Month: November 2016

Japanese construction

Shotaro TACHIBANA built quite a few luggers we know of, at least fourteen ( list in next paragraph) including HB, which was his last. BANZAI was his first, in 1904. When FLORIA was re-registered in 1956 TACHIBANA was listed as her builder, but her original registration (in 1914) says FURUTA Tsugitaro was her builder, so I expect that is correct. HB is the only vessel built by TAHIBANA that is still in existence.

The luggers that Tachibana built are: BANZAI (1904), FRANCIS PRITT (1908), KOZA (1911), DERIH (1911), ALEXA (1913), LEELA (1913), CATON (1913), DINTON (1913), LEYTON (1913), HESPIA (1914), YATTON (1914) NESTON (1914), ADIANA (1929) and HB (1938). FRANCIS PRITT is the odd one out here, she must have been built as a pearling lugger but wasn’t registered until 1934, when she was bought to be used as a Mission lugger, one of a long line of boats that carried the name of the Archbishop who died in 1903.

Shotaro was born on 22 Nov. 1877 and first arrived in Australia on 24 October 1895 (before the Immigration restriction Act). He was from Koza in Wakayama. He departed in 1939 and his ship-building tools were left at the Bowden Pearling Co. premises on TI.

Another milestone

Meeting held with Wooden Boat Association on 8/11/2016 what a milestone!
Workplace Health and Safety was the chief subject and debate about what constitutes a workplace was volatile, no-one is paid to be there , therefore it is not a workplace. We have public liability insurance but if we have no place, we all lose. So why the debate for safety sake, after a time to reflect and hold harmless the counter argument pundits the executive remain determined to see agreements as to the protocols of protection to adequately cover participants in activities involving tools, being established and submitted to the executive.
Should a contractor enter the area, the situation changes immediately and the area becomes a workplace, with all the associated obligations needing to be met.
A consultant from Queensland Museum is to visit on the 21st or 22nd of this November and will be dressed appropriately to avoid harm and common sense may prevail . Without the Cairns Maritime Museum lease, the Wooden Boat Association would have to seek a new address, a most destructive and expensive step to have to take and as we have all been members at one time or another of each association quite the wrong direction to be taking.
Money matters aside , administration and significance of the CMM collection is the current issue and always has been the association’s driver and purpose.
The threads of history available through significant artefacts tell the human story connecting the past through the present and forward toward the future user.
Timing is paradoxical and always opportunity and threats arise to be seized or rallied upon.
2020 is an opportunity to be considered with the Endeavour Replica visiting FNQ. A 250 year
Anniversary of the original ship calling into a bay on Trinity Sunday 1770 which became known as Trinity Bay but had another name in the dreamtime stories.
In FNQ the Maritime past is rich and peppered with Ships bringing settlers or being Wrecked and Indigenous Rites of passage , ceremony , all representing the spirit of human survival over time in this place.
Cultural tourism products are a sign of a maturing of a regional tourism product and are longer lasting in scope by satisfying the more curious about the events and traditions of the people in the place.
The Pearl Luggers of Far North Queensland Penguin Galton Grafton Pelican Floria Hespia Sedney(Torres Pearl) HB Songton Nadine (Ruby Charlotte) lse Pearl Waitoa Winston Triton
Antonia Anniki just these few represent the crews and families who depended on the highly prized and dangerously deep , natural resource, the humble Pinctada maxima oyster’s shell.
The HB is a visible reminder of these vessels sailing between Cairns and Cooktown , Floria and Antonia in Cairns are considered significant and represent inter generational links and great leaps in technique to harvest the Mother of pearl shell.
Grafton and Galton are intertidal graves ! All have stories and resilience but wooden ships are best kept salty and painted and sailing.

“Cultured pearls grow in the Torres straits again” next time !