Wahine survivor recalls tragedy

SURVIVOR Margaret Alexander today with a much treasured copy of ‘The Wahine Disaster’

It is 40 years today that the interisland ferry Wahine went down in Wellington harbour after hitting Barrett’s Reef. It remains one of New Zealand’s worst maritime disasters - 51 people died, most of them drowning off the coast of Eastbourne and Pencarrow. But it is also a story of survival - 683 passengers and crew made it ashore, thanks largely to the many selfless people who braved the stormy seas to bring them ashore. One of those survivors was Margaret Alexander of Te Awamutu.

By Cathy Asplin

It may be 40 years since the Wahine went down, but for Margaret Alexander memories of that fateful day still send a shiver down her spine and bring a tear to her eye.

“To be honest I think I’m more affected by it now than I was then. It’s looking back you realise the enormity of it all and how it could have ended tragically for our family. We were certainly some of the lucky ones.”

Margaret with son Brett in 1968

Margaret and her two children Storm (3½) and Brett (18 months) - from Carterton at the time - weren’t even supposed to be on the Wahine’s disastrous last crossing. They had earlier been in Christchurch to attend the funeral of the children’s greatgrandmother, but decided to stay on with friends, as husband Dane was heading to Hawera as part of his horse training business.

“It didn’t seem to be an issue at the time. I couldn’t really let Dane know what I was doing, as there wasn’t the ability to communicate like today. He headed to the Hawera races unaware that we were going to catch the April 9 evening ferry at Lyttelton. We took a cheap option, so we were on one of the lower decks on board. There were two bunks, one for Storm and one for me, while Brett was in a cradle on the floor.”

The family had no idea that Cyclone Giselle was gathering strength as it approached New Zealand, but its effects were soon felt.

ROUGH NIGHT

Storm Alexander is carried from a lifeboat into the waiting arms of a policeman at Seatoun. Photo supplied

“It was a very rough night and I was very seasick. They thought the crossing would be a bit rough, but it was a new boat and I just thought we would be OK. I had a dreadful night and in the early hours of the morning I heard this enormous CRASH - I thought gosh, that sounds a bit strange.”

Soon after there was a tap on door and a stewardess poked her head in to say ‘get lifejackets on, we’ve hit Barrett’s reef!’ The lifejackets were large and bulky on Margaret, so they were huge on Storm.

“I was just in my nightie and dressing gown. Brett was in a nappy and a jersey and I got Storm dressed. We weren’t supposed to take anything with us - so we left the cabin and joined the queues heading up to the top deck. I actually had to sit down every time the queue stopped moving as I felt so sick.”

It was in that queue that she met Robert Crawford, a fifth year law student who was captain of Lincoln cricket team that was heading to a tournament at Palmerston North.

“He said he would stay with us and help, as he could see I had two very young children with me and no-one else to help. Not many young guys would do that today.”

When they arrived at the top deck, they were sent to a side cabin on the same level.

“Robert stayed with us - he even changed Brett’s nappy at one stage - using a pillowcase as there was nothing else. He reassured me that everything would be alright and said if they had to leave the boat he would take Storm, so I could take Brett. I didn’t realise what a list the boat was on, until Storm kept sliding under the bunk. The kids had nothing to eat, nothing to play with, but they didn’t make a murmur.”

“I actually told Robert to rejoin his friends, but had a little panic at one stage when he did leave. When I was all alone I thought ‘what do I do now?’ but he had only gone for a walk to stretch his legs and I was relieved to see him return.”

ABANDON SHIP

INTERISLAND ferry Wahine lists badly after earlier hitting Barrett’s Reef in Wellington harbour

“With that the hooter sounded and the loudspeakers told all passengers to abandon ship.

“We went outside and promptly slid across the deck as the boat was listing so badly. We were told to go to the first lifeboat, but it was swaying around so much that we went to the second. Brett was dropped over the side to waiting arms, then I was dropped in too - thankfully Storm and Robert ended up in the same lifeboat. It was open to the elements so we were drenched in a short period of time, I couldn’t see where we were or anything else - waves were crashing in everywhere and it was blowing a gale.

“They turned handles to move the lifeboat and we managed to pick up other people. Rescue boats tried to help tow us, but they couldn’t get a line aboard.”

Eventually they got to the beach at Seatoun and were the subject of the iconic photo of a lifeboat being pulled in. The children were passed out to strangers and Margaret leapt over the side only to find she had gone in the deep end! Wet and bedraggled she walked onto the beach in a daze, not sure where to go or what to do.

“With that a lady came walking along with Brett in her arms - I had no idea where Storm was. We were taken in an ambulance to hospital to be checked over and I later found out Storm was taken to the train station by bus - she must have been terrified. Every time rescuers asked her what her name was she said ‘Storm’ - but they had no idea that was her name, they thought she must have been traumatised by the event!”

Meanwhile reports about the Wahine’s sinking was reaching the rest of country.

“I come from a big family, so my sisters huddled around the radio listening for news. Mother ironed for hours, too nervous to think of the possibilities of what had happened to us.”

Dane was told at Hawera that the Wahine had gone down and that his wife and children were aboard. He arrived in Wellington, to find Margaret and Brett safe at the hospital and Storm had been collected by friends.

Dane headed back to Hawera after he found we were fine and I left hospital in oversized borrowed clothes.

“We had no money, no luggage or items. Some precious crystal that had been left to us by Dane’s grandmother was at the bottom of Wellington Harbour. We went home next day - no counselling, no contact from the shipping line, not a thing. We were just expected to get on with life.”

THANKFUL

Margaret did, however, want to do something special to say thankyou to Robert Crawford.

“What on earth could I do or send to someone who had been a lifesaver? I decided to knit him a jersey.”

A couple of years later the family went past the wreck of the Wahine as they travelled on another ferry.

“It was a bit eerie and a bit sad. It took five years for the boat to be completely salvaged.”

Over the years she has knitted another jersey for Robert who now lives in Canada, has done many interviews, visited several schools to tell her story and has made an archive audio tape. But each year the family make a special effort to gather for dinner on ‘Wahine night’ and count themselves lucky to be amongst the survivors.