The historic Paddle Steamer Waimarie has been the target of youthful antics over summer. Photo / NZME
The historic Paddle Steamer Waimarie has been the target of youthful antics over summer. Photo / NZME
The managers of two historic riverboats on the Whanganui River are up in arms after a spate of dangerous antics by young people climbing on board the vessels.
There have been serious ongoing issues on the Paddle Steamer Waimarie and Motor Vessel Wairua including breaking and entering, graffiti, vandalism, broken windows, theft and, about eight years ago, an assault on a crew member who tried to intervene.
Both heritage craft managers said there were serious safety risks with jumping off the boats and if the exploits continued there was a chance someone could be badly hurt or killed.
Paddle Steamer Waimarie manager Jen Britton, who has been in her role for about 20 months, called the police on Monday night after seeing a group of young people on security camera fooling around on the boats.
Kiwi Vintage Tourism-Motor Vessel Wairua director Sam Mordey said diving off vessels and bridges into the river was dangerous as some areas were shallow, and the waterfront had been a zone of commercial activity since the 1840s.
Junk and debris from the wharf and underwater could be hidden beneath the murky surface.
“More often than not they’re using the boat as a platform to jump from, but the biggest issue we have is they’re trying to climb on the roof,” Britton said.
“The roof isn’t designed or made to hold human weight in general so it’s not safe.
“They could fall through - and obviously that’s a liability on us.”
Mordey said 95% of the people involved had been young people. In a few instances, adults may have been present.
Motor Vessel Wairua director Sam Mordey has seen his fair share of delinquency around the boats over the years.
The boats are used for public river cruises and spend the rest of their time moored near the Union Boat Club.
Mordey, who has 20 years of experience working on the river, had noticed the issues typically arise towards the end of summer or after school on hot days.
The problems began in 2013/14.
“Some years we have no issues and other years it’s relentless,” Mordey said.
Britton said there were mooring wires attached to the Waimarie that swimmers sometimes hung off, but the wires’ strength was unpredictable because of the strain of river debris.
Some days there were strong currents around the wharf by the Union Boat Club that also made Britton concerned for swimmers.
Both vessels are heritage crafts and were salvaged from the bottom of the Whanganui River.
A group of locals spent 19 years restoring the Wairua, built in 1904, to her original condition.
The Waimarie, built in 1899, is the only coal-fired paddle steamer still operating in New Zealand.
“The age of the vessel does make it a little more complicated for repairs; some things aren’t easy to get. If they break a pane of glass, that’s a custom cut,” Britton said.
Mud-fights in and around the historic riverboats had led to volunteers spending long hours cleaning up the mess on the boats' exteriors.
Britton understood the playful intentions of the young people: “They just want to do their bombs and manus, get wet and cool down.”
However, the boats were being threatened by the more harmful stunts.
“On one hand it is private property and they’re trespassing but the biggest thing for me is the safety issue,” she said.
A Whanganui District Council spokesperson said they did not advocate jumping off the City Bridge into the river, but if people were going to do it they should take care.
“Check the water for obstacles before you jump – not only logs but other jumpers and watercraft as well."
Two deaths in Wellington over the past decade as a result of people jumping off the jib of a preserved floating steam crane were front of mind for Mordey, who said it would have been an unimaginable tragedy for the families and the people responsible for the ship.
“We simply don’t want that here,” he said.
Whanganui District Council’s advice on water safety
Know your limits.
Never swim alone.
Swimming at Castlecliff wharf is banned because of the danger.
If you’re at the beach, watch for rips because they can carry you away from shore. How do you spot a rip? It can look like murky brown water caused by stirred-up sand, a smoother surface with waves breaking either side, debris floating out to sea, or a rippled look when the water around it is calm.
The two Whanganui beaches patrolled by surf lifeguards are Castlecliff Beach and Kai Iwi Beach. Lifeguards are on site with flags out from midday to 6pm over summer.
Swim spots can change from one day to the next so check the area each time you visit.
Look for hidden logs or debris when diving and swimming and check the water’s depth because water levels can change dramatically.
Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.
