Harbour traffic leaves ‘Monarch’ high and dry in the soft mud

Popular tourism attraction MV Monarch was grounded in Otago Harbour for much of yesterday afternoon after getting caught in soft mud during low tide.

Monarch Cruises owner Neil Harraway said the boat was on its way to Wellers Rock on Otago Peninsula to pick up passengers for a 1.30pm cruise.

However, as it neared the Ravensdown wharf it had to make way for Maea, an lpg vessel, which was headed for the lpg terminal in Dunedin.

Maritime rules say the channel must be clear of all other vessels when a fuel boat is in the harbour, but the Monarch skipper had permission to be in the channel as long as they moved out of the way at the appropriate time.

"They [the Monarch skipper] pulled out of the channel to let the tanker go past and they just drifted with the wind into a shallower spot where there is soft mud," Mr Harraway said.

The boat was grounded near a man-made dolphin — a structure used to secure ships at the Ravensdown wharf — until about 3.30pm yesterday, when the tide had risen high enough for it to be refloated.

"There’s no damage to the boat. It’s just sitting there on the soft."

Monarch only missed the 1.30pm tour, and its passengers were rescheduled to travel on another tour, he said.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz