Six months in a leaky boat with Split Enz (NZ Music Month)
A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa
Pictorial interpretation of the Split Enz song "Six months in a leaky boat" from the album "Time and Tide" (1982). The song was banned by the BBC as the lyrics were considered inappropriate as Britain was engaged in a naval war with the Falklands.
See NZ On Screen video and the lyrics for 'Six months in a leaky boat' to sing along to whilst viewing these images which illustrate each line.
Verse 1:
Boy with model yacht
Nelson Provincial Museum
Pacific migration
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Pilgrim Oct 2, 2010
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Captain's Log - Episode Two
NZ On Screen
Compass
Howick Historical Village
clock, globe
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Sailor on the Russian ship Zarja (Dawn) at Wellington, 1960
Auckland Libraries
Ice on the rails, rough sea - Frontier Spirit
Antarctica New Zealand
Verse 2:
"Remembering a Lesson Learnt".
Jonesonian Institute
A Tararua thunder cloud
Alexander Turnbull Library
The Temper of the Seas.'
Auckland Libraries
Globe Centred on 45°S 90°W
Antarctica New Zealand
Ship "True Briton" Off Cape Horn Passing Ice
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Planning Calendar 1983 - 1984
Archives Central
Will she weather it?
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
No Latitude for Error
NZ On Screen
Verse 3:
Aotearoa
NZ On Screen
The rugged shore at Waipapa point, viewed from the Wakatu
Auckland Libraries
Globe Centred on Equator 180°E
Antarctica New Zealand
Evans, Malcolm Paul, 1945- :Tyranny Thomas Paine. 21 August 2013
Alexander Turnbull Library
Distances
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Stop. Think. Don't Say It.
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
The Cavalier in the West Coast Sounds, New Zealand
Auckland Libraries
Why?
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
CONQUER, Norman Sperry
Torpedo Bay Navy Museum
The restored Jane Gifford under sail
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Verse 4:
Hello Sailor - Give It A Whirl Interview
NZ On Screen
FORGET, FORGIVE." (Star, 21 May 1901)
National Library of New Zealand
Waitematā Harbour
Auckland Libraries
Beach beach beach!!!
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Hokitika, West Coast, New Zealand
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Sunrise on Bushy Beach, Oamaru
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Planning Calendar 1983 - 1984
Archives Central
Yacht
Tauranga City Libraries
Christchurch Press Infographic: 22 August 2011
UC QuakeStudies
Yacht
Tauranga City Libraries
Verse 5:
Shipwrecked
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Love
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Cruel
NZ On Screen
Trust her not, she's fooling thee
Auckland Libraries
A leading wind
Auckland Libraries
![Image: [Yacht "Altair"]](https://thumbnailer.digitalnz.org/?resize=770x&src=https%3A%2F%2Fcollection-api.aucklandmuseum.com%2Frecords%2Fimages%2Fmedium%2F569155%2Fe645ec2e0f83be545d21a3518ff14f06567aa748.jpg&resize=368%253E "[Yacht \"Altair\"]")
[Yacht "Altair"]
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Protect Our Southern Seas
Forest and Bird
westland Petrel
iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao
Elegant lady - Gaff cutter "Waitangi"
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Calendar, Desk
Puke Ariki
NOTHING TO IT" (Evening Post, 18 October 1924)
National Library of New Zealand
Waitangi on the Waitemata Harbour, 2012
Auckland Libraries
Further information
When 'Six months in a leaky boat' was released in the UK (1982), it was banned by the BBC from airplay as the Royal Navy was involved in the Falklands War. The reference to 'leaky boat' was considered inappropriate timing and a criticism of the war. However, as stated by Neil Finn, the song was written by his brother Tim about two themes: the colonial settlers sailing from the motherland to NZ and Australia (at the time Tim had been reading history books); and the breakup of a personal relationship. (See Radio with Pictures interview.) As noted in a Wikipedia article, the term "A tyranny of distance" is also the title of a book by Geoffrey Blainey: A tyranny of distance: How distance shaped Australia's history (1966).
Song's themes: nautical and a personal relationship
Radio with Pictures - Split Enz interview
NZ On Screen
Song banned by BBC (1982) during Falklands naval war
Falklands War cartoon
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Cover of 7 inch vinyl record by Split Enz in a picture sleeve which has cover art from "Time & Tide" album
Six Months in a Leaky Boat / Make Sense of it
Te Awamutu Museum
Sweetwaters Festival Programme (Ngāruawahia, 24-26 Jan 1981) includes article on Split Enz
Sweetwaters Festival Programme
Hamilton City Libraries
