Mersea Island Museum - Blackwater Ships


Ship:      OTAKI
Arrived:8 September 1971
Departed:29 October 1971
Career:The OTAKI had a few problems with the tie rods and the exhaust valves on the RSG Sulzer engines and was laid up in the Blackwater for many weeks with lots of engineers on board. The chippy put a deckhouse on the motor lifeboat and the crew used to go ashore to the pub in West Mersea - the Victory (which had a large black dog named Winston). The patrons of the local yacht club viewed the OTAKI crew disparagingly as they weaved their way through their posh boats and dubbed their mighty vessel "the African Queen'.
From the 3rd Engineer at the time - who ends by saying "Good Place, West Mersea!".

Voyage Record Card:River Blackwater 8 Sept 1971 Laid Up, sailed 29 Oct 1971.

Tonnage:10,934 gross
Built:1953
Type:Refrigerated ship
Owner:New Zealand Shipping Company
LR/IMO Number:5266740
Official No:185886
ID5266740

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