A man just managed to avoid going down with a ship that sank in Wellington Harbour overnight, the harbourmaster Grant Nalder says.
The Sealion wasn't in a good state, the harbourmaster says. Photo: RNZ / Sam Rillstone
He said the man got off the Sealion before it started sinking fast, but his possessions were on board. Nalder understood the man had been living on the ship just a few days.
The Sealion was a recognisable vessel on the capital's waterfront for almost 20 years, painted with hundreds of penguins and a few sealions.
Nalder said one of the Sealion's electric pumps failed and could not remove enough water, causing the boat to sink.
"It's very unfortunate; yes there are a lot of people that are quite attached to it, they're used to seeing it on the waterfront," Nalder said.
"Unfortunately the reality was it was in quite a poor state of health."
There was wild weather in the capital overnight, but Nalder did not think it had anything to do with the ship sinking.
Some debris like timber and mooring lines had floated off the ship and contractors were working to clear the materials from the harbour to keep other vessels safe, he said.
The ship will be removed eventually, but Nalder was not sure how or when.
Owner shocked
The Sealion's owner, Selwyn Findley, said he was shocked to see pictures of just its mast above the water this morning.
Findley had planned to live on it, but put it up for sale as he struggled to keep up with the repairs it needed.
"It's very sad, I loved the thing," he said.
"Once I used to get on board and wander round and look and think 'wow, that's a big boat and I own it', and I'll fix it up over time, given time and an even break."
Findley said he had planned to visit from Nelson on Thursday to check on some leaks which were getting worse.
He said he woulf be seeking legal advice before working with the harbourmaster to retrieve the boat from the harbour.
The Sealion was built in 1945 as a World War II supply ship, but the war ended before it was finished.
It went on to be a mine sweeper, squid fishing ship, houseboat and rental property, and at times, hosted live music.
Wellington City Council evicted it from Queens Wharf last year after it was no longer seaworthy and it moved to Glasgow Wharf near the Bluebridge ferry terminal.