The H.M.S Orpheus disaster is the largest shipping accident in New Zealand history killing 189 sailors. The Orpheus Gallery, among the many relics of maritime interest, can be found a collection of articles relating to the wreck of H.M.S. Orpheus at the Manukau Harbour entrance in 1863. These include a large & uniquely designed ships anchor, a section of the mainmast, cannon and cannonballs etc and a large selection of other objects and informative material relating to this disaster.
Remains of the mainmast
By night fall only the masts remained out of the water.
Commodore Burnett called from the mast "Save yourselves and my God have
mercy on us as I will be the last" after eight hours terror some men ended
their own lives jumping from the masts into the sea. Then a soul stirring
moment as a single voice from the mast began to sing the hymn 'Abide With Me',
others joined in until all were singing in the face of death. The main mast was
the first to brake taking six officers and fifty men along with it.
Spend some time reading and learning about the HMS Orpheus.