The Daring arrives at Mangawhai
Footage: Elevated Media
The Daring Story
The Daring is a 53ft cutter rigged schooner built in 1863 on the shores of Mangawhai harbour by the young Nova Scotian migrant Donald McInnes. The Daring was built as a coastal trader (the only bulk transport method available in the era) to transport freight and people around New Zealand.
After an initial few months trading between Wellington, Lyttleton and Timaru the Daring returned to Auckland where she was sold in January 1864 to West Coast shipper David Kirkwood. David immediately put her into service plying the rugged west coast ports between Taranaki and Onehunga.
The Daring was wrecked at the entrance to Port Waikato in June 1864. She was subsequently repaired before being beached during a storm on Muriwai Beach in February 1865. After unsuccessful attempts to re-float her she was abandoned and soon became buried in the sand dunes where she lay in perfect condition until a storm uncovered her in May 2018. She was quickly identified as a unique well preserved and important piece of New Zealand’s maritime history worthy of preservation for display and education of our early shipping, cultural and social history.
David Kirkwood, a migrant originally from Scotland, was well connected within local communities, fluent in Te Reo he involved local people in the attempt to re-float the Daring and was famed for helping return escaped Maori prisoners to their villages in Kawhia during the New Zealand wars. Our research into his history not only in New Zealand but around the world (Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Scotland) brings an incredible richness to the cultural and social history of the Daring.