Moeraki Beach, South Island, New Zealand
Moment of impact – the destruction of Zhou Man’s Fleet
Between Dunedin and Oamaru is one of New Zealand`s best known tourist attractions, “The Moeraki Boulders”. There are as many explanations as to the origin of these 1.5m diameter boulders, as there are for the “Vallum” on Hadrian`s Wall in Britain. In both cases, recent surveys by the author cast doubt on the official explanations.
The boulders comprise an inner core of segmented rock, of fairly uniform size and origin, all wrapped in a concrete coating. It is interesting to note that the position of the Moeraki Balls, overlay sites of wrecked large Chinese Junks, both at Moeraki Beach and Katiki Beach (10k south of Moeraki), near Shag Point.
Research (Gavin Menzies 1421), has shown that these junks, part of a huge Chinese fleet, were driven ashore in c 1421AD.
JUNK WRECKS, MOERAKI BEACH, SOUTH ISLAND. NEW ZEALAND.
THE SITE IS SOUTH OF THE MOERAKI BALLS RESTAURANT.
( 170d, 49`, 49E. 45d, 21`, 14S )
Three Chinese 100m x 50m Junks.
At this point over roughly 175m, the beach is covered with small water washed stones, originally used as temporary ballast for a junk. Plus the remains of several Moeraki Balls c one metre diameter. Looking at the cliff face, an arc of concrete slabs can be seen rising out of the beach (from the right, to the left) at an angle of roughly 45degrees for the full height of the cliff c 15m. A magnetic anomaly survey at the foot of the cliff, indicated that a section of hull protruded under the beach for 0.75 m over a 30m length to the right ie parallel to the cliff. Thus indicating that the port side of the junk`s ballast is exposed.
Weathering of the cliff face has recently started to release these slabs and they are commencing to drop onto the beach below. The slabs form part of the moulded ballast of a 100m x 50m Chinese junk thrown onto the cliff face. The junk hit the cliff roughly 45degrees bow up, with a 45degree starboard list. One can but presume the junk shattered on impact leaving the ballast slabs in position, any remaining timber rotted away in the wet cliffs. Two man made stone balls c 450mm diameter, have been noted in the cliff face. It is assumed that these are mortar bombs and designed to be sat on the tapered mouth of a short cast iron mortar barrel, then blown off, by a gun powder charge.
The seaworthiness and the ability of the Chinese to construct 150m x 50m & 100m x 50m Chinese junks, constructed purely in timber, has been in question for many years. In 2002, The author of 1421, Gavin Menzies was shown two of the remaining 500m x 80m dry docks, by the Mayor of Nanjing. Originally there were seven dry docks, all built between 1405-1415.
Locating a section of a 100m x 50m Junks ballast, combined with the confirmation by Dr Andrew Bell, a UK geologist, that the sample was concrete. Combined with the laboratory analysis of the concrete provided by the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Science, New Zealand, has now provided the answer to how the junks retained their stability and torsional resistance in heavy seas.
It is now thought that the following was the probable construction sequence used by the Chinese to both stiffen and ballast their large junks.
Following completion of the junk`s wooden hull, a layer of waterproof concrete c 70mm thick was cast insitu, over the complete inner hull. Presumably the concrete was bonded to the wood by an adhesive, just as one uses a latex based adhesive to bond a granolithic screed to a rough concrete floor prior to laying pvc tiles. The bonding of the concrete to the hull and the internal frames effectively produced a stiffened composite ship. It is estimated the weight of concrete in a 100m x 50m Junk could be in the order of 600 tonne. The evidence of loose stones on an otherwise stone free beach, indicates that additional ballast was also used to trim the junks.
The chemical analysis of the concrete indicated that the cement was composed of Aluminium 2.19%, Silicon 22,8%, Calcium13.7%, Iron 2,92% this combined with a volcanic ash produced a very strong, waterproof concrete. The specification is exactly that used by the Romans and has since been copied by dam makers in America, using a 40% cement mixed with a 60% fly ash from power stations, this contains the same amorphous silica compounds as the ash from volcanoes.
A survey of the beach on either side of the visible ballast slabs, indicated an outline of a 100m x 50m junk broached to. i.e. parallel to the cliff and to the south of the visible slabs and another 100m x 50m junk at right angles to the beach. These two junks would appear to have hit the shore on an even keel, after the first junk splattered on the cliff face. One can but assume that the site was completely covered in debris. But one cannot underestimate the Chinese, it is feasible that they located the site of the last two junks excavated and removed all useable timber and fittings and ignored the first junk. As the cliff disintegrates, more ballast slabs will appear and hopefully, one day the ships iron guns and any other iron artifacts will emerge. Probably these will be the last to emerge, as most of the heavy items will have been hurled to the starboard, now the deepest buried section of the junk.
CAR PARK, SOUTH OF MOERAKI BALLS RESTAURANT .
( 170d, 49`, 9E. 45d, 20`, 39E)
At this point on the north side of the mouth of the creek, the buried outline of a 47m x 11m junk has been located. This junk is within the arms of a stone harbour, indicating that the junk was in use for trading and was not driven ashore.
CHINESE FORTIFICATIONS ADJACENT TO MOERAKI BEACH..
To the north and south of the none sealed track to the beach car park, the ramparts of a large Chinese fort complex are clearly visible, the ramparts were originally topped with
1.8m wide stonewalls. The northern site is c 300m EW x 200mNS ( parallel to the beach). The southern site is c 300m EW and c 500m NS (parallel to the beach). The mounds upon which sat the flanking towers to the main gate and the access ramp to the southern fortified site are clearly visible from the none sealed road. These are best viewed half way down the road after crossing the railway line.
It is assumed that the fortified site housed the large numbers of Chinese who survived the storm which destroyed a large number of the junks in their fleet.
To the extreme north of the Moeraki Beach is a small creek., In the field above the mouth of the creek, the outlines of the ramparts of a small Chinese fort, c 50m square were noted. A buried paved road, linked the fort to a small stone harbour at the mouth of the creek. (170d, 49`,24E. 45d, 20` 20S). Within the harbour, the outlines of a 28m x 14m junk were detected .(See List of junks).
Immediately to the north of the Moeraki Balls Shop, is an earth mound, with a stone base to the top. Possibly a lighthouse site. Adjacent to the new tractor shed, can be seen the remains of one section of the rampart which originally enclosed a 40m x 30m area with three internal barrack blocks.(170d, 49`,30E. 45d, 20`,56S). Immediately north of this site is a small depression, now the home of water loving plants. This depression is the site of a small harbour, presumably connected to a local creek. The harbour was capable of operating small sampans, c 4.5m x 1.5m.
WRECKED JUNKS LOCATED NORTH OF THE MOERAKI BALLS
RESTAURANT COMPLEX.. (Listed North to South).
One, 28m x 14m Junk within stone walled harbour. (See fort details).
100m x 50m Broached to. (170d, 49` 27E. 45d, 20`, 20S) Moeraki Ball
(170d, 49`, 28E. 45d, 20`, 22S) remains
(c100 apart)
100m x 50m Broached to. (170d, 49`, 28E. 45d, 20`, 23S ) Moeraki ball
( 170d, 49`, 28E. 45d, 20`, 24S ) remains.
(c100m apart)
100m x 50m Broached to. (170d, 49`, 28E. 45d, 20`, 28S )
( 170d, 49`, 30E. 45d, 20`, 31S )
(c 80m apart)
JUNKS UNDER SECTION OF BEACH FREQUENTED BY TOURISTS.
c130m x 50m Broached to (170d, 49, 30E. 45d, 20`, 34S) Moeraki ball area.
(170d, 49, 31E. 45d, 20`, 36S)
End on, 50m x ? (170d, 49`, 34E. 45d, 20`, 44S) Moeraki Ball area
End on 50m x ? (170d, 49`, 34E. 45d, 20`, 45S) Moeraki Ball area.
A total of nine x c100m x 50m wrecked junks have been located on the Moeraki site, north and south of the restaurant and shop complex. Two other junks have been located in small stone harbours, one 47m x 11m & one 28m x 14m. We presume that the junks within the harbours have been trading, either before or after, a large part of the Chinese fleet was wrecked on the east coast of New Zealand.
T.C.Bell July 2003
