Jetty, wharf, pier, quay, dock…???
When is a jetty a jetty and not a wharf – or a
pier – or a quay - or a dock…? Are they interchangeable? I generally refer to the 'Governors
Bay jetty' and the 'Church Bay jetty'. But others refer to both these structures
as wharves. Piers or quays they definitely are not. Why not? I’m
interested in the fact that we seem to have an intuitive ‘sense’ of the right
word to use even when we don’t necessarily know why.
Here’s what Google throws up.
‘Jetty’ is derived from the French
word jetée, "thrown", and signifies something
thrown out. A jetty is
a structure that projects from the land out into water.
‘Wharf’ comes from the Old English hwearf, meaning "bank" or
"shore".
A wharf commonly comprises a fixed platform,
often on pilings.
A pier is a raised structure in a body of
water, typically supported by well-spaced piles or pillars. The open structure allows tides and currents to flow
relatively unhindered.
‘Quay’ is derived from Gaulish *kagyum, cagiíun (“enclosure”) and is a structure built parallel to the
bank of a waterway for use as a landing place.
'Dock' (1) A fixed structure attached to shore to which a vessel is secured when in port; (2) the body of water between two piers; (3) a structure attached to shore for loading and unloading vessels.
'Dock' (1) A fixed structure attached to shore to which a vessel is secured when in port; (2) the body of water between two piers; (3) a structure attached to shore for loading and unloading vessels.
From Middle English dock (“mud
channel”), from Middle Dutch docke (“channel”) (modern Dutch dok (“lock (canal)”)), from Old Italian doccia (“conduit, canal”) or Medieval Latin ducta, ductus.
Wharves seem to me to be associated with ports and shipping.
‘Jetty’ doesn’t seem quite right for larger ships. I call the structures in
Lyttelton ‘wharves’. However the Harbour Board referred to them early on as ‘jetties’. There are also at least nine 'quays' in Lyttelton, now all roads but once, prior to reclamation, adjacent to the sea. In Governors Bay the jetty is usually referred to as a 'jetty' but a 1905 photo by J. Kinsey labels it a 'wharf'. So can a jetty also (and always) be called a wharf while can a wharf sometimes
(but not always) be called a jetty? Does it matter?
Here are some random local illustrations...
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| Hargreaves building, Norwich Quay, Lyttelton, circa 1866, before reclamation. Lyttelton Museum |
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| Construction of the Sumner Pier, Christchurch, c. 1883, Burton Bros., Christchurch City Library |
 |
Duke of Buckingham in dry dock, Lyttelton, c.1890s,
James Kinnear, Alexander Turnbull Library
|
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| Wharf construction, showing raking piles, Lyttelton Harbour Board, Environment Canterbury |
 |
| Governors Bay jetty c. 1969 (Alison Hussey) |
Yep I have always understood a quay is parallel to the shoreline, think Norwich Quay in Lyttelton or Lambton Quay in Wellington (which was named before the earthquake that threw up all that other land between Lambton Quay and the present waterfront).
ReplyDeleteA jetty always sticks out. A pier is a big jetty, think Brighton (ChCh or England) or Blackpool. A pier often seems to encompass buildings, although ChCh missed out on that when they built the second Brighton pier. Also a pier seems to not necessarily service boats/ships, whereas you can tie up at a jetty.
A wharf seems to be a fairly general term, although generally associated with shipping in my experience.
Dock, I tend to think of the dry dock, or space ships docking with each other, implying I think a more snug fit.
So yes, basically agree, and commenting because it is 9 pm and wine is helping.
Loving your Blog.
Thanks for that Nick - great to have the input. I didn't think about piers and buildings. A very English recreation in my mind, one that NZ seems to have bypassed? As I was posting, Russ and I both thought of the 'dock' or 'port' on a computer. I love this application of words to another field entirely!
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