Barrett Reef

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Access to Wellington Harbor with Barrett Reef

Barrett Reef (often called Barrett's Reef ) is a rocky reef and one of the most dangerous reefs in New Zealand .

It is located on the west side of the entrance to Wellington Harbor and thus belongs to the city of Wellington .

The reef is named after Richard (Dicky) Barrett (1807–1847), a whaler and trader. Its Maori name is Tangihanga-a-Kupe . It is popular as a diving area for recreational divers.

Large parts of the reef are visible even at high tide.

It lies west of the 2 km wide canal that connects the Cook Strait with Wellington Harbor, near the coast of the Miramar Peninsula . The currents of the Cook Strait are strong and unpredictable because of their location between the Pacific and Tasman Sea , and gusts of wind are not uncommon. There is also heavy shipping traffic, including several ferries a day on their way to and from Picton .

Many ships have been damaged or destroyed on the reef. The most famous accident was the sinking of the Wahine ferry with 52 victims.

Ships that were damaged on the reef stranded or sank

  • 1866: the Tui , an iron steamship, sinks at the north end of the reef
  • 1871: 3-mast schooner Lady Bird , 303 tons
  • 1874: wooden barque Earl of South Esk , 336 tons
  • 1874: Schooner Cynthia , 63 tons, partial loss off the north end of the reef
  • 1876: Schooner Hunter , 90 tons, total loss after being stranded on the southernmost rock of the reef.
  • 1876: Schooner Shepherdess , 38 tons, partial loss
  • 1921 iron three-masted bark Polly Woodside , 678 tons. After being stranded, floated and repaired.
  • 1927: Norma
  • 1936: The Inter-Island ferry Rangatira with 6,152 tons. drives when visibility is poor on the reef, but can free itself on its own and save with strong water ingress into shallow water, where it is stranded. No victims.
  • 1947: The Wanganella passenger ship with 9,599 tons runs aground, is floated again and repaired.
  • In 1968 the 8,948-tonne ferry TEV Wahine hit the reef and later capsized. Of the 610 passengers and 123 crew members, 53 die. The ship could not be lifted and was dismantled on site.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ www.nzmaritime.co.nz/r301.htm

Coordinates: 41 ° 21 ′ 9 ″  S , 174 ° 50 ′ 6 ″  E