The sinking of the Rainbow Warrior

The sinking of the Rainbow Warrior

In 1985 New Zealand was basking in its position as leader of the anti-nuclear movement. As a country it had clearly punched above its weight. Then, just before midnight on the evening of 10 July two explosions ripped through the hull of the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior, which was moored at Marsden Wharf in Auckland. A Portuguese crew member, Fernando Pereira, was killed in the explosions. The Rainbow Warrior had been involved in protests over French nuclear testing in the Pacific. French Secret Service (DGSE) agents were sent to prevent it leaving for another protest campaign at Mururoa Atoll.

Rainbow Warrior after the attack

Two DGSE officers, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, were arrested on 24 July. Having been charged with murder, both pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. The case was a source of considerable embarrassment to the French government. While the attack was on an international organisation and not the New Zealand nation as such, most New Zealanders did not make such a distinction. The fact that the attack was carried out on New Zealand territory by a supposed friend produced a sense of outrage and a serious deterioration in relations between New Zealand and France.

Greenpeace

Greenpeace is an international environmental organisation founded in Canada in 1971. It is well known for its campaigns to stop nuclear testing and whaling, as well as its stand on other environmental issues such as bottom trawling, global warming, ancient forest destruction and genetic engineering. The organisation's official mission statement says that:

'Greenpeace is an independent, campaigning organisation which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and to force solutions for a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace's goal is to ensure the ability of the earth to nurture life in all its diversity.'

France used its influence to threaten New Zealand's access to the important European Economic Community market, and New Zealand exports to France were boycotted. New Zealanders reacted in a similar manner to French imports. Eventually, both countries agreed to allow the United Nations to mediate a settlement.

Almost a year after the bombing, on 8 July 1986, United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar announced, in a binding decision, that New Zealand would receive an apology and compensation of $13 million from France. France was also ordered not to interfere with New Zealand's trade negotiations.

Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart were to serve their sentences in full on Hao Atoll in French Polynesia. In what was considered to be the final insult, both were released early: Alain Marfart returned to France because of 'illness' in 1987, while Dominique Prieur was repatriated in May 1988 because she was pregnant. Both were honoured, decorated and promoted upon their return home.

This incident did much to promote what was described as New Zealand's 'silent war of independence' and was central to an upsurge in New Zealand nationalism. There was a sense of having to 'go it alone' as traditional allies such as the United States and Britain sat on their hands while France worked to block New Zealand exports. The failure of Britain and the United States to condemn this act of terrorism hardened support for a more independent foreign policy line.

In September 2006 the agent who placed the bomb was named as Gerard Royal by his brother, Antoine. Their sister, Segolene Royal, was an unsuccessful Socialist candidate in the 2007 French presidential elections.

   

The wreck of the Peter Iredale

The wreck of the Peter Iredale is shown in this photograph, taken by Portland photographer Leo Simon on November 13, 1906, nineteen days after the ship ran aground near Ft. Stevens.

The Peter Iredale was a four-masted steel bark built in Maryport, England, in 1890 and owned by British shipping firm Iredale & Porter. On September 26, 1906, the Iredale left Salina Cruz, Mexico, bound for Portland, where it was to pick up a cargo of wheat for the United Kingdom. Despite encountering heavy fog, they managed to safely reach the mouth of the Columbia River early in the morning of October 25. The captain of the ship, H. Lawrence, later recalled that, as they waited for a pilot, “a heavy southeast wind blew and a strong current prevailed. Before the vessel could be veered around, she was in the breakers and all efforts to keep her off were unavailing.” The Iredale ran aground at Clatsop Beach, hitting so hard that three of her masts snapped from the impact. Fortunately, none of the crew were seriously injured. Captain Lawrence ordered that the ship be abandoned, and rockets were launched to signal for help.

The lifesaving station at Point Adams quickly responded, sending a team of men to rescue the crew. It was a dangerous task, but the lifesavers managed to bring all twenty-seven crewmen, including two stowaways, safely to shore. William K. Inman, one of the lifesavers who helped Captain Lawrence ashore, remembered that the red-bearded captain stood stiffly at attention, saluted his ship, and said “May God bless you and may your bones bleach in these sands.” He then turned and addressed his men with a bottle of whisky in his hand. “Boys,” he said, “have a drink.” The British Naval Court later ruled that the sudden wind shift and the strong current were responsible for the stranding of the ship, and that the captain and his officers were “in no wise to blame.”

The wrecked bark became an immediate tourist attraction. The day after the ship ran ashore the Oregon Journal reported that the wreck “proved a strong attraction…and in spite of the gale that was raging scores flocked to the scene of the disaster.” They noted that the Astoria & Columbia River Railroad was already planning to run excursion trains to the site.

Although the ship has been broken up by wave, wind, and sand over the years, the wreck of the Peter Iredale continues to be a popular tourist attraction.

Further Reading:
Gibbs, James A. Pacific Graveyard: A Narrative of Shipwrecks Where the Columbia River Meets the Pacific Ocean. Portland, Oreg., 1964.

Marshall, Don B. Oregon Shipwrecks. Portland, Oreg., 1984.

Wells, R.E., and Victor C. West. A Guide to Shipwreck Sites along the Oregon Coast, via Oregon US 101. R.E. Wells & V.C. West, 1984.

Written by Cain Allen, © Oregon Historical Society, 2006.

  

The Dimitrios, at Laconia (near Gythio, Greece).

Dimitrios (Greek Δημήτριος) is a Greek shipwreck famous due to its picturesque location on an easily accessible sandy beach near Gythio, Greece.

"Dimitrios" (previously named "Klintholm"), a small, 67 metre freight ship of 965 tons cargo capacity built in 1950, is registered to the Prefecture of Piraeaus, registration no. 2707. The ship belonged to 76.75% to the Mollari Brothers (Greek: Άφοι Μολλάρη) and to 23.25% to the Matsinou Brothers (Greek Άφοι Ματσινού). Dimitrios has been stranded on the beach of Valtaki (Greek Βαλτάκι) in today's Evrotas municipality in the prefecture of Laconia, Greece, since December 23, 1981.
There are many rumors about the ship's origins and how it got stranded on the beach. Most relate that the ship was used to smuggle cigarettes between Turkey and Italy. It was seized by the port authorities of Gythio and then deliberately released from the port and left to be dragged by the sea to the beach of Valtaki, about 5 kilometers from the port of Gythio. It was then set on fire to hide the evidence of cigarette smuggling. Another less common rumor speaks of a ghost ship of unknown origins.
However, according to a book written by the Honorary Chief of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Christos Ntounis (1935–2010). Ta Navagia stis Ellinikes thalasses (translated as The shipwrecks of the Greek seas) there is more to be said about the true history of the ship.

Christos Ntounis in his book Ta Navagia stis Ellinikes thalasses (Volume B 1950-2000) writes that the ship emergency docked to the port of Gythio on 4 December 1980 because its captain needed access to a hospital due to a serious illness. However, after the ship's docking, financial problems arose with the crew as well as various engine problems, coupled with insurance measures imposed by various lenders. The crew was then fired and the ship's safeguarding was assigned to Georgios Daniil and Vasilis Parigoris.
The ship was side docked to the port of Gythio, where it remained until June 1981 when it was declared unsafe due to wear on the docking ropes and an incline to the right because of water entering its hull.
The port authorities asked for the ship to be moved to an anchoring site outside the port of Gythio for safety reasons, but the owners did not respond until the following November. It is stated in the book that "on approximately 12:30 pm on the 9th of November 1981 the ship was swept away to the sea, about 2 miles away due to severe weather conditions and it was temporary anchored". But the temporary anchorage did not last for long as the ship was swept away again and finally stranded at its current location on the beach of Valtaki, about 3 miles northeast of Gythio. The ship was then simply abandoned there and no attempts were made to recover it.


  

V Irish trader

 On her last voyage she was carrying 410 tonnes of fertiliser which was bound for bristol in England.M

V Irish trader was a Hartlepool motor vessel grossing 344 ton's

She ran aground in 1974.

Nobody knows the real reason it went aground, it happened for tax reasons, drunken crew, or simple pilot error.

The coordinates are for the actual wreck which can be seen in google earth.
Please take extreme care when visiting this waymark Do not attempt to get close unless its at low tide.
beware the sand is very soft at this location.

Date of Shipwreck: 1974 Type of Boat: Other Military or Civilian: Irish Merchant Navy Cause of Shipwreck: Unknown Accessibility:  Can be accessed at low tide from Baltray Beach. Diving Permitted: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
Only log the site if you have visited it personally.
Floating over a site does not qualify as a find if it is a wreck that requires diving - you must have actually visited the site - therefore photos of the site are good.