Russell Museum Te Whare Taonga O Kororareka

Tag: Bay of Islands

Classic boats, Coastal Classic

This weekend sees the 40th Coastal Classic Race arrive in Kororāreka Russell, but the bay has hosted many regattas in the past. Early written records of the Bay of Islands describe waka and longboats racing, enjoying and testing each other’s abilities. The first formal Bay of Islands Regatta was held in 1842. Regattas were held off Kororāreka Russell into the 1950s. Nowadays there are many events which are based on the water, with this weekend seeing the annual Coastal Classic Yacht Race boats arriving in the Bay. Held annually on Labour weekend since its inception (with the exception of 2021 due to COVID), the boats sail from Devonport Wharf to Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands.

The first race was held in 1982 and the original concept was the inspiration of Roger Dilley from the then Auckland Multihull Sailing Association (now the NZ Multihull Yacht Club) based loosely on the speed record attempts by power boats dating back to the 1920’s over the same course.

The original idea developed into being a full on drag race with the first boat into Russell being the overall winner. AMSA then put the challenge out to all multihull and keeler owners to join this non-stop race to the bar in Russell, push their boats and crews to the max and overall have an exhilarating fun weekend.

Twelve intrepid skippers and crews took up the challenge and when Roger put the final magic touch to the race by dreaming up the name – the “Coastal Classic” had arrived. The fleet was divided into one multihull division and several monohulls, by length but no handicap. Boats ranged in size from the Peter Williams’ 62 foot Fidelis down to Alex and Mathew Flynn’s 24-foot trimaran Gulf Chariot.

The first boat into Russell for the inaugural race was Krisis, skippered by Duncan (Cookie) Stuart and his record of 18 hours was not broken for 4 years.

This photo shows the Russell Regatta in 1926 with Kororāreka Bay full of boats of all shapes and sizes. When the Coastal Classic boats arrive, the Bay is crowded too, but technology has come a long way since then with hi-tech being the order of day and boats made of many composite and traditional materials, bristling with electronics. For more on the race, visit https://coastalclassic.co.nz

Photofile : 4045 Regatta Day 1926

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October 21, 2022
Fullers Launch Offices

Russell Lights – Vol 7 Issue 21 – Updated

Alfred Ernest Fuller and his wife Maud Amy (nee Baker) began a small maritime cartage business, later expanding to excursion and game fishing launches and car ferries. By 1965 under sons, Norman and Neville, there were offices at Russell and Paihia to cope with the increasing number of tourists wanting to explore the Bay. In the offices a network of phones and radio phones kept in touch with launches and road, rail and air depots.

A party could charter a game fishing launch for about £12 a day – which included fishing gear and food. The Lady Doreen advertised Cruise as you fish and fish as you cruise the beautiful northland coast. Or they might take a boat trip calling at Otehei Bay or Deep Water Cove for lunch. Cape Brett trip $4 and Cream Trip $5 in 1967. Locals wanting to go “overseas” to Paihia could buy a 12-trip concession card for $1.75 in 1968.

These pictures of their sales premises show the growth of the business over the years. The first is of the Fullers “office” in Paihia during the 1950s, with L S Jefcoate in doorway. The second is a view of the Strand and Cass Street’s northern corner showing the modest office of A.E. Fuller and Sons Ltd beside the Marlina rooms (originally Ernest Ford’s and later Baker Bros shops), the Duke of Marlborough Hotel and the Police Station. The final photo shows the building in the 1970s, where renovations have added a second story and awnings over the ground floor offices.

Times have changed and sadly since the COVID pandemic, local tourism businesses have suffered. Fullers is now owned by the Explore Group, but they have retained the Fullers name and the iconic Cream Trip Super Cruise is still available for visitors to enjoy the Bay’s beautiful islands. The office in Russell is still there, being refurbished for 2022 summer, now shared with a local real estate agent.

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September 29, 2022
Dry July and Temperance

Many people will be enjoying a tipple again after “Dry July”, an increasingly popular fundraising event organised to support people with Prostate Cancer. And with the growing popularity of non-alcoholic beer and cocktails, more and more people are reducing their alcohol consumption for health and wellbeing reasons, turning to increasingly palatable alternatives.

Back in the day, it was the Temperance Society encouraging people to quit the demon drink. People assume that the Temperance Society was another good work of the Paihia missionaries, but this is not entirely correct. The first move seems to have come from the masters of vessels that called at the Bay of Islands. They were seriously concerned for the well-being of their seamen who were suffering the effects of over-indulgence in over-proof liquor, in some cases even dying of alcoholic poisoning.

They appealed to Mr James Busby the British Resident at Waitangi and the Paihia missionaries and the “meeting to establish the Temperance Society” was the result. Unfortunately, this attempt to promote Peace, Order and Sobriety was not successful, however well-intentioned it may have been. There was, quite simply, no way of enforcing the excellent principles.

Nowhere is this more evident than at a Temperance meeting convened and presided over by Rev. Mr. Hawkes, at the Public Hall, Russell on the evening of Monday 20 August 1883. Those attending were given an account by Rev. Hawkes good work in Auckland of “reclaiming the fallen and winning in about 150 sailors to the Temperance cause and the Blue Ribbon Army”. Free entry was granted, and lectures and addresses were interspersed with songs, music, recitations and music while outside “…some little annoyance was caused by the throwing of stones on to the roof and the firing of a pistol by some larrikin or larrikins outside and opposite the hotel.”

Judging by the number of bottles and glass that have been recovered from the beach and waterfront over the years, no doubt the larrikins were enjoying a drink or two.

Photofile. no. 3527

Northern Luminary, Sat 25 August 1883. “Temperance Meeting at Russell.”

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August 20, 2022
Flooding in Russell, Bay of Islands

This winter has been notable for the rain, however floods have been a feature in our area for the past century particularly since urban development. Regular flooding is recorded throughout the 1930s on the Russell to Whangarei Road, with Russell being cut off on numerous occasions. In the 1940s the road was in such a bad state, that the Automobile Association recommended “travellers not make the trip unless absolutely necessary”. Eventually, the County Council invested in major stormwater works including replacing the Russell Road bridge “which had been wrecked completely”.

The Russell Township itself is very low lying and has also suffered from significant flooding in the past. In 2007 there was major flooding in the town and many will remember local resident Clive Arlidge taking to a his boat and joining other kayakers down York Street.

With all this recent rain we have escaped fairly lightly here in the Bay in terms of flooding. Much of this is down to past flooding and the remedial works done by respective councils over the last century or so. In Russell, we have Janet Planet to thank, as she has tirelessly championed the stormwater improvements with council to mitigate the risk of flooding in our town centre.

Unfortunately, due to the impact of climate change, we can expect more severe weather events in the future.

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August 7, 2022
The Story of Managahāwea

Russell Museum’s new exhibition, The Story of Managahāwea is a fascinating look at an extremely early site of first arrivals from Polynesia. Beneath the soil of its beautiful beachfront, archaeological evidence from a series of excavations under the leadership of Ngāti Kuta has shown that some of the earliest people to come to Aotearoa arrived and settled here.

This physical evidence is reinforced by oral histories passed down by descendants of Te Kemara who lived on the island of Moturua. Both the histories and the archaeological evidence agree. They tell the story of migration, survival, cultivation and trading – and how this country came to be settled by peoples from Polynesia and beyond.

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March 22, 2022
The Queen’s First Walkabout – #174

…was yet another first for Russell. Museum curator Marie King, in 1977, was not about to let Wellington claim that honour. She wrote to the NZ Herald and set them straight.

“It was in Russell on the afternoon of February 6, 1963. There was no advance publicity of this visit, as the tour organisers considered that large crowds in Russell’s narrow streets would be difficult to control. When the visit was being discussed with the town board, the chairman, Mr Eric Gilmour, pointed out that the Strand…was too narrow to allow for the royal car and the people. So he asked, would Her Majesty like to walk?

At first no one would hear of such a thing. The Queen would be mobbed. Mr Gilmour said quietly, ‘ Gentlemen, I assure you that Her Majesty will not be mobbed.’ Finally, the suggestion was approved. The royal party came ashore, walked along the Strand to the museum grounds… visited the museum, walked along to Pompallier House and from there to the old church. Not until then did the Queen enter the royal car to be driven up the hill to see the view…”

Where did she look out from? Queen’s View of course!

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January 27, 2016