Pre Club Highlights
Whilst the Mercury Bay Swordfish and Mako Shark Club was formed in 1924, it is worthy to précis some of the highlights from Whitianga’s historic past.
950AD
The canoe “Te Matahorua’ captained by Kupe arrived from the central Pacific. Hence the name Whitianga which means ‘crossing place of Kupe’.
1350
Visit of the “Arawa” canoe..
1769
Captain Cook arrived in the “Endeavour” to observe the transit of Mercury, giving the name Mercury Bay to the inlet.
1832-1922
The Kauri timber industry flourished in Mercury Bay, producing 600,000,000 feet of log timber for export.
1840
HMS “Buffalo” was wrecked on the beach opposite where the Hospital now stands. This event is perpetuated in the name Buffalo Beach.
1867
First hotel established in Whitianga.
1887
First Post Office established in Whitianga
1885
Mercury Bay Hospital opened.
1908
Farming industry commenced in Mercury Bay.
1916
First motorcar driven from Whitianga to Coromandel taking five hours, two hours longer than the horse drawn stagecoach service.
1924
The then proprietor of the Whitianga Hotel, Mr Ernie Chadban, was one of a small group who got big game fishing going from Whitianga.
1924
A small band of local enthusiasts held a meeting in the cargo shed at the end of the wharf, which later was to become the home of the Club, and the Mercury Bay Swordfish And Mako Shark Club was formed.
From humble beginnings there were no specialized game fishing gear. Boats towed Kahawai baits tied to hapuka lines and when a fish struck they tied the line to a four-gallon drum and left the fish to fight until it became tired, before hauling in their catch by hand.
1926
News of a new fishing mecca had spread and so the influx of boats and people.
1928
The now famous American western writer Zane Grey and his companion Captain Laurie Mitchell arrived to sample the abundant Mercury Bay waters before heading to Tahiti. Such were the fish numbers they vowed to return
The 1920’s & 30’s
Development of a tourist resort
When he first arrived in New Zealand, Zane Grey did not rate the Mako as a fighting fish but by 1929, after catching a few, he rated this fish so highly that in 1933 he devoted a trip to catching these prized fighters.
By this time Mercury Bay had an international reputation with visitors from all over New Zealand and as far away as Argentina.
It was Zane Grey who introduced ‘proper’ game fishing to New Zealand. Where previously fish were hooked and hauled to the boats with ropes, gaffed or harpooned, Zane Grey introduced quality rods, reels, lines etc and developed techniques to fight the fish rather than following the fish until it was tired and then landing it.
1930
Mercury Bay started to develop as a tourist resort and deep-sea fishing centre.
1932/33
With the onset of the Depression in and World War II breaking out, this form of recreation was put beyond most people.