Our Town Cryer Stephen Le Lievre and other descendents of the original settlers boarding Manutara to re-enact the arrival of the French and German Immigrants who arrived in August 1840. Note the French and German national flags and the regional flag of Brittany, the area from where the French settlers came.

 
   Ready to Cast Off from Akaroa NZ Main Wharf

 
Settlers en route to the beach to re-enact the landing. Captain Ray of the Manutara, on the helm.

 
It's a lovely day with a good solid 20 knot Westerly wind for the sail. Captain Ray looking staunch!

 
On the way to the beach. In the background, the beach where we land the settlers. It's a lovely day, but in 1840, when the landing took place, it was a cold, stormy southerly! The settlers had no shelter, so they took the oldest sails from Le Comte de Paris, cut them up and sewed them into temporary, tent-style shelters.

 
The Akaroa Sea Scouts rowed settlers ashore, and landed them on the beach. The NZ Army band played in the background and a great time was had. (For Maritime Safety reasons, all settlers wore lifejackets in the re-enactment for the dinghy trip ashore.)

Each year for 12 years we've celebrated the arrival of French and German settlers in Akaroa. They arrived in August 1840 with the intention of claiming the South Island of New Zealand as a colony of France. The migrants sailed from Le Havre in France to New Zealand with two ships: Le Comte de Paris, a passenger vessel under the command of Captain Jean Langlois, and the L'Aube, a warship under the command of Captain Lavaud. Upon arrival they discovered the British had got here earlier. The HMS Britomart, captained by Captain Stanley, had claimed Akaroa and the South Island of New Zealand for Queen Victoria only days beforehand! The settlers, under the guidance of Jean Langlois, decided to stay. The French settling in Akaroa, which became French Town and French Bay. The German settlers decided to establish a German community, and they moved to Takamatua. Which in 1840 was re-named German Town and German Bay.