Historic HB: 'Ocean Wave' installed on Marine Parade beach

The 'Ocean Wave' seen here on Marine Parade was thought to be the first amusement ride powered by electricity in Napier.

Napier's Thirty Thousand Club, formed in 1912, was the envy of New Zealand in its boosterism efforts to raise funds for Napier-related projects and create civic pride.

The Thirty Thousand Club wanted "Napier to become the playground of the Pacific" and they purchased an "Ocean Wave", which was a children's amusement ride.

It had an up and down sensation, which was to replicate a boat ride. The popular ride was described as "sickly and whirled dizzily all day ‒ a fearsome contraption".

It was first introduced by the Thirty Thousand Club at the Hawke's Bay A & P Show in October 1913, and then taken for a tour around the North Island until the middle of December. It was said at the Show "some of the Thirty Thousand Club officials were also struggling with newly-acquired 'Ocean Wave' and they evidently have not yet got used to the vicissitudes of a showman's career."

After the North Island tour it was installed on the Marine Parade beach about where the Napier War Memorial Centre is now, near the old sea wall.

To put the Ocean Wave on the beach the Club received the permission of the Napier Harbour Board, which controlled the foreshore. A ferro-concrete foundation had to be built to anchor the Ocean Wave, which was designed by architect Louis Hay.

The Ocean Wave made many more appearances throughout Hawke's Bay after 1913, including the Hawke's Bay A & P Show.

There appeared to be a number of Ocean Waves throughout New Zealand and the first one was thought to be at Lyttelton carnival in January 1910.

The first Ocean Waves were powered by steam engines and then electricity in later years.

The Gisborne A & P Show in October 1910 had an Ocean Wave, which was owned by the Gisborne Amusement Company. It unfortunately collapsed, spilling around 80 children on to the ground, but with no serious injuries.

Other more serious injuries occurred, such as on Auckland Anniversary day at a school picnic in 1912 where the Ocean Wave collapsed, sending three children to hospital, one with a broken ankle.

At the Franklin Agricultural show in 1920, the Ocean Wave caused serious injury to a little girl when a pole holding a seat broke and splintered and entered her side.

A new version of the Ocean Wave introduced in 1926 by Staig Amusements and this collapsed in 1928 in Wellington, injuring three girls.

The Thirty Thousand Club's Ocean Wave appeared to be operated until the early 1920s.

Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a contract researcher, commercial business writer of Hawke's Bay history and now accepting commissions for 2022.