By: William Gray11th Nov 2020 9:27PMPhotograph G. Ferguson.

By: William Gray9th Nov 2020 9:57AMM.V. GAMMA, arriving Greymouth 10.30am September 4th 1971 with logs from the Solomon Islands, this was the first of twenty one shipments from the Solomons, and New Hebrides, (Now Vanuatu). after unloading, she sailed at 12.30pm 7th September for Auckland. The GAMMA was due to return in January 1972 with more logs from the Islands, but it appears that when she was here on the first call, for some reason they didn,t plug in to the shore power, but used their own generator, and due to some heavy rain overnight, the river came up with some silt got in to the generator. So the Master refused to berth here, instead unloaded the logs at Lyttelton, and that left Fletchers with a heavy freight bill for the rail freight. But moving on to July 1973, she turned up here again flying the Danish Flag, but also flying the Sofrana Unilines flag which had chartered her for two voyages. First arrival 9.50am 30th July 1973, from the Solomons, dep 1015pm 31st July for Westport to load bagged cement, the Harbour-master at that time was Capt Keith Mobbs, due to the pilot launch unable to cross the bar due to the heavy swell to bring him back to port, he had to travel to Westport onboard the GAMMA. Next arrival was at 9.10am 28th August 1973, from the New Hebrides with logs then on to Westport for more bagged cement. Some details on the GAMMA, built in Germany in 1966, for Danish owners as the GAMMA, renamed MARY CLARE for a short time, then reverted back to GAMMA again, followed by several change of names and owners names being JOPA-F, MINERVA1, EAST SEA. She sadly became involved in people smuggling while under the Camodian flag, and was run aground on the French Coast, was later refloated, but sank in the Bay Of Biscay while under tow. a sad end to the GAMMA.