It's probably safe to go back in the water: Why there's an annual tribute to a Wellington 1852 shark attack victim

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

It was, according to historical records, an unusually hot day in Wellington, 22 Jan, 1852 – Wellington anniversary day.

A young musician, John Balmer, belonging to the band of the 65th Regiment, had performed a splendid show in the morning.

He and some compatriots, all belonging to the regiment, decided on a quick swim in Wellington harbour's cool sea. 

About 180 metres from shore, Balmer ran into trouble: he was attacked by a great white shark, believed to be about 4.5 metres long. He succumbed to his injuries almost immediately.

A spokeswoman for Te Ara confirmed that Balmer is only recorded person to have suffered from a fatal shark attack in Wellington since records began in, fittingly, 1852 – making Balmer the first known shark fatality in New Zealand's history.

The newspaper report from the time, courtesy of the Wellington Independent, reads like an archaic artefact now.

'A melancholy accident occurred,' intoned John-Paul Young, serenading Wellington's Oriental Bay.

'The poor fellow screamed out, and a boat which was about twenty yards from him at the time went to his assistance, which, as soon as he saw, he made a desperate leap into it, but in consequence of the femoral vessels being so dreadfully lacerated, he only survived a few minutes after reaching the boat,' he continued.

'The water all around was covered with blood.'

This recitation was given yesterday, to a group of about 6 people, standing solemnly, hanging on every word. It is the same recitation Young gave the year before, and the year before that.

Young, along with a friend, began a ritual of reading bits of the newspaper article – 'only bits of it, they were very… verbose in those days' he clarified – at Oriental Bay before plunging into the water for a swim in 2010.

He has done it every year since, with a revolving cast of his friends and enthusiasts.

Initially drawn to the 'horror' of the story, 'the notion of a shark attack happening right in the middle of the harbour,' Young delved deeper into the tale – and became more enthralled.

'I thought it was more important to focus on the other stuff, the context. The music was a great way of going back in time a little bit – with Papers Past you could look at the music he played the week before, the day it happened.'

Young, a musician himself, ended up writing an album dedicated to Balmer.

'It was a way of looking at all sorts of Wellington history, but going beyond that, I've long had a fear of sharks, so I felt that exploring that would be interesting territory.'

Has it helped?

'Oh yeah – I don't have any problems swimming out pretty deeply.'

More concerning is the frequently inclement weather to battle through.

'Every time we've done it it's been overcast, windy and pretty freezing,' he laughed.

'Quite at odds with the experience of that day [in 1852].'

***

Graeme Smith, who cheerfully gave his age as 'almost 80' over the phone, is Balmer's surviving great-great grand-nephew, and he should know – he keeps the family database.

'My Grandfather's wife was Balmer's grand-niece, if that's not too confusing.'

Smith lives in Australia, where he was resided for 35 years, and though he is aware of Balmer's story he's never gone into specifics, or turned the moment into a piece of family folklore.

When I told him about Young's yearly pilgrimage, his voice brightened.

'I think it is lovely. I'm quite surprised it's happening there – I wouldn't have thought Wellington would have enough imagination,' he laughed.

'It's quite a nice thing to do, isn't it? Everyone deserves a bit of recognition.'

Which comes as a relief to Young.

'The last thing you want people thinking you're taking the mickey. I've hoped that that's going to be received positively… another great-nephew got in touch about the album, said he really liked it. That meant a lot.'

Smith said while the musical side of the lineage has petered out, the family are keen swimmers, with his own niece recently achieving a New Zealand rating of ability.

The niece is thinking about volunteering as a lifeguard.

***

Balmer's father, John Balmer Sr., was in the same regiment as his ill-fated son. He was discharged the year following his son's death, as a consequence of being found 'unfit' by a surgeon's report.

The autopsy, which ascertained that Balmer died from shark-inflicted wounds, was conducted at Wellington's still-extant Thistle Inn. From there, his body was transferred to the Bolton Cemetery, where it lays interred today.

The inscription on the tombstone reads: 'this tablet is erected by his comrades of the band as a last tribute of respect to one who was much esteemed by them'.

A touching sentiment, but not, perhaps, a perspicacious one. 

The last tribute belongs to Jean-Paul and his band of merry men and women, taking the yearly plunge in frigid waters, in memory of a man who lived and died long ago, but has achieved a kind of posterity nonetheless.

Locations of confirmed fatal shark attacks in New Zealand

1852 Wellington Harbour

1886 Napier

1896 Kumara

1907 Moeraki

1964 St Clair, Dunedin

1966 Oakura

1966 Manukau Harbour

1967 St Kilda, Dunedin

1967 Moeraki

1968 Aramoana Mole

1976 Te Kaha

2013 Muriwai Beach