February 2011
Dear Pittwater neighbours,
By now most of you know we will slowly retire our dear old Curlew. It’s a tough decision. She’s got a long history in the community. We felt you should understand why it’s time.
But first, a few memories…
Residents that grew up here all have their own stories to tell. Just about everything conceivable (literally) has happened: from a shoe rescue to, well, the conception of new little residents.
We remember expectant mums going to hospital at 2am, and those passengers that fell asleep, ending up on the mooring.
We think the kids on the school ferry are mischievous now, but I’ve been told that for a time in the 70’s a few resourceful souls had the ferry all worked out. Driver Lenny Duck was up front, the steering mechanism was down the back. Yep. On the way to school, these engineers and mechanics of the future disconnected the Curlew’s steering.
Our reminiscences must of course include a younger Mick Miller. He skippered the Curlew for quite some time. Mick was on the daily run one morning, when a voice said, ummm, excuse me, but my feet are getting wet.
Not easily panicked, Mick started up the bilge pumps and got the passengers on the back deck. But water flooded in faster than bilge pumps could cope. He handed the strongest looking passenger the handle to the manual bilge pump, but it broke.
Unflappable Mick headed to the island and beached the Curlew. He off loaded the passengers and gave the day-trippers directions….
Carols go up to the road and turn left. Tennis, go to the road and turn right. Eastern go right up over the island. Youth Hostel, now that’s a walk, up over the island and then along the road to your right. Lovett Bay, oh then you need to go up to the road, turn left, walk a bit further, take the next road up, and then it’s just down on the left hand side….
Why now is the time to say farewell…
We love the Curlew. Simon and I have tried all avenues to keep her. We listed her on the Australian Maritime Museum’s Heritage Vessel List. We have also spoken to the Museum Director (an ex-Lovett Bay resident) trying to get funding to rebuild her. Unfortunately she cannot help us.
I have also contacted Graeme Andrews, an old ferry buff. You may have read his stories in “Afloat” but he wasn’t able to suggest any other avenues or organisations.
Simon and I have slipped her to get the opinions of surveyors and local shipwrights. The advice is all much the same. We would be looking at a cost of at least $250,000 to rebuild her, with $150,000 on the hull alone. This would not increase her value to the same extent. It would be impossible to borrow from the bank.
We looked at getting a new boat built in the same style as the Curlew. NSW Maritime would not allow us to have her in survey without two crew members and vastly reduced passenger numbers, at the very best. We were left with few options. We looked at purchasing a second vessel, but we did not know if it would be any more reliable.
So, we decided to take on a bigger project and build a new ferry for the community service. Designing and building a vessel means we will have a low speed, environmentally friendly boat. It is exactly what the service and the community needs – the exception of course is the charm and history of the Curlew.
While the Curlew will not operate on the regular ferry service, she may go out for charters.
Good news, we are able to keep and rebuild the first Church Point Ferry, the mighty Elvina.
More on the new ferry…
The new vessel is built to Lloyd’s standard. The professional design takes into account materials to mitigate the risk of fire, and has improved collision and stability safety. She is ergonomic, and it’s worth saying again, friendlier to our environment. She also has an outside foredeck - and she comes with a warranty!
We hope that you will join us in welcoming the new ferry to Pittwater soon, and if anyone knows of a well to do person who would love to give an old wooden boat a good home, please do drop us a line.
Yours sincerely,
Owners, Penny Gleen & Simon Wastell | 
