Thursday, December 16, 1999 - Napier, NZ

Ahoy Cybersailors,

Yesterday we spoke about volcanoes and today we are going to talk about earthquakes. We are now located towards the bottom of Hawke’s Bay in Napier. In 1931, the city was almost completely leveled by a devastating earthquake. With the city center in ruins and 258 lives lost, the local kiwis resorted to their “can do” spirit and rebuilt the city in no time at all. Registering 7.9 on the Richter scale, the quake pushed once below sea level land above the surface resulting in over 4,000 hectares of new space for the city to expand. The two frantic years of rebuilding took place between 1931 and 1933, luckily during in the height of Art Deco style. Napier currently has the world’s highest concentration of Art Deco buildings and aims to preserve this unique architectural tradition.

Just a quick refresher - Art Deco style began to take form in the 1920's and five years later was termed Art Deco in Paris. Art Deco is identified by its symmetry, delicate flowing lines, bright primary colors, and use of chrome and highly polished stone in furniture, fabrics, ceramics and interior design. Soon embraced by Americans and massed produced, Art Deco influence was felt in roadside dinners, jukeboxes, skyscrapers and even toasters. Two famous examples of Art Deco buildings are the Chrysler Building and the Hoover factory in Perivale, West London.


Bait ball being chased by bigger fish...

It was a quiet on overnight passage to Napier. Other than some large lazy swells, the day was all about sun, watching the green hills and cliffs roll by and counting how many common dolphins could crowd into our bow wave. During my shift I saw a brown patch of water dead ahead of us. I had noticed on the chart that there was a mud patch offshore and I was afraid that we were about to run aground. Before I grabbed the throttle to slow us down, I realized that the brown patch was swimming away. Michael identified it as a possible large fish bait-ball - a school of fish packed tightly together being chased by a large and hungry fish.

I can hear Caroline and DJ’s busy footsteps on the upper deck washing away the salt. Ulli and I are busy with the journals. Michael is now meeting with Jan Willoughby from Hawke’s Bay Tourism and representatives from Port of Napier regarding places to visits, to dock, local weather, locations of reefs etc. I would say a very warm welcome for STARSHIP.

OJ ("other Jim"), who works for the port, gave me a quick briefing on "loads" that leave this port. They export mostly frozen meat and timber. The apple season will start soon and the port will go "mad" with activity. Exporting list also includes wool, squash/pumpkin and tallow (like lard except from sheep and cattle). While in Hawke’s Bay we will be working in connection with the Department of Conservation. We also hope to visit the Ahuriri Estuary, a wildlife area with a relatively high concentration of water birds.

STARSHIP over and out,

Anne-Lise

PS. For those you who noticed, I mistakenly included a bit of colorful language in the journal yesterday. STARSHIP’s website is an educational resource read by many and this should not happen anymore. Do not look for it, it is fixed now....