The skipper of the fishing charter which sank off Northland's coast is said to be in complete shock over the incident, which has claimed five lives.
The Enchanter sank near North Cape in a massive storm on Sunday night.
Search and rescue teams this afternoon retrieved a fifth body in the water.
Mangōnui's famous fishing wharf was quiet today, with a bunch of flowers a visible reminder of the lives lost after they set off from last Thursday.
Harbour warden Steve Smith said the town was devastated.
"I was speaking to a lady today who actually served them breakfast on the morning of their departure and the whole lot of them were in very, very good cheerful spirits, looking forward to it ... It just involves the whole community and that is why we're all so badly affected, it's a very very solemn mood up here at the moment."
Five bodies have been recovered and five people were pulled from the water alive, including skipper Lance Goodhew and crew member Kobe O'Neill.
Smith said he was giving them space but those who had been in touch said they were still coming to terms with what had happened.
"I think the word would be, especially with Lance, shell-shocked. This is why we're trying to give them as much space as we can."
The survivors were in the water for four hours, some clinging to parts of the broken and battered ship Enchanter, before they were rescued.
Smith said it had been harrowing for rescuers too, who had also recovered bodies.
"A rescue like this is anguishing."
Lance Goodhew ran three boats through his fishing charter company - trips have been suspended for the time being.
Nathan Cleveland from Whanganui was supposed to be on one tonight - he had been planning his trip to the Three Kings with five friends for over a year.
With just a few days between their trip and the previous group, it's been extremely confronting.
"It's very, very close to home ... I was just watching the helicopter plucking them out of the water. I'm still getting goosebumps now."
He said the Enchanter was extremely well known in the fishing community.
"You're targetting the big fish, you're targetting just everything you could hope for and with the marlin as well, it is, it's just a dream trip."
The group's pledged to re-book in the future to show their support
Further north today helicopters came and went from the rescue coordination centre near Te Pua in the Far North.
Search mission co-ordinator Nick Bert said today's search had been a huge effort.
Four helicopters, including the Westpac helicopter from Auckland, three commercial fishing vessels, police dive squad and a coastgaurd vessel were on the water today.
Multiple investigations are now underway into the incident - the Transport Accident Investigation Commission and Maritime New Zealand are both looking into it, with more inquiries possible.
