Credit River - Maori Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

doolins: I am unable to get to the Credit River, and given the number of DNFs I have decided to archive this cache.

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Hidden : 6/18/2014
Difficulty:
4.5 out of 5
Terrain:
5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


Credit River - Shipwreck Series

Maori
 5 August 1909



There are many shipwrecks around the world. Some very famous and others not so. Each however has it’s own story to tell. As you travel along the Credit River doing this series of caches, we have highlighted a number of these shipwrecks. During low water levels on these parts of the Credit River, you need to be careful in a canoe or kayak so as you don’t wind up in your own shipwreck. Besides the many large rocks along the way, there are also some other obstacles such as dams which should be avoided. All of the geocaches in this series have been placed by tubing, inflatable boat or on foot by walking in the water along the Credit River. Whichever way you choose to search for these caches, use caution and common sense.
More information about this series can be found here: Credit River - Shipwreck Series

Maori
The Maori was a 5,317 ton single screw steam cargo vessel built in 1893 by Swan and Hunter, Newcastle, owned by the Shaw Savill Company, and commanded by Capt G. Nicole. She was just over 130 metres long and 16 metres wide.

In 1901 she was used as a troop carrier to repatriate Australian and New Zealand troops at the end of the South African War. She normally carried meat back to London and general cargo out to New Zealand. On this occasion she was bound for New Zealand and had left Table Bay at 11h40 on 4 August 1909 after having put in for coal. At midnight she had rounded the breakwater.

A lookout was posted, but by the time he spotted the danger, and cried out 'Rocks straight ahead', the Maori was only 60 metres away. The wheel was put hard-to-port but to no avail. She crashed into the rocks below at a speed of 12 knots in the early hours of 5 August 1909 in thick fog and driving rain.

The Captain who remained calm ordered all men on deck and managed to get three boats away. Boats 1 and 3 capsized within minutes of being launched and all 24 men including the Captain perished. Lifeboat number 2 with 14 crew including the Chief Officer Reed rowed towards Kommetjie and attempted to row ashore. The lifeboat hit a rock and capsized. Six crewmen died in the surf whilst Reed and seven others made it to the farm Slangkop in Kommetjie.

The remaining sixteen men on board the Maori made for lifeboat 4, but it had been smashed to pieces by the waves. Word had got out about the wreck and the tug Manilla was dispatched, but her Captain believed that there was no one left alive on the Maori and the Manilla returned to port.

Meanwhile fishermen had gathered on the rocks below and an Italian fisherman, Messena, risked his life to crawl out along the rocks and catch a wire thrown from the ship and secure a rope to it. Two of the seamen came across on the rope you see in the photos. Unfortunately the ring on the rope got stuck as a third seaman, Attridge was crossing. He held on for 20 minutes before his grip failed and he plunged to his death. Gladman also perished after waves smashed into him when he was descending the rigging and he lost his grip.

Imagine trying to get heavy rocket equipment that had to be drawn by six horses down the steep mountain slope by rope. It took over 40 hours for the Rocket apparatus from Cape Town to reach the wreck. They eventually got a line secured and the remaining men transferred to shore.

The cache SS: Maori (GC2J38E) was placed near the final resting place of the Maori on Llandudno Beach in Cape Town, South Africa. I hope to find this cahe in September 2014

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Anab va cvrpr bs byq jbbq. Onfr bs 2aq onax sebz evire.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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