Radio Hauraki - New Zealand : 1111 Days at Sea...The Full Story. Potted History: Fed up with the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation and it's staid dull programming, a group of young New Zealand journalists and radio enthusiasts got together in a Wellington pub in 1965 to discuss setting up a pirate radio station run along similar lines to the stations already flourishing in the UK. Unlike the UK however, New Zealand's coastline was far more rugged, and although several anchorages were found, most were dismissed as un-servicable by boat to tender their on-air vessel. After many months of struggle, Radio Hauraki was born in December 1966. The birth was not an easy one, and the stations ship the 'Tiri' was forced into shelter on the Great Barrier Island on more than one occasion. Indeed such was the lax way that the station was monitored by the New Zealand authorities, Radio Hauraki would remain broadcasting while sheltering from storms at sea. The idea of Top 40 radio was alien to most New Zealanders, and Radio Hauraki spent many hours explaining how their broadcasts would sound... Although advertising revenue ran at around $15,000 a month, the station was forever in debt, and constant technical troubles haunted the station. Matters finally came to a head in January 1968 when the 'Tiri' ran aground in a storm and became a total loss. Another ship was hastily found, and Hauraki returned to the air only a month after it's last broadcast. Eventually, in 1970, the New Zealand government allowed Hauraki to come ashore, and the station began broadcasting legally in September of that year. Radio Hauraki remains a major force in New Zealand broadcasting 35 years after losing its pirate status.Here is a CD recording of the the stations history. This recording is an emotive farewell from the stations ship the Tiri 2, featuring many of the original Presenters, the Owners, and those that helped the station during the good and bad times during the stations 1111 days at sea, and their subsequent move to become a legal landbased radio station. Hear the stations first ship run aground in 1967, and the crews desperate pleas for help...Although this recording is not technically related to UK Pirate Radio, it shows that the struggle to bring commercial radio to a country was not confined to Britain.... The sound quality is fair to good, and as you would expect from a AM radio recording made over 35 years ago...... FINALLY:Please be aware that there is another recording being sold of Hauraki's 1111 days at sea which last only around 32 minutes....THIS recording is around 50 minutes long....make sure you get the full story!