- Barrett Reef
The cluster of rocks that is Barrett Reef (often known as "Barrett's Reef") is one of the most treacherous
reef s inNew Zealand .It lies on the western side of the entrance of
Wellington Harbour , on the approaches to the city ofWellington , at coordinates coord|41|21|9|S|174|50|6|E|. The reef is named after Richard (Dicky) Barrett (1807-1847), a whaler and trader. Its Maori name is "Tangihanga-a-Kupe". It is popular with recreational underwater divers.Dangerous entrance
The reef, much of which is exposed even at high tide, is located to the west of the two-kilometre-wide channel that links
Cook Strait with Wellington Harbour, close to the shore of theMiramar Peninsula . Due to the channelling effect of Cook Strait, which lies between thePacific Ocean and theTasman Sea , the currents are strong and fickle and gales are common. Add to this the volume of traffic which uses the channel (including several crossings daily of the inter-island ferries to Picton), and it is not surprising that the reef has a lengthy roll-call ofshipwreck s.History of vessels damaged, stranded, or wrecked on Barrett Reef
* 1866 "Tui", iron steamer. Wrecked, north end of Barrett Reef
* 1871 "Lady Bird", schooner (3-masted), 303 tons
* 1874 "Earl of South Esk", wooden barque, 336 tons
* 1874 "Cynthia", schooner, 63 tons. Stranded; partial loss. Abreast of north end of Barrett Reef
* 1876 "Hunter", schooner, 90 tons. Stranded; total loss. Southernmost rock of Barrett Reef
* 1876 "Shepherdess", schooner, 38 tons, Stranded; partial loss
* 1921 "Polly Woodside", three-masted iron barque, 678 tons. Stranded; refloated and repaired.
* 1927 "Norma"
* 1936 "Rangatira", inter-island ferry, 6,152 tons [http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/r301.htm]
* 1947 "Wanganella " liner, 9576 tons. Stranded; refloated and repaired.
* 1968 "Wahine", inter-island ferry, 8,948 tons, 53 lives lost. Wrecked; total loss.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.