I began this blog (back in January 2018) with Rat saying to Mole,
... there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. (Kenneth Grahame, Wind in the Willows)
Originally harbour jetties were all about access and survival, built to give small, isolated farming settlements a means of transporting their produce to the port and of bringing in necessary supplies. As time went on the jetties also meant that visitors could enjoy leisure trips to the lovely harbour bays and launch services developed to meet this demand.
Later still, as the roads improved, jetties were constructed for entirely recreational purposes. The Charteris Bay Yacht Club has offered countless youngsters and adults the opportunity to learn, compete and generally 'mess about in boats' for the past 80 years.
Competitive regattas were a feature of Lyttelton Harbour life from the early years of European settlement. In the late 1930s the Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club, based in Lyttelton, ran New Year races at Church Bay and Charteris Bay. As a result, in 1939 local residents decided to form the Charteris Bay Yacht and Power Boat Club. Until the end of World War 2, private jetties in Paradise Bay were used, but in 1946 the decision was made to build a clubhouse and jetty. A 60ft x 30ft shed and a 60ft jetty, built by volunteers, were ready for the opening in November 1946. The clubhouse became a centre of local social activity (including legendary dances) and a magnet for youngsters from all over wanting to learn to sail and test their yachting skills.
The story of the club’s activities and expansion, all driven by volunteers, is well told by Paul Pritchett in Mary Stapylton-Smith’s From Adderley to Bradley and, more briefly, in the Club’s 50th anniversary brochure. Here, I’m simply posting a selection of mostly undated photos, from the Club’s archive, which give a sense of just how busy and beautiful boats in the bay could be. Images obtained from sources other than the CBYC archive are acknowledged.
I would like to thank Paul Pritchett and Philippa Drayton for enabling access to the CBYC clubhouse (I was last there at a dance in about 1973!) and Bill Studholme for access to the wonderful image archive.
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Building the clubhouse, 1946
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Well before decking was added
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Baker's Jetty (Golf Jetty) in the middle distance
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Hazel Mackey launching Charteris Bay Yacht Club rescue launch Te Wharau at Lionel Jefcoate's boat-building shed in Governors Bay, 1958. Club patron Oliver Hunter standing on the left and skipper J. A. White at the helm (Hunter archive)
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From the Hunter archive
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| Plan of proposed reclamation for additional yacht storage at the Charteris Bay Yacht Club prepared by E. O. Sinclair, 1969. Lyttelton Harbour Board, Archives NZ/ECan |
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| Clubhouse 2019 (Jane Robertson) |
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| Clubhouse roof |
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| Charteris Bay Yacht Club 2019, Bakers Point (with remains of old jetty) foreground right |
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