Wahine Disaster-The ship's engineer's story, 10 October | Event in Port Chalmers | AllEvents

Wahine Disaster-The ship's engineer's story

Port To Port Cruises And Wildlife Tours

Highlights

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025 at 11:30 pm

3 hours

39 Peninsula Beach Rd, Port Chalmers 9023, New Zealand

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Date & Location

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025 at 11:30 pm - Sat, 11 Oct, 2025 at 02:30 am (NZDT)

39 Peninsula Beach Rd, Port Chalmers 9023

39 Peninsula Beach Rd, Port Chalmers 9023, New Zealand, Port Chalmers

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Only get lost while having fun, not on the road!

About the event

Wahine Disaster-The ship's engineer's story
Ferry Wahine wrecked in 1968, in Wellington. 676 people onboard, 51 lost their lives.
Wahine engineer, Stan Spears, relives his experience from that day.
Price includes a ferry trip to the event, the talk & museum entry.



Stan was on his last shift on the Wahine before planning to return home to Port Chalmers, Dunedin.

8 hours after Stan started his shift, the Wahine was laying on her side and passengers and crew were in the freezing waters of Wellington Harbour.

This was the worst fear of any ship's captain, crew or passenger's.

Stan joins us at Portobello Museum and tells us of his experience that day, in this special and one off event.

To go to the event, we depart by ferry from Port Chalmers on two scheduled ferry crossings, returning approx 3 hours later.

If joining from Portobello you can either cross (for fun on a Mini Tour ) on this day, or keep your return ferry tickets for another day instead.

Ferry tickets are included in your ticket price.



Before and after the talk there will be some time to explore the museum and talk to the museum volunteers.

Here, at the Portobello Museum, there are relics of local shipwrecks and many other things to learn about and see.

There will also an engine 'crank up' so you can hear and feel the old engines, kept at the museum, start and run.

On the ferry crossing you will receive a full commentary on the way and we will see and learn about local Otago Harbour ferry disasters and we will see two old and historic local ferries from the early 1900's.

If you join from Portobello you can either use your ferry tickets on this day for a Mini Tour or Ferry, or keep them for another day instead.



If joining from Port Chalmers, please be aware that there is a walk of approx 500 metres on flat and paved ground to get to the museum talk from the jetty, at Portobello. And again to return after the ferry after the event.

So a little bit of physical ability is required. There are also some small steps to climb at the museum to access some areas.



If you have limited physical abilities, joining the event from Portobello may be the best option. You can use your ferry ticket to go for a Mini Harbour tour on this day, or Mini Tour or Ferry on another day, when it suits.



If joining from Portobello, please write this in your notes, so we know where to expect you.

There is parking nearby the museum.

And if you would like to join a Mini Harbour tour on this day or if you'd like to keep your ferry tickets for another day instead. If doing a Mini tour on this day we can do that at 12:15pm, 12:30pm or 3:15pm.

Its 25 minutes in duration, finishing again at the same place you depart from, 837 Portobello Road:)



FERRY DEPARTURE TIMES from Port Chalmers to go to the event.

Departs from back Beach at:

9:30am

and

9:50am

Departure at 12:15pm and 12:30pm to return to Port Chalmers.



Ticket includes admission to the special talk and a return ferry trip from Port Chalmers to Portobello, or a Mini Harbour Tour for those using their ferry tickets another time (its the same trip, except that you do it all in one 25 minute trip, instead of splitting it up into two 10 minutes return ferry trips.)



BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL

Limited numbers

Feel free to bring your own snacks and/or a thermos with a hot drink.

There are bathroom facilities available at the museum.


You may also like the following events from Port To Port Cruises And Wildlife Tours:

Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Port Chalmers.

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Ticket Info

Tickets for Wahine Disaster-The ship's engineer's story can be booked here.

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Nearby Hotels

39 Peninsula Beach Rd, Port Chalmers 9023, New Zealand, 39 Peninsula Beach Rd, Port Chalmers 9023, New Zealand, Port Chalmers
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Wahine Disaster-The ship's engineer's story, 10 October | Event in Port Chalmers | AllEvents
Wahine Disaster-The ship's engineer's story
Fri, 10 Oct, 2025 at 11:30 pm