Emu (1925/07/28)

Port Gregory

e Emu was a fishing boat owned by Marko Marchetti also known as Marko Margetic. The Police Department Correspondence refers to him by both names and state that he was either an Austrian or Jugoslav, naturalized. He was 52 years old at the time of the wrecking. Burns (1978) names him as ‘Marko Margetic’.
THE LOSS
Margetic was attempting to sail out of Port Gregory through the ‘narrow passage’ as it was closer than the ‘wider passage’. That is, he was attempting to sail through Gold Digger Passage rather than heading further north to the wider Hero Passage. The wind dropped while he was only a boat’s length from the reef. As he went to drop the anchor, a westerly scud struck the vessel. This combined with the incoming tide drove the stern of the vessel onto the reef where it was severely damaged. The Emu sank but Margetic managed to get into his dinghy and was able to get ashore safely.
INITIAL SALVAGE
Nothing was salvaged from the Emu.