Shipping
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From Kororareka to Russel, the story of a small town in the Bay of Islands that played a large part in New Zealand history.
HMS Rainbow
HMS Rainbow visited the Bay of Islands in April 1827 for 5 days with the Reverend Samuel Marsden onboard.
Rambler
In July 1817 Rambler arrived at Gravesend in England, under Captain Foldger, back from a voyage to the South Seas. Six weeks later she was at Deal, in Kent, about to depart again for the South Seas, this time under the command of Captain Simon Smith. In early January the following year, Rambler arrived at the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. In mid January Rambler left the Bay in company with another of Enerby’s whaling ships, Foxhound.
Rambler’s next port of call was at Sydney in August 1818 where her crew unloaded 20 dozen bottles of Porter’s Ale, and slop clothing. During their time in the fishery Rambler’s crew had taken on 85 tons of whale oil. Rambler stayed in Sydney until September 25 when Captain Smith sailed her back to the South Seas fishery. In March 1819, Rambler was back at the Bay of Islands with two sick crew members. From the Bay Rambler returned to Sydney, by now her crew having taken 250 tons of oil. After this time Rambler must have returned to England because in January 1821 she was ready to leave Gravesend again for the South Seas. For this voyage her captain was a man by the name of Wyer. Rambler called at Hobart before arriving at the Bay of Islands, and while in Hobart four convicts slipped onboard. When Captain Wyer arrived in New Zealand he transported the stowaways by ship’s boat to the Christian mission station at Kerikeri. The mission station was never keen to take on runaway convicts from Australia, not wanting to encourage men of such low character to reside in the Bay, and because there was scarcely enough food to feed the missionaries and their families. Captain Wyer next sailed Rambler into the Bay in July of 1821 when she had onboard 500 barrels of oil, and their last noted visit to New Zealand was in early January of the following year.
Regia
This was a ship owned by the whaling entrepreneur and one of New Zealand’s most well known early settlers, Johnny Jones. On May 12 1840 Regia was recorded as passing through Foveaux Strait.
Research
In July 1827 Captain Peter Dillon visited the Bay of Islands for three weeks while on an expedition to the South Seas. Later in the year Dillon and his ship, Research, were back at the Bay again, this time having arrived from Santa Cruz Island. When Research arrived at the Bay on this visit her captain called for a pilot by firing half hour guns. This is the first recorded instance of a pilot being called for at the Bay of Islands.
Robert Henderson
Robert Henderson was the first British immigrant ship to arrive in Southland when she sailed into Bluff on 7 September 1862 with 116 passengers onboard.
Rochester
A whaling ship by the name of Rochester, Captain Worth, visited the Bay of Islands in December 1823. At the time she had onboard 300 barrels of oil taken in the fishery.
Rolla
In March 1826 Captain J Nielson sailed his ship Rolla into the Bay of Islands from Sydney. Onboard was the naturalist Samuel Stutchbury. Early the following month Rolla sailed from the Bay in company with the Sir George Osborne, bound for the pearl fishery.
Roman
In April 1840 and American whaling ship called Roman anchored at the Auckland Islands with two others, North America and Amethyst. From the Auckland Islands, Roman sailed for Bluff in Foveaux Strait.
Rosalie
In 1838 an American whaling ship called Rosalie from Warren, called at Bluff in Foveaux Strait. The tiny southern settlement was by now becoming known as a haven for American whaling ships, and James Spencer’s pub was to set the standard for southern hospitality.
Rosanna
A ship renowned for her time in New Zealand waters in 1826, Rosanna was under the captaincy of James Herd. Rosanne sailed with Lambton, and both were ships of the New Zealand Company. They arrived at Stewart Island on March 25 where they exchanged goods for produces, overhauled spars and sawed planking on the islands with saw-pits and forges.
On May 25 Captain Herd sailed into the port we know today as Wellington on Rosanna, and named it Port Nicholson. Later in the year Rosanna had reached the Bay of Islands, afterwhich she continued her journey to Hokianga Harbour before returning to Sydney. In 1827 Captain Herd was back in New Zealand on Rosanna where he made an unsuccessful attempt at colonisation in the south. Before leaving New Zealand Rosanna called at Ship Cove in Queen Charlotte Sound.
Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, where Captain Herd anchored Rosanna in 1827.
Rover’s Bride
The 40 ton ship Rover’s Bride was built by Captain Joss in southern New Zealand. Captain Joss sailed her first to the North Islands and then on to Tahiti. Rover’s Bride and her captain both met tragic ends in Tahiti. Rover’s Bride was wrecked there in 1849, and her Captain and his two sons were murdered by the native inhabitants.
Royal Sovereign
In mid 1823 Royal Sovereign, Captain Wilson, arrived at the Bay of Islands. While there, her crew took on a load of spars, before they departed for the fishery again on July 11. In February 1829 a ship called Royal Sovereign, Captain King, arrived at the Bay of Islands with a cargo of oil.
