One of the most important books on Ballina’s seaport history has just been released –  and it’s already sparking memories, emotions, and admiration.

Marine Rescue captain-turned-author Geoff Hutchinson has been making personal deliveries of signed copies “Shipwrecked” to those who feature prominently in his work.

When Ballina News Daily joined him on a visit, we found ourselves at the home of the book’s most mentioned character –  Peter Kerkenezov.

Over the years, Dr Kerkenezov has lived a professional life few could imagine.

He’s a qualified veterinarian, a commercial diver, a master mariner, a ship surveyor and compass adjuster.

His skills have been called on time and again during some of Ballina’s biggest chapters  – the construction of Missingham Bridge, major shipwreck salvages, and the major coastal that made headlines.

“Pete comes up about a dozen times in the book,” Hutchinson said.

“Everywhere you turn, whether it’s bridge building, wreck diving, or saving lives on the bar –  there’s his name.”

The Bridge That Fell Down

Kerkenezov’s story in the book begins in 1985, during construction of the new Missingham Bridge. 

Working as a diver, he noticed that the timber piles used in the temporary work bridge – that had been erected alongside the new permanent structure – weren’t turpentine hardwood, which made them vulnerable to destructive and fast-acting Teredo worms.

“I told the engineer this wouldn’t last,” he recalled.

“He brushed me off –  said he’d built bridges before and knew what he was doing.”

Within months, one of the cranes collapsed through the temporary structure.

“Next thing, the whole thing went down,” Kerkenezov said.

“That’s when they called me back to remove the rotten piles. After that, I did about 90 per cent of the diving on the new bridge.”

Bridge building wasn’t without its dangers. While cutting steel beams with an oxy-arc lance under the new structure, oxygen built up beneath a hollow pile cap.

“It just went bang,” he said. “Blew me clean out from under the bridge and into the middle of the channel. Never seen anything like it before or since.”

Salvage and a ‘Pirate’ Arrest

Kerkenezov soon became Ballina’s go-to diver for salvage work. He helped identify old shipwrecks beneath the shifting sands and personally worked to raise and preserve the  condenser of the sunken paddle steamer Rescue which is on display at the Maritime Museum.

But not every job went smoothly.

While salvaging a trawler, he suddenly felt four pulls on his air hose – the emergency signal to surface.

“I came up, and the police were yelling, ‘Divers, out of the water!’” he said.

“Next thing, I was in handcuffs at Ballina Police Station and locked up as a pirate. They thought we were stealing from the wreck.”

The arrest didn’t stick – paperwork soon proved they had clearance to work the site – but for a while Kerkenezov bore the tongue-in-cheek title of Ballina’s “only arrested pirate.”

Sharks also made life interesting. Bronze whalers often circled divers at work. One struck a fellow diver in the chest.

“He came over and said, ‘One’s just hit me,’ and we both retreated inside the wreck rigging where we had some protection,” Kerkenezov said.

 “We kept working, but you never forgot the sharks were there.”

Tragedy and Bravery on the Bar

The most searing moment came in 1983, when Coast Guard Ballina –  as Marine Rescue was then known –  responded to two yachts in trouble on the notorious Ballina Bar.

“One man was swept over the side and wasn’t found until the next day,” Kerkenezov recalled. “It’s something that never leaves you.”

The incident earned him a Governor-General’s Bravery Award, and he went on to serve as a training officer and founding member of the local Coast Guard unit. But the recognition came at a price.

Recently as Hutchinson revisited the episode for his book, Kerkenezov experienced a delayed post-traumatic stress breakdown.

“I began shaking uncontrollably. It all came flooding back,” he said. 

“Back then, there was no talk of post-traumatic stress. You just got on with it. But the truth is, it never goes away.”

Doctors later confirmed the reaction was a form of PTSD triggered by old trauma.

 “The lesson is simple. Don’t bottle it up. Don’t be afraid to get help. Even a swashbuckling diver can come undone,” Kerkenezov said.

A Life of Many Professions

Kerkenezov’s life has been far from ordinary. He trained as a veterinarian, working in racehorse stables and rural practices. He then qualified as a master mariner and ship’s captain, skippering vessels that supplied Lord Howe Island and working in pearl diving off Western Australia.

Along the way, he earned surveying qualifications and became a compass adjuster for commercial vessels.

 “There were times when it was hard to get work here,” he said. “So I kept moving – vet, diver, ship’s captain. One thing led to another.”

Even as he pursued other careers, his diving skills were always in demand in Ballina. “I reckon I spent more time under the river than above it,” he said with a grin.

A Legacy in Print

Hutchinson spent three and a half years compiling his book, which is now on sale exclusively through the Ballina Fishermen’s Co-Op, with all proceeds going towards Marine Rescue’s new rescue vessel.

The current vessel, BA30 is ageing, and the new $780,000 vessel will be a vital upgrade when it arrives later this year.

Geoff says some have suggested the new boat should be named the Kerkenezov in recognition of Peter’s contribution.

Kerkenezov remains characteristically modest. “This has always been home,” he said. “I’ve been lucky to do a lot of different things – and if someone rings tomorrow with something interesting, well, I might still jump in.”

📖 Shipwrecked – Geoff Hutchinson’s book on Ballina’s shipping and marine rescue history is available now at the Fishermen’s Co-Op. All proceeds go towards the new Marine Rescue vessel.