essential to preserve this maritime icon. Please note: course may be altered in the event of bad weather.
The fare for this trip is only $88.00

Full information with tickets is sent 10 days prior to trip departure.

To book Click Here for the PDF booking form or contact:

WC DALDY EASTERN-HAURAKI GULF

C/O Railway Enthusiasts Society

PO Box 13-684 Onehunga

Auckland 1643

YOUR HOSTS: Bruce Jackson and John Hunter

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.

Pacific Pearl as Ocean Village 2

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: 1987, renovated for P&O in 2010.
Weight: 63,500 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

Great depiction of the sinking of Brittanic

The 82-year-old heavy-lifting crane, which is believed to be the oldest of its kind in the world still operating, is having a complete overhaul by some dedicated volunteers – with help from a $200,000 grant from the NZ Lottery Grants Board.

Built in Glasgow in 1926, Hikitia steamed her way to New Zealand at 7.5 knots.

She is capable of lifting in excess of 80 tonnes, and was utilised in Wellington harbour until 1990, when the port company decided she could retire gracefully.

She was bought by a couple, who restored her briefly before passing on ownership to the Maritime Heritage Trust.

Trust spokesperson Malcolm McGregor says it costs around $40,000 a year to run Hikitia, and although she has been “marginally self-sufficient” recently, most of their funding comes from local authorities and grants.

Hikitia’s sister ship, the Rapaki – built from the same set of drawings – is based in Auckland at the national maritime museum but is not a working ship, says Malcolm. The Rapaki is a museum ship, with displays and is often used as a classroom resource however, she could be returned to service with a little effort.

Europe has many “museum ships” and though some still work it’s “very rare”, which validates the effort put into Hikitia, he says.

“It’s unique in the world … it’s distinct … and provides a boost to the waterfront – and it works.”

Source: New Zealand Lotteries Commission

Click Here for more information on Hikitia

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.

[View with PicLens]

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