120 DAYS at ASTROLABE

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As a Master Mariner, I was acutely aware that I was in an extremely privileged position to be able to witness New Zealand maritime history as it unfolded. Having never before kept a daily personal log, I felt a compelling obligation to record my experiences to share with my family, former shipmates and the greater shipping fraternity, so that this chapter in the history of New Zealand maritime disasters could be retained for posterity.

The narrative is taken from transcripts of my personal log. It has been liberally interlaced with previously unpublished sequential photographs to enhance the reader’s appreciation of the events described. To my knowledge, there is no similar comprehensive written or photographic record of the events described.

“The old man and Second Mate excused me from my DP desk duties so that I could concentrate on capturing every moment of maritime history that was occurring at our very feet.

For a brief 30 minutes I was the sole photographer in the world capturing Rena’s valedictory passage into New Zealand maritime history.”

About the Author

Kevin Judkins joined Union Steam Ship Company in 1977, as a 17 year old apprentice deck officer. He obtained his Second Mates Foreign Going Certificate in 1980 while studying at the Auckland Maritime College, scoring the highest marks in New Zealand for that year.

Working predominantly in the Asia Pacific region, he gained his Masters Foreign Going Certificate in 1989 and became a qualified Dynamic Positioning Operator in 1995.

The Rena project was his first involvement in salvage operations.

Kevin has written numerous marine incident investigation reports and wrote the Dynamic Positioning Operations manual for the Crystal Ocean (a dynamically positioned FPSO* operating in the Basker Manta oil field in Bass Strait, Australia).

This is his first literary venture.

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“This is a first-hand record of events that took place on and around Astrolabe Reef, as the Rena broke up and the salvage turned into a wreck removal. It is a uniquely well-informed and illustrated book, penned by that rare breed of writer; a man of action who is also a man of letters.

Captain Judkins writes with unparalleled authority about the wreck of the Rena because he was there. Furthermore, the insider’s perspective he provides on shipboard life is attractive and captivating, as is his ability to describe complicated salvage procedures, in terms that can be grasped by laymen and seafarers alike.”

John Julian – Author  “BLACK TIDE”