Water Nymph
Ship: 548 tons
Captain: Edwin Sinel Babot
Surgeon Superintendent:
Sailed London August 25th 1867 - arrived Auckland November 23rd 1867

The Water Nymph, a fine clipper ship chartered by the Shaw Savill Co., arrived at Auckland in command of Captain Babot (his first visit as master to this port), and dropped anchor off Orakei on Saturday, November 23, 1867, having made a smart passage of 91 days from Gravesend and 97 from the Lizard. Old hands will remember that when the ship arrived a howling westerly gale was blowing, and no communication was made with the shore that day. The morning after the Water Nymph anchored, with a strong westerly gale still blowing, two reporters ventured down to the ship. One, the writer, boarded her, and returned safely to the wharf, but the second boat which had conveyed Mr W Wilkinson, of the "Southern Cross", capsized alongside the ship. The accident was not observed for some minutes after Mr Wilkinson boarded the ship, when a boat was immediately lowered and the two men, Watermen Wright and Keane, who had been struggling in the water, were brought on board. Wright was dead but Keane was brought round. On Monday morning the gale subsided, and the Customs boat boarded the ship. Shortly afterwards Captain Babot came to town, bringing Messrs Wilkinson and Keane and the body of Wright. The Water Nymph on this occasion brought several passengers, a general cargo, and 70 songsters for the Acclimatisation Society. After discharging her cargo the Water Nymph sailed early in January, 1868, for Oamaru to load for London. She went down in ballast, and a few days after her arrival, on February 3rd, was driven ashore during a terrific storm which came on during the night.......................
White Wings - Sir Henry Brett

Copyright Denise & Peter 2006

Reference:
The Daily Southern Cross November 24th 1867