Arrow Rock (New Zealand) facts for kids
Arrow Rock is a small island located near Nelson, New Zealand. It is also known as Fifeshire Rock or Urenui in te reo Māori. This little island sits in Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere. A narrow channel separates it from Haulashore Island. Arrow Rock is famous because of a shipwreck that happened there in 1842. Today, you can often spot spotted shags, a type of bird, living on the rock.
How Arrow Rock Got Its Name
The rock got its name from the ship Arrow. This ship was the very first one to sail into Nelson Harbour. The Arrow was a 212-ton brig, a type of sailing ship. It was used by the New Zealand Company to help set up a new settlement in Tasman Bay. The Arrow arrived in Nelson Harbour on November 2, 1841. Other ships, like the Whitby and Will Watch, followed the next day.
The Fifeshire Shipwreck
The ship Fifeshire was totally wrecked on Arrow Rock. This happened on Sunday, February 27, 1842. The Fifeshire was a barque, another type of sailing ship. It had brought a group of settlers to Nelson. After unloading its cargo, the ship started to leave the harbour. A pilot was on board to guide it. When the Fifeshire reached the narrow part of the harbour near Arrow Rock, the wind suddenly stopped. The tide then pushed the ship onto the rocks, causing it to wreck. This event gave the rock its other name, Fifeshire Rock. Another ship, the schooner Three Sisters, also wrecked after hitting the rock on September 15, 1866.
