MINIATURE TALL SHIP

The story in our September issue about the Chilean tall ship Esmeralda prompted reader Bruce Croll to submit this letter.

I grew up on Waiheke Island where my family had lived since 1911. Our family managed Fred Alison’s sheep farm of 2,200 acres at Matiatia.

On Friday, 23 June 1961, I borrowed Fred’s telescope and went up to the WW2 observation post above the wharf in Matiatia and watched the Esmeralda sail out from behind Rakino, go behind Motatapu and Rangitoto before finally showing up off East Coast bays.

I went back to the Alison family home to return the telescope and listened to Fred tell me more great old boating stories.

Three years ago we were in Taupo and visited a hobby shop, and in the window was a kitset of the Esmeralda. I went back to the motel to watch the 6pm news and there was the Esmeralda steaming up the Waitemata – that very day! I knew I had to go back and get that model.

I thought about what she had been used for in Chile – not the ship’s fault – so I bought the kitset and finished it a year later.

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Never regretted that decision.

We visited the Esmeralda on her latest visit and went on board – absolutely in awe! Showed the officers photos of the model I’d built and could have sold it a hundred times over. No way!

Bruce Croll