GlenysUnloading Cargo - Cascade Bay - Norfolk Island
May 5th 2011 00:08
... and some places are full of interest ...
Norfolk Island is renowned for its rugged coastline and lack of a suitable place to berth a ship, so, even today, ships carrying cargo to the Island have to anchor offshore.
Depending on the wind and swell, unloading the cargo will take place at Cascade Bay, on the east coast of the Island, or at Kingston, on the south coast.
We were fortunate enough to be visiting Norfolk Island when a ship carrying cargo anchored offshore. The word soon passed along the grapevine that a ship was unloading at Cascade Bay.
We hurried to Cascade Bay and we were intrigued and surprised as we watched small boats (lighters) ferrying the cargo from the ship to the pier.
A mobile crane on the pier was being used to unload cargo from the lighters.
Once unloaded the lighters were towed back to the ship by motorised launches where the ship's derricks were used to load them up again.
(A lighter is a small boat which is used to transport cargo to and from a bigger cargo ship which is unable to navigate in shallow water.)
This process is repeated many, many times until all the cargo has been unloaded. The lighters are manned by skilled locals and it is an amazing process to watch.
The lighters are too small for the standard shipping containers to be used.
Norfolk Island is renowned for its rugged coastline and lack of a suitable place to berth a ship, so, even today, ships carrying cargo to the Island have to anchor offshore.
Depending on the wind and swell, unloading the cargo will take place at Cascade Bay, on the east coast of the Island, or at Kingston, on the south coast.
We were fortunate enough to be visiting Norfolk Island when a ship carrying cargo anchored offshore. The word soon passed along the grapevine that a ship was unloading at Cascade Bay.
Cargo Ship, anchored and being unloaded in Cascade Bay, Norfolk Island.
We hurried to Cascade Bay and we were intrigued and surprised as we watched small boats (lighters) ferrying the cargo from the ship to the pier.
A mobile crane on the pier was being used to unload cargo from the lighters.
Once unloaded the lighters were towed back to the ship by motorised launches where the ship's derricks were used to load them up again.
(A lighter is a small boat which is used to transport cargo to and from a bigger cargo ship which is unable to navigate in shallow water.)
This process is repeated many, many times until all the cargo has been unloaded. The lighters are manned by skilled locals and it is an amazing process to watch.
Two lighters being towed out to the Cargo Ship by a motorised launch. The lighters were joined together with planks. Cascade Bay, Norfolk Island.
The two lighters returning to the pier at Cascade Bay, Norfolk Island, with their cargo.
Lighters being unloaded at Cascade Pier, Norfolk Island.
The lighters are too small for the standard shipping containers to be used.
A single, loaded lighter being towed by a motorised launch from the ship to the pier at Cascade Bay.
Cascade Bay, Norfolk Island.
*** every now and then we see something that is unique ***
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