Barrett Reef facts for kids
Barrett Reef is a group of rocks that are very dangerous for ships in New Zealand. It's often called Barrett's Reef.
This reef is located at the entrance of Wellington Harbour, near the city of Wellington. You can find it at 41°21′9″S 174°50′6″E / 41.35250°S 174.83500°E. The reef was named after Richard (Dicky) Barrett, who was a whaler and trader long ago. Its Māori name is Tangihanga-a-Kupe. Today, it's a popular spot for people who enjoy diving.
Why Barrett Reef is Dangerous
Barrett Reef is mostly visible even when the tide is high. It sits on the western side of the two-kilometre-wide channel that connects Cook Strait to Wellington Harbour. This channel is very busy! Many ships, including the large inter-island ferries that travel to Picton several times a day, use this route.
The Cook Strait is a narrow stretch of water between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. Because of this, the water currents around Barrett Reef are very strong and can change quickly. Also, strong winds and gales are common here. When you combine strong currents, bad weather, and lots of ship traffic, it's easy to see why so many ships have had accidents on this reef.
Famous Ship Accidents at Barrett Reef
Barrett Reef has been the site of many shipwrecks over the years. Here are some of the well-known incidents:
- 1850: The ship Inconstant hit Barrett's Reef. After it was recovered, it was bought by a man named John Plimmer. He turned it into a store called "Noah's Ark"!
- 1874: The wooden ship Earl of South Esk was completely lost after hitting the reef.
- 1895: Two steamers, Wakatipu and Flora, crashed into each other near the reef. They were racing at top speed! Both ship captains, who were very skilled, lost their jobs.
- 1921: The Polly Woodside, a large iron ship, got stuck on the reef. Luckily, it was pulled off and repaired. Today, you can visit the Polly Woodside as a museum ship in Melbourne, Australia.
- 1933: The steamer Golden Harvest ran aground on the rocks. It was stuck for a whole day! Workers had to unload its cargo onto smaller boats before tugboats could pull it free.
- 1947: The liner MS Wanganella also got stranded but was later refloated and fixed.
- 1968: The inter-island ferry TEV Wahine was completely destroyed in a terrible storm. This was a very sad event, and 53 lives were lost. It remains one of New Zealand's worst maritime disasters.
