Tom Rowling - a life at sea

(October 24th 2015)
Report by Coralie Smith from notes by Tom Rowling, photos by Maureen Dabinett

Over forty people came to the Historical Association to hear Tom Rowling talk about his life at sea. This was another in a series of talks relating to the history of the Motueka Wharf.

The book we are having published, "Motueka Wharf-100 years" by Carol Dawber and ourselves, is being launched on Sunday 14th February 2016 in the afternoon at the wharf, details yet to be arranged. So keep this date in mind.

Tom had no intention of going to sea even though he had a close relationship with boats all his life living as he did at Kaiteriteri.

His talk was littered with boat and ships names starting with the Talisman and Pearl Kasper that came as flag ships for sailing regattas at Kaiteriteri. Newt Nalder, who had the first commercial boat taking visitors to what is now the Abel Tasman National Park area, ran the Kotare and he and Tom's father Athol would reminisce about their lives at sea.

Tom's mother Alva would have preferred he became a builder, but in 1958 the work had dried up so she relented and by March 1959 he was boarding the Portland at the Motueka Wharf to embark on a life at sea.

After a time on the Te Aroha he joined the Totara as an Able Seaman, which had a cook, and got to know the New Zealand coastline, sometimes too closely getting stuck in the odd mud creek. 1960 saw Tom going home to help his parents with the Kotare and hiring out boats on the beach at Kaiteriteri.

Then Tom decided he wanted to go further afield and went to Wellington where he hoped to get a ship heading overseas. He quite quickly got a trip to Sydney but fell out with the bosun and mate and got the sack, so it was back on the Apanui which sailed Wellington to Picton. Then he did a stint on an East Coast run on the Katui as mud pilot and store keeper.

Then came Tom's first really big trip overseas on the Port Dunedin which picked up a cargo of butter, lamb and cheese for the British market sailing via Durban to London. Built in 1925 as the first twin screw vessel ever built, this was to be the Port Dunedin's last voyage.

Tom then tried to join the British Seamen's system, only to find it was vastly different to New Zealand and had to resit his exams. He did a short trip on the Port Melbourne, then joined the Duquessa, the biggest chilled beef vessel in operation at that time sailing to South American ports. He got promoted to quartermaster and was able to join the London pool.

The next job was on the oil tanker Asprella, crossing the Caribbean and back and forth to West Africa with high octane products. The Cunard Liner Mauretania was next sailing from New York to European cities and then he decided he'd better come home to see his folks so got a job on the Corinthic. Tom tried sailing on the local coaster Portland but he had got used to the home comforts and so went back to the tankers.

The Kotare came up for sale but a different owner had knocked it about so Tom and his father decided to build their own boat. Tom went back to sea on the Puriri to pay for it and became union delegate at the same time. One of life's experiences amongst the older harder seamen. He spent six weeks at navigation school getting his ticket becoming second mate but it made no difference to the older chaps.

That Christmas a group of young female teachers spent time in one of the Rowling baches and befriended Tom. One of those, Ianthe Rose, became his wife. Tom had always said he would leave the sea if he married as so long away from home so he ran the water taxi from Kaiteriteri and had dinghys and skiffs for hire.

He built the house he is still in, had a family and got involved with Fisheries Research and went back to sea each winter. A short spell on the Polaris, the Seismic Survey vessel, added to the ships he has been on.

As inflation kicked in and wages improved it was decided Tom would return to sea as second mate on the old Golden Bay a cement carrier working out of Tarakohe to ports around New Zealand, and then to Australia getting his Master Foreign Going qualifications.

Faye Winslade talks with Tom Rowling

His first command as master was on the John Wilson in 1978, then the new Golden Bay becoming permanent master in 1985. Tarakohe closed in 1988 and the operation shifted to Whangarei.

After a short spell on the Anatoki sailing from Tauranga to Bluff, Tom retired in 2003 but after rebuilding the house and blowing the budget he went back to work lecturing at polytech before getting roped into relieving on the Interisland ferries.

Nowadays Tom enjoys being involved with the Merchant Navy celebrations being President of the Association. He is teaching the next generation of Rowlings about the sea and handing on ship handling skills to his eight grandchildren.

He can look out his window at ships that were part of his past and not envy them at all. He has done dash and "swallowed the anchor".

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