ERA (1887-1928)
Era on slipway at Geraldton, photo: Geraldton library
Description
Ketch rigged fishing boat
Construction
Timber with 40hp engine
Size
60 tons length 20.7m beam 4.4m depth 3.4m
Built
1887 at Waterview Bay, Sydney, NSW
Owner
Charles Nelson of Geraldton
Sunk
1928/07/16
Location
Geraldton Harbour
Latitude/Longitude
(-28.771717, 114.601995)
Sinking
During the night of 16 July 1928 a northerly storm caused the Era to break its mooring and drift until it hit the breakwater close to the viaduct in Geraldton Harbour. It was badly holed when a pile was driven through the side of the hull and sank quickly, a factor being its heavy lead keel
Underwater
After several weeks underwater the vessel was raised, a refit carried out in Geraldton and returned to the fishing fleet. It finally sank on 28 April 1958 in South Passage, Shark Bay, where the lead keel remains.