CONSTANT BAY
tons, was lost with all hands after leaving Constant Bay. She struck a rock about a mile off-shore, off Point Robertson. She was built in Otago in 1862 as a paddle-steamer.
11th June, 1871.—Brothers and Sister, a ketch of 21 tons, built in 1850, Edward Perkins being master, with a complement of three and carrying ballast, was totally lost owing to the mooring lines being chafed by rocks. A heavy sea was coming into the bay.
14th May, 1875.—Kate, a schooner in ballast, foundered after leaving Constant Bay, developing leaks through having been badly damaged on the beach.
26th August, 1876.—Flying Cloud, a schooner of 46 tons, Captain Frederick Edwin Andrews, in ballast with a crew of four, was lost with all hands. She is supposed to have been capsized by a heavy squall. The next day her shattered wreck was found upon the rocks of Flagstaff Hill.
June, 1877.—Kaikoura, a schooner of 31 tons, Captain John Anderson, built only twenty-one months previously, with a crew of three and laden with potatoes, was lost with all hands somewhere off Constant Bay. She left Kaikoura for Greymouth on 5th June. A portion of the wreck was washed ashore on Flagstaff Hill rocks.
16th September, 1878.—Wild Wave, a schooner of 39 tons built at Onehunga in 1861, carrying a crew of three, with grain and potatoes aboard, was partially wrecked by a heavy sea coming into the bay and causing the vessel to break her moorings. The master was John Grubb. She was refloated.
16th September, 1879.—Shepherdess, a schooner of 30 tons with a crew of three, was totally lost, with the loss of one life, through heavy rollers breaking into the bay and causing her to carry away her moorings and to drift ashore. The master was John Bilby. While assisting this vessel, the pilot, Charles Craddock, lost his life. This was the last vessel to enter Constant Bay.
Some minor mishaps were:
8th November, 1867.—The ketch Flying Squirrel. The Charleston Herald of this date said: “The ketch Flying Squirrel will, in the course of a fortnight, be again ready for sea. The contractor has put several men aboard, so that no
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