MVAurora(1955)
 Wappen von Hamburgin 1958 at Helgoland island
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Blohm & Voss |
| Launched | February 1, 1955 |
| Completed | May 14, 1955 |
| In service | 1955 |
| Identification | IMO number:5088227 |
| Status | Partially Sunk at Stockton, CA 38°03′27″N121°30′02″W/ 38.057521°N 121.500494°W |
| Notes | Original nameWappen von Hamburgmeans "Coat of arms of Hamburg" in German. |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 2,496GRT |
| Beam | 13.24m |
| Propulsion | Maybachdiesel engines |
| Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Capacity | 1,955 (as a ferry): 1,600 passengers |
MVAurorais acruise shipbuilt in Germany in 1955. After several changes of ownership and name, as of 2024[update]she was moored inStockton, California,United States, and was undergoing restoration until May 22 when she began to take on water and sink.
History
[edit]Launch and passenger service
[edit]Aurorawas launched as theWappen von HamburgforHADAGatBlohm & Voss,intended to be used for day-long cruises fromHamburgtoHelgoland.[1][2]Her maiden cruise in theNorth Seacarried a full complement of 1,600 passengers.[3] Passengers were seated in salons and cafeterias on three decks, and enjoyed the view from galleries and sun decks. In the 1950s through -70s, this trip was a popular getaway, especially on weekends. Private cars were still not the norm, and a mini-cruise provided a change of scenery in comfort. Furthermore, visits to the Island of Helgoland were not possible before 1955. Until 1952, the island had been under UK administration and was used as a Royal Air Force and Royal Navy bombing target, completely devastating the infrastructure. Especially in the first years after starting to open for tourism again, many people were eager to see and visit the island for themselves that had been closed off for 20 years.
Her cruising speed of 17.5 knots meant that the 90 nautical mile trip from Hamburg to Heligoland would take 5 hours. This made day trips from Hamburg less than practical, because visitors would only have maybe two or three hours on the island. Most guests would take the train from Hamburg toCuxhavenand only take the ship for the 36 nautical miles from that port to the island. Still, the schedule presented a challenge. Therefore,Wappen von Hamburgwas replaced after only seven years of service by a second ship of the same name. Her replacement launched in 1962 made 21.5 knots, meaning that day trippers now could spend up to two hours more on the island holding the same departure times. In 1960,Wappen Von Hamburg(1955) was sold to the Greek Nomikos Line. She was renamedDelosand refitted as one of the first luxury Aegean cruise ships, with the addition of a swimming pool and air conditioning in all cabins.[4]
In 1967, the ship was sold to the Alaska Cruise Line (Westtours) ofVancouverand renamed toPolar Starfor expedition cruises in Alaskan waters, then in 1970 resold to West Cruise Lines ofPanamaand renamed toPacific Starand thenPolar Starfor expedition cruises in the South Atlantic. In 1972 Donald L. Ferguson bought her, renamed herXanadu,and added antiques to her luxury fittings.[4][5]
Post-cruising career
[edit]As the cruise industry began to fade,Xanaduwas sold two further times and then in 1977 laid up[5]and some of her fittings were auctioned.[4]After repossession by aSeattlebank in Vancouver, she was sold in 1982 to Pan Aleutian Seafoods as a factory ship for crab, and in 1984 laid up again, inTacoma.[5]
In 1985, a new owner renamed her again toExpexand moored her atLos Angelesfor trade show and exhibition use. A forty-footintermodal containerwas mounted on her stern.[4]
After this venture was unsuccessful, the ship was sold to Friendships, a Christian sect based inWilmington, California,who renamed herFaithful.They repainted her hull blue but instead of using her for relief work, housed converts on the ship until she was seized by theCoast Guard.[3][4]
Dr. James Mitchell boughtFaithfulfrom Friendships to use as a hospital ship, but in 2005 theFaithful,which by now had rusting metal, fading and peeled paint, and missing railings, to Al Boraq Aviation, who planned to refurbish her as a luxury yacht and had her towed toAlameda.[4]This refurbishment did not materialize; she was declared an abandoned vessel and eventually an arrangement was made to have her removed.[4]In 2010 theLife After Peopleepisode"Holiday Hell"featured the ship with an interview with maritime enthusiast Peter Knego coloumnist for Maritime Matters on her history and condition.[6]
Refurbishment
[edit]After seeing aCraigslistad in 2008, Chris Willson bought the ship from the then owner, a marine salvage dealer who had been ordered by theCalifornia State Lands Commissionto move the ship fromDecker Island,in theSan Joaquin River delta,but could not afford to do so. Willson had her towed toRio Vista,where restoration work began, and then a year later, in August 2010, renamedAurora,to Pier 38 in San Francisco, with plans to eventually open her as a tourist attraction.[3][7][2]The following year, aPort of San Franciscowharfingergave him three days' notice to moveAurorabecause Pier 38 was to be shut down due to structural and electrical issues.[4][8]
Aurorawas ultimately towed from San Francisco back to the delta in 2012 and moored at a marina in Little Potato Slough, approximately 15 miles fromStockton.[3][9]Soon after, the marina went out of business over debts and regulatory problems, so Willson and his partner moved to the ship to watch over it. He worked with volunteers on restoringAurora,with plans to find a location that would host her as a tourist attraction.[3][2]In 2023 he sold the ship.[10]
Sinking
[edit]On May 22, 2024, the ship was discovered to be taking on water and had partially sunk. TheCoast Guardtook command of the area to minimize pollution from leaking oil.[10][11][12]
In popular culture
[edit]The ship was an inspiration forThe Love Boatand was used as a filming location for the 1963 filmFrom Russia with Love.[3]
References
[edit]- ^"Day cruises from Bremerhaven/Hamburg to Helgoland",Cruise Ship Odyssey,archived fromthe originalon August 24, 2008.
- ^abcHardingham-Gill, Tamara."The man who bought a cruise ship on Craigslist".CNN.
- ^abcdefKurtis Alexander,"Shipwrecked On Little Potato Slough",San Francisco Chronicle,October 8, 2020.
- ^abcdefghChris Willson and Peter Knego,Aurora Yacht News,Wordpress, August 26, 2012, retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^abc"M/S Wappen von Hamburg",Faktaomfartyg.se, retrieved October 11, 2020(in Swedish).
- ^Martin Cox,"Life after Knego",Maritime Matters,February 6, 2010.
- ^Peter Knego,"AURORA arrives in San Francisco",Maritime Matters,August 1, 2010, archived fromthe originalon August 8, 2010.
- ^Carolyn Said,"Pier 38 deemed unsafe; tech tenants evicted",San Francisco Chronicle,September 9, 2011.
- ^George Schneider,"AURORA - IMO 5088227"at Stockton,Shipspotting,[March 22, 2015], April 16, 2015.
- ^abKurtis Alexander,"It inspired ‘Love Boat.’ Now the 1950s luxury liner is sinking in the California delta",San Francisco Chronicle,May 23, 2024.
- ^Jonathan Ayestas,"Sinking boat in the Delta leaking diesel fuel and oil, San Joaquin sheriff says",KCRA-TV,May 22, 2024.
- ^Gabriel Porras,"Sinking ship in the Delta is leaking fuel, oil",KXTV,May 22, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Official website,archivedon February 20, 2016
- Christopher Wilson, "Aurora Restoration Project Part 1"Museum Ships(first of a series)