SS Penguin

SS Penguin was a New Zealand 824 ton inter-island ferry steamer that sank off Cape Terawhiti near the entrance to Wellington Harbour in poor weather on 12 February 1909, and subsequently exploded as cold sea water flooded into the red-hot boiler room. Of the 105 passengers and crew on board, only 30 survived the sinking. This was New Zealand's worst maritime disaster of the 20^th century.

The ship struck Thoms Rock, near the mouth to Karori Stream in Cook Strait before sinking. Although women and children were loaded into the lifeboats first, these foundered quickly in the rough seas. Only one woman survived, and no children. Other survivors drifted for hours on rafts before reaching safety.

A half-day holiday was declared in Wellington to allow the many funerals to be held. About forty of the victims were buried in Karori Cemetery, where a self-guided walk wanders past their grave sites.

On the 100th anniversary of the sinking, Wellington's mayor unveiled a plaque remembering the disaster at Tongue Point, near the site of the wreck.

Further reading

• Bruce Collins, The wreck of the Penguin, Wellington, Steele Roberts Limited, 2000. ISBN 1-877228-28-1.

External links

• SS Penguin Shipwreck, Christchurch City Library. Overview of the sinking, including several book resource links.
• SS Penguin wrecked in Cook Strait, nzhistory.net.nz, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage.