The reconstruction of the North Mole is approximately 45 per cent complete. Photo / Bevan Conley
The reconstruction of the North Mole is approximately 45 per cent complete. Photo / Bevan Conley
An artefact believed to be the trawl door of a Russian boat has been found during the reconstruction of the North Mole.
Former harbourmaster Trevor Gibson and archaeologist Michael Taylor believed it was a trawl door but aren't certain and are looking for more information.
Gibson said Russian fishing boatswere used to unload seafood at the Whanganui Port in the 1990s, then returned to Russia with cars.
"The Russians were purchasing second-hand cars and taking them back, as I guess that was a cheaper option than other forms of importing," he said.
Gibson's guess was that the trawl door came from one of those boats.
The door was discovered on the North Mole on March 30 while contractors were removing concrete and surplus materials.
"We have no idea why or how it detached from the boat, which is why we are hopeful that someone from our community may be able to help answer our questions," Horizons project engineer Dougal Ross said.
"Firstly, to receive confirmation that it is in fact a trawl door, and secondly, if anyone knows how it made its way to the North Mole."
The door is made of wood and steel, unlike Korean trawl doors which are made of steel only.
They are still used today, although now they are often made out of plastic.
It was approximately 3.5m tall by 2m wide and the digger operator thought the weight was somewhere between three to five tonnes.
Anyone with information on the door can email portproject@whanganui.govt.nz.
Mole project nears completion
Meanwhile, the public will soon have access to the car park on top of the North Mole.
The car park has been closed to the public since January due to the revitalisation work.
It will be open by the end of June as construction work at the seaward end of the Mole is completed.
Horizons contractors are continuing to clear sand from the sealed road at the end of Morgan Street to ensure there is enough space for public vehicles to park.
What is believed to be the trawl door of a Russian boat found at the North Mole. Photo / Supplied
The work, funded by Horizons Regional Council, Whanganui District Council and Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, will then progress upstream along the embankment.
Horizons council project engineer Dougal Ross said the reconstruction is approximately 45 per cent complete, with rock deliveries completed by the end of July.
The work at the North Mole is part of Te Pūwaha: the Whanganui Port revitalisation project.
It will cover the length of the embankment from the end of the North Mole to the Whanganui Port.
"This work, along with scheduled works to repair the South Mole, is vital to enable an operational port as they define the river mouth and ensure a navigable depth is maintained for vessels," Ross said.
"Repairing the moles is also necessary to protect nearby developments and critical city infrastructure from flooding."
"Upon completion of Te Pūwaha, Whanganui will have enhanced flood protection and a modern purpose-built marine precinct, securing the Whanganui Port as a community asset for the next 50 years and beyond," Ross said.
