Dive SS Elingamite

Home>wreck>elingamite>Dive SS Elingamite - Dive Planet

Here lays the SS Elingamite at the Three King Islands amongst an abundantly rich marine environment. This vessel is privately owned and is seldomly visited by divers searching for her keepsakes. At the time of her untimely, demise on the 9th of November 1902 the Elingamite slipped below the surface with 17,320 pound of gold bullion into these unforgiving depths. Explore the possibilities when you Dive SS Elingamite.

SS Elingamite History

On the 9^th of November at 9am the Elingamite was running into very dense fog and the vessel was slowed to half speed as well as having a very close lookout being kept. The steamer almost instantly struck foul ground around the middle of the Three Kings group.

It is believed that the Elingamite sunk within 20 minutes. Six lifeboats and two rafts were deployed as soon as the realization occurred that the vessel had hit the rocks. The Master remained on the ship during these stages of its sinking until he ended up becoming washed overboard, only to be later rescued by one of the lifeboats along with other passengers.

With the wreckage of the ship awash and lifeboats within the vicinity it was only a matter of time before the unavoidable holing of a lifeboat was going to happen and it did. With 45 passengers onboard and some quick thinking the hole was plugged with the shirts of the men. This enabled the boat to stay afloat with the added help of constantly bailing her out. The men then tried in vain to land the lifeboat on the Three Kings but ended up being demolished on the unforgiving rocks.

Fortunately all the people onboard were able to make it safely to shore. One of the other lifeboats drifted clear of the Elingamite as she sank managing to rescue other survivors of this tragedy that were floundering in the water. The 3^rd lifeboat managed to land on a beach of the Three Kings at the base of the sheer cliffs.

Desperate attempts were made to scale these cliff walls in hope of starting a signal fire that failed due to the severe terrain. Having sixteen people on the largest of the two rafts met up with one of the smaller rafts but the two lost contact with each other in a short period of time. However victories were made as the smaller raft managed to beach on the Great King Island. With this achievement on hand they managed to light a signal fire and provide brush shelters.

On the 10^th of November at 12.30pm the second lifeboat had reached Hohoura on the east coast. This was amazing navigation over a distance of 150 kilometres without the aid of a compass whilst battling thick fog. Sadly there was a woman that had died from exposure during the voyage. After a telegram was sent to Auckland several ships were sent to the Three Kings and by the 11^th of November a further 63 passengers were rescued along with 26 crew members.

An intensive search began for the other life boat and large raft including any other survivors that had entered the water when the Elingamite sank. After three gruelling days only 8 survivors were rescued from the raft that was drifting fast with the wind and current. The survivors had endured almost five days on a raft that was only 13 by 7 feet with no protection from the weather and only had 2 apples cut into 16 slices to keep them going for the last 2 days. They were eventually found 100 kilometres Northeast of the Three Kings where the rescuers heard of how the other eight fell victim to the sea. Of these people some became victims by self-choice having lost all will of survival.

Many Thanks to Neil Walker of Orakei Dive owner of the Elingamite, for the images contained here within. Contact Neil at Orakei Dive for more info about diving this location

SS Elingamite

Events & Outcomes

Deaths totalled:

45 being made up of 28 passengers and 17 crewmembers.

A court of inquiry found that the captain was guilty of negligence in his navigation, and that he made an error of judgement letting one of the lifeboats leave the wreck with only half the number it could carry on board.

The master's certificate was suspended for the period of one year, and he was ordered to pay costs of 50 pounds.

In 1910 an investigation found that the Three Kings Islands position had been charted incorrectly. After a re-enquiry into the wreck of the Elingamite the captain was cleared of any blame.

Captain Ernest Atwood could once again hold his head held high." He established a business as a ship surveyor in the port of Wellington and died there in the 1930's.