Mighty River

Steam and black smoke ooze from PS Waimarie. The veteran paddle steamer strains at her bollards. Eager day trippers filing onto the decks are greeted by an assortment of crew, including skipper Trevor Gibson in his stand-out attire.

Striding through the throng is another conspicuous character. Wearing top hat, black bow tie and waist- coated suit, he positions himself on the upper deck. He is Peter Hardy, the Whanganui Riverboat Centre manager. His dress is to emulate the exuberant riverboat pioneer, Alexander Hatrick. Ropes are cast off. Churning paddle wheels send a powerful wash against the quay. A steam whistle announces departure. A pleasant chug-chug-chug fills the air.

Peter Hardy’s wife, Doreen, runs the licenced café in one of the saloons. Up on deck, Peter chats about the boon time of riverboats when, with few roads and incomplete railways, riverboats were the prime means of transportation to the North Island interior.

Waimarie, having sunk at her moorings, was re-floated in January 1993. The refurbished boat steamed away from a lit-up jetty on the stroke of midnight on the last day of 1999. Much of Waimarie is original – even the two single-cylinder steam engines had been repaired.

“Waimarie has been going ever since. Our job is to keep her steaming for future generations,’’ Peter says.

Most days Waimarie departs on a two-hour return cruise to Upokongaro about 14km upstream.

During the heyday of riverboats, a popular destination was the Mangapurua landing providing access to a post WW1 soldiers’ farming settlement which subsequently soured. These days all that remains is the curious Bridge to Nowhere. Another highlight is Jerusalem, once the site of a commune and home for celebrated poet James K. Baxter.

These days mountain bikers explore the Whanganui, pedalling the 208 km Mountains to Sea trail.

John Tate, engineer, and Dick Motram, stoker, sweat it out in the heart of Waimarie. Every few minutes, a steam gauge indicates stoking is required.

Passengers are welcome to try their hand tossing a few shovels of coal. I slide the shovel under the shiny black fuel and spread it across the fiery grate. And I wish Waimarie happy voyaging for many more decades.

Roy Sinclair