SS Miowera
SS Miowera was an Australian/New Zealand passenger/refrigerated cargo ship that was wrecked on the south reef, Avarua, Rarotonga on a voyage from San Francisco to Wellington[1].
History | |
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Name: | SS Miowera |
Owner: |
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Port of registry: |
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Builder: | Swan Hunter of Wallsend |
Yard number: | 176 |
Launched: | July 25, 1892 |
Completed: | October 1892 |
Out of service: | December 24, 1916 |
Renamed: | Maitai |
Identification: | IMO number: 101935 |
Fate: | Wrecked off Rarotonga |
Status: | Wrecked |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Passenger Ship / Refrigerated cargo ship |
Tonnage: |
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Length: | 345 ft (105 m) overall |
Beam: | 42.2 ft (12.9 m) |
Depth: | 25.1 ft (7.7 m) |
Installed power: |
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Propulsion: | Single fixed pitch propeller |
Speed: | 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
History
It was original built for James Huddart for Trans-Tasman traffic between Australia and New Zealand, along with a sister ship SS Warrimoo, and later joined by SS Aorangi. However, it was quickly withdrawn from this route and instead used to provide a service between Canada and Australia using subsidies from both countries. Huddart ran into difficulties after arranging to also call at New Zealand as part of the deal, and then after defaulting on payments, the ship was purchased on 16 August 1897 by the New Zealand Shipping Company. In 1908 this was sold on to the Union Steamship company and renamed the Maitai.
It ran aground on Christmas Eve 1916 outside Avarua Harbour on a reef while trying to recover an anchor.[2] All passengers and crew were rescued, and the wreck is still visible and now a site for tourists and snorkelling.