In her early days the Weathersfield, an iron ship, was credited with some fast sailing, but she never made any remarkable runs after being diverted to the New Zealand trade. She first came out to Wellington, arriving there on January 24, 1882, after a passage of 97 days. She visited Auckland the same year, arriving in harbour on December 10, 114 days from the docks. The ship was then commanded by Captain Sherris, and he remained in charge until 1888, when the vessel, bound for Wellington, came to grief on the Otaki beach. Referring to the disaster, Captain Sherris stated the first land sighted on the New Zealand coast was Cape Farewell, off which, he lay becalmed for several hours. A breeze springing up during the night he hoisted sail, keeping a south-east by east course. At 4 o'clock the next morning the vessel stranded near the mouth of the Ohau, on the Otaki beach, broached to, and lay with her head to the S.E. Early the following morning Captain Sherris and the crew landed safely, but as soon as the position of the ship was ascertained they returned on board. At the inquiry Captain Sherris stated he was unable to account for the error, but he was under the impression that a strong current was setting in between Kapiti Island and the main land, which probably threw him out of his reckoning.