Waterline March 2018

BOAT | FIS H | WAT E R SP OR T NZ

Riley Elliott

AU T U M N 2018

FREE SMARTCRAFT SC1000 TACHO RIGGING KIT

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waterline March 2018

The region’s favourite watersport and boating magazine, Waterline, has re-launched for its 22nd birthday.

Bigger, brighter and with increased circulation, Waterline is making more of a splash in the booming marine market, with a new look and a wider reach.

It’s the flagship of the region’s boating community, embraced by clubs, active boat owners, fishos, divers and watersports enthusiasts.

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Exotic visitor shows her scars

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Shark man free dives for conservation

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Low numbers in Taupo

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Ray riders, kingis and fly rods

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Path to Olympics through AIMS

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Waka off to the festival

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Le Voyager continued

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University land grab resisted

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Community support call

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For all enquiries contact: Kathy Sellars on 07 928 3053 kathy@sunmedia.co.nz

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www.waterline.co.nz waterlinenz Editor: Brian Rogers Advertising: Leah Rogers and Jo Delicata Photography: Andrew Campbell, Bruce Barnard, Nikki South Graphic Design: SunMedia Ltd

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Waterline is a SunMedia Ltd publication © All material is copyright and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

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For all things Diving in the Bay of Plenty 4

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CONTACT US: Phone: (07) 578 4050 213 Cameron Rd Tauranga www.divezonetauranga.co.nz facebook/divezonetauranga divezonetauranga

Crayfishery crunch time Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash is facing the biggest call of his ministerial career so far when he announces his decision on the CRA2 crayfishery on April 1.

The CRA 2 fishery includes the Hauraki Gulf, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty. A stock assessment last year found crayfish numbers are so low that a plan is required to rebuild the stock.

Legasea is calling for a complete ban on all crayfishing, and insists the CRA2 fishery from Te Arai Point, near Leigh, through to East Cape has collapsed.

Legasea says the warning signs have been there and the science has been fudged in order to allow continued commercial fishing.

They describe the situation as ‘dire’, and say the quickest way to restore abundance is to close this fishery until it rebuilds and the ecosystem function is restored.

Lagasea spokesman Scott Macindoe says many recreational divers have simply given up. The CRA2 recreational allowance is 140 tonnes and they are taking only 35-40 tonnes.

“The public can no longer reliably get a feed,” says Scott.

Mount Dive Club captain Russ Hawkins says club divers’ catches have been very poor over the last six-to-eight years.

“We would come back from a fish and hardly have a crayfish between the 12 of us,” says Russ. “It has changed dramatically.

“But having said that, I attended a meeting in November in Whakatane among commercial recreational and customary fishers, where they were told the shortage may be a cyclical thing.

“We have got to give the local commercial guys credit for taking a cut from 236 tonnes down to 200, and then taking a further voluntary cut from 200 to 150 in the last season just finishing.

“Those guys have spent a lot of money on research at their own expense. So all I’m saying is we can’t jump up and down and blame commercial. Some of those guys have fished for 30 years locally and they want to look after it just as much as we do.”

While there has been a downturn over recent years, there are signs of a recovery in the last couple of months, says Russ.

“They have looked at puerulus larvae counts, the little tiny crayfish, and that seemed to be increasing in the last three or four months, which hasn’t happened in previous years.

“MPI will probably bring in further cuts for commercial and recreation and we’ve got to take it on the chin.

“My thinking is that four crayfish per person should be enough, as an example to try and help the overall situation.”

New Zealand Rock Lobster Industry Council CEO Mark Edwards says it is too early for information on puerulus to usefully inform the management process.

“What is available now is a revised and improved stock assessment that will be used by all the interested parties and the Minister of Fisheries to make a decision before April 1 on revised management

arrangements for CRA 2,” says Mark.

The consultation paper put out by the Ministry of Primary Industries recommends a range of reductions in the current catch, but not a complete closure.

There are also no proposals for sub-area management – splitting CRA 2 into different areas.

For a long time the NZRLIC has had an extensive information collection procedure in place via a log book programme and catch sampling, says Mark.

It produces additional data outside of the normal reporting to better inform management.

“They have also paid for a pretty extensive tag and release programme, which is really important for finding out about the growth of lobsters which informs the stock assessment,” he says.

“It is different in different areas around New Zealand, which means you have to have that local information in order to tune the management settings.

“What the industry has funded and invested in over the last couple of decades is really important information.

“That’s why the industry has made those really extensive investments in the stock monitoring. They are in it for the long term.

“In the Bay of Plenty, they are small family businesses who have been in the fishery for generations. They have got a huge commitment to that fishery and to getting that fishery in a healthy state.

“It’s not where we want it to be right now, so we need to put that re-build strategy in place.

“I guess what was really encouraging about November’s forum, and another in Thames, was that we are united in contributing to get that fishery back in shape.”

Andrew Campbell

The crayfishers, from left: Glen Grant, Richard Joyes, Mount Underwater Club president Steve Fox, Tony Burt.

Photo: Mount Maunganui Underwater Club. waterline March 2018

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Dave the double volunteer Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Tauranga Coastguard Unit.

Dave, a local volunteer, is one of the busiest, not only doing a radio shift but also contributing as a member of the ‘wet crew’ that assist on the boats when called by boaties in trouble.

Dave at the controls of TECT Rescue.

supported by

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As a radio operator you’ll hear him every second Friday morning, taking the trip reports and passing on the shipping and weather notices to boaties.

The former Royal Navy submariner says he has a number of motivations for volunteering with the coastguard.

“Firstly my love of the sea, secondly my passion for the Bay of Plenty, and thirdly because I wanted to give something back to my community,” says Dave.

He joined the Royal Navy at 15 and spent his time serving on submarines as a sonar operator on both conventional and nuclear submarines and travelling all over the world.

Dave emigrated to New Zealand with his wife and daughter after leaving the service and lived in Auckland for 24 years before moving to the Bay of Plenty in 2005.

“Both my wife Bridget and I felt such a strong affinity to Tauranga that we felt we wanted to give something back to the community that had made us feel so welcome and at home,” says Dave.

“I’ve been to many places around the world in my life, but in my opinion, there is nowhere that I’d rather live than here in the Bay of Plenty.

“We were both still fully employed

and I was travelling all over the country when we first moved to Tauranga, so found it difficult to commit ourselves to full time voluntary work but we both started supporting the local Civil Defence organisation as part of their Emergency Response Management Team.”

He went to working four days a week and with the extra time on his hands, joined the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard in March 2010 where he started as a radio operator.

“And I’m still doing that to this day,” says Dave.

“My desire to also become part of the rescue boats crew had to be put on hold temporarily as, due to my out-of-town work, I couldn’t commit to being on call one week in every four for emergency callouts.

“In 2015, as soon as I fully retired from work I joined the ‘wet Crew’ and became a part of Delta/Red crew and have loved every minute of it since then.”

Being involved in both sides of the operation, as a radio room operator and rescue boat crew, gives Dave a unique insight into the whole organisation and helps him to see how reliant each side of the unit is on each other.

The radio operators do necessary routine and important jobs, logging trip reports, broadcasting weather and shipping reports plus other navigation warnings while monitoring three or four VHF radio channels, including the International Emergency Channel. It is quiet at times, busy at others.

“The radio operators do a sterling job keeping an eye on the local boating community and ensuring the safety of all those on the water, both in the inner harbour and far out to sea,” says Dave.

“Our radio operators are fully-trained and are familiar with the local area so, with the help of our computerised radio log system and other internet-based systems, can immediately pinpoint the position of any vessel that calls for help.”

On the occasions there’s an emergency on the water - from the breakdowns that occur quite regularly on small (and not so small) vessels at sea, to more serious incidents that may threaten life -the radio operator will take the radio call from the stricken vessel and alert the Tauranga Coastguard duty officer and they will organise for the duty boat crew to be called out to assist.

“In a real life-threatening callout, the duty officer will call the crew who live closest to the Tauranga Coastguard HQ, and who can usually be the fastest to respond to get the rescue boat(s) on the water as quickly as possible.”

The rescue boat crews are the volunteers that the public see most often. There are four crews (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta) who are on duty for callout, 24 hours a day, one full week in four. Each crew has at least one fully-qualified skipper (most crews have two skippers), and at least seven crew members of various experience in their team.

“The vast majority of all four crews are all fully-trained operational crew members, fully conversant and able to operate all the systems and gear on both of our two

The volunteer coastguard relies on people like Dave who gives of his time and experience.

rescue boats and they also help in the training and mentoring of the newer crew members,” says Dave.

“Every new crew member goes through an intensive induction and basic ‘shoreside’ and ‘on-the- water’ training sessions, before being allocated to a regular crew.”

All wet crew volunteers, new and old, take part in regular training sessions in the classroom and out on the water to ensure their skill levels are kept up to a standard that meets the requirements of the organisation and the Health and Safety at Work Act. “Like their mates in the radio room, most of the callouts and incidents the wet crew are involved in are the everyday breakdowns and towing jobs, but every so often an incident comes along that tests the abilities of the boat crews,” says Dave.

“It may be a really difficult tow job in very rough seas, or it may be a medical emergency at sea on a vessel who’s crew can’t handle it alone - or, worst case scenario, a vessel sends out an SOS/mayday call to say that their boat is damaged, on fire or sinking, or that someone has fallen overboard and is missing.”

Dave in the radio room where he started with the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard.

All Coastguard volunteers, radio and wet crew attend mandatory advanced first aid courses every two years and the rescue vessels carry extensive first aid equipment on board.

The Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard is also part of the National Search and Rescue resources that the NZ Police and Maritime New Zealand can call on to help find someone lost at sea off a boat or washed out from land.

“These sort of scenarios are what we all train for and are, of course, the most challenging but, at the end of the day, that’s why we all join up as volunteers,” says Dave.

“The satisfaction of getting someone’s loved one back safely from an incident at sea is indescribable, as is the sadness we all encounter when we fail to find someone lost out there, or we find them but it’s too late to save their lives.

“I have never regretted joining Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard and intend to give my time as long as I am physically able.”

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the coastguard and they are the locals who live in our community and help our local boating community.

Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard and the cluster unit in the Bay of Plenty are very dependent on local volunteers to ‘save lives at sea’, but on the flip-side, are very dependent on the local members’ funding through local membership, says unit manager Steve Russell.

“We need our local boaties to support our local units through new membership and our existing members ensuring they renew annually with their local units.

Local units are where the ‘rubber hits the road’ when it comes to saving lives at sea.

As the saying goes ‘buy local, keep it local’.”

Steve Russell waterline March 2018

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How to find spot X Are you a fisherman who has found yourself frustrated with surfcasting because that sweet spot just outside your casting range eludes you?

You may have tried your hand at the kite or the kontiki, which will get your line to where you want it, only to lose it all in the surf. Perhaps Its time you turned your attention to Drone Fishing the new trend which is fast gaining momentum.

Already popular overseas, a group of friends here in New Zealand decided to give it a go. “It was a lot of trial and error to begin with,” says Jnr, one of the creators of Drone Fishing New Zealand.

“We kitted out all kinds of drones, and experimented to get our lines out further.”

Jnr explains that the drones are a great alternative to using a kite or kontiki, or even a boat.

“The drones aren’t cumbersome and can fit into your car easily. They make fishing more accessible.”

How do they work?

The drones themselves are only used for casting the line, and are not involved in pulling the line back into shore. The line is attached to the drone on the beach, and sent out off shore where the drone then releases it.

“You are only limited by how much weight the drone can carry and how much line you have available,” says Jnr. “I like to have a kilometre of 50-pound braid and drop the line no further than 300 metres.”

The DJI Phantom drone, which is the most commonly used drone for fishing, has many

practical features. If the drone sets off and realises that it is running low on power it will return.

“The drone isn’t going to go off shore 500 metres and not have the battery power to get back,” says Jnr. It will also let you know if you’ve overloaded it, and it will always return to its home point. It has its own altitude hold capability, auto landing and vision positioning sensors.

What will it cost?

A new Phantom drone will cost you about $1100. “There are always a few

second-hand ones available on sites like Trademe for around $600-$700,” says Jnr. For the Phantom, a separate release mechanism is required which you can pick up for about $250.

Jnr recommends those made by Fern tech or Dronecast as they are NZ made.

There are also Drones especially made for drone fishing such as the Aerokontiki, which retails at $6000, and the Splashdrone, which you can purchase for $2000.

What will it catch?

“We have been catching plenty of Snapper, Kahawai, Kingfish and even John Dory,” says Jnr. “Most days we seem to be catching more than the people out in their boats.”

Drone Fishing New Zealand is a Facebook page Jnr and several of his friends, including Gareth Williams, have set up to help others that are interested in giving drone fishing a go.

You will find all the advice you need to get started and locate “spot X” - an area of water that drone fisherman are referring to as the ideal place to drop the line.

You will also find tips on Navionics, water depths and what to look for, and advice on making your own affordable rod holders. There is also advice on where and where not to fly your drone.

Check them out on Facebook, via Drone Fishing New Zealand.

Keely Muir

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Struggle to revive Katikati’s marine access Plans to extend Katikati’s one-boat wharf may be shelved.

Katikati Boat Club’s ongoing efforts to revive the town’s connection with its historical waterfront has suffered a setback, with plans for a new wharf at the Uretara landing being put on the back burner.

In its 2018-2028 Draft Long Term Plan, council deferred the project until 2024, subject to the public consultation process.

This followed a recommendation from the Katikati Community Board that the project should be put off.

The board argued it made no sense to build a jetty without navigable water, and in November 2017 moved to withdraw the project from the Long Term Plan.

It was dredged in January 2018, just days before the boating club’s dredging consent expired.

The wharf replacement project was supposed to start in 2010, but foundered because tenders received were between $100,000 and $180,000, exceeding the budget.

No external funding was obtained, so the project was rescheduled to 2018/19 with a budget of $130,000 - also considered insufficient to meet the 2010 design, which is now estimated at $150,000.

Historical entry The bend in the Uretara stream is the historical entry to Katikati. Some of the area’s first settlers were dropped off there, and the landing at Katikati was in regular use up until the 1950s.

Until road and rail became established, pre-truck freight carriers on the New Zealand coast were regular callers and a fertiliser barge was also seen.

“The whole town is there because the river came into the middle of it,” says Katikati Boating Club member Don Wallis. “The council has lost its focus completely. They have just walked away from the river and they are not putting any resources into it.”

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The new wharf would be four times the length of the existing structure, which would have helped attract more boats, says Don. “That would have made a hell of a difference, just lovely.

“We do need to keep it open and the council do need to come to the ball with a new jetty. They drew up plans for a new jetty, and it cost them a lot of money.

They got all the resource consents but the resource consents expired last November.

“They wouldn’t extend them. They said that wasn’t their business any more. The jetty should be boat club business and they didn’t see it as their business to make a new ramp, a new jetty or to keep the silt out of the river.”

Lack of berths Thanks to a grant from regional council, the boating club has completed dredging the river in front of the jetty and boat ramp to enable visiting boats to use the facilities at all tides.

“The channel’s well marked but the biggest problem is a place to sit them when they’re here,” says Don. “We have always had problems with the wharf silting up ever since they built the rock wall beside it. That would have been 10 years ago I suppose.

“Consents last 17 years, but in that time you are probably only dredging it three times at the maximum. So we don’t have the money for another resource consent, but in seven years’ time we will worry about that then.

“It’s seven years since we have done it anyway, so if we get another seven years we will be fine.”

Water levels have always been the same, says Don. The landing has always been tidal.

“People keep saying it needs dredging out, that it’s not like the old days. But when I first came to Katikati 45 years ago, there were 13 boats in the river, moored up along the side.”

The channel itself, from the landing to

Don Wallis wants to see more boats using the Katikati landing.

the harbour, has never silted up says Don. They have, at different stages, cleaned out sections of it, but within a few months it fills back up to its normal level.

“It’s only ever been a high tide wharf,” says Don, “and even when the settlers first had the shops there they would only have come up on the high tide.

“The channel draft is about 1.5m at high tide at its shallowest point, so I recommend people not to come up unless they’ve got anything more than a metre draft. That covers most boats. There’s a lot that will fit into that.

“They can use the channel about two hours before high tide and for about four hours after it.

“I’m really, really keen to get that river used by a lot more people.”

If council doesn’t help with the wharf, the boat club is considering talking to the owners of a couple of ‘historic’ landing stages further down the riverbank. A resource consent is not required for the repair of historic structures, says Don. “We’ve still got a couple of the old jetties there which we are trying to interest people in using. It’s a hell of a cheap place to moor instead of a marina.”

Western Bay of Plenty District Council reserves and facilities manager, Peter Watson, says the existing design/ construction drawings will be used for a new consent in the event that funding is provided through the 2024 LTP. The consents previously obtained and since expired for the Uretara Jetty Project will need to be reapplied for, which may be undertaken in 2018/19, subject to Long Term Plan consideration. Andrew Campbell

Ladies and lures Hunting and Fishing Franklin held their annual ladies fishing night recently. This was held instore, and featured plenty of entertainment for the many that turned up.

There was a live fish filleting demonstration, generous prizes and, of course, wine and nibbles!

The highlight of the evening was an entertaining and energetic performance by Grant from Catch, who talked about his lures, the clean and efficient alternative to smelly bait.

Maria Craig was one of many keen to learn any tips that might attract “the big one” to her hook. After purchasing a lure, a plan was set in place to have a competition between herself, using her new tackle, and her husband Steven, using Mullet bait. I got to go along and play referee.

Maria went for the 100g Squidwings lure, with the plan to try it out over the West Coast to catch a sizeable snapper.

However, on the morning of the anticipated husband/wife challenge, the Manukau Bar had deteriorated with an increase in the swell and chop according to Swell Map. This wasn’t ideal conditions for Steven to cross the dangerous bar, so the captain decided a change of venue was required.

I had the sneaky feeling this was a tactical decision by Steven, as he knew that Maria’s lure would have been more suited to the deeper water and currents of the West Coast. I stayed quiet, but at this point Steven clearly had the advantage.

Launching out from KawaKawa Bay with light sea breezes, the conditions were ideal. Steven headed his Mclay 551 towards the Coromandel to a favourite spot that he wishes to remain anonymous - another tactical decision!

I can tell you that the journey took us about 20 minutes at the speed of 20-25 mph and we anchored at about 20 metres.

Maria’s eagerness to win and show that her lure was superior, meant that she had her rod out first and was gearing up before Steven had the anchor down.

She went with a light weight rod, braid line, and a 10kg trace. Within five minutes her line was in the water, and she had only just uttered the words “I’m gonna win,” when boom – she had a fish on the line.

This prompted Steven to quickly sort his tackle gear and bait his line. With a look of determination, he said: “Right, this is serious!”

Maria’s first haul was a throwback, but was declared “a good sign,” and she was ecstatic to be in the lead. Her enthusiasm dwindled, however, when Steven began reeling in sizeable snapper.

Maria’s line remained silent, and in frustration she changed her lure to another in an attempt to reclaim the lead. This was to no avail, and while Steven continued to keep his line active, an hour later Maria cut the lure off, re kitted her line and reached for the mullet bait.

At this point Steven had this competition won, and as the weather began to change it was looking like the day was coming to an end.

Not be out done, though, a tug on her line gave Maria the advantage she needed with the catch of the day - a snapper at 52cm. A great days’ fishing ended with Maria declaring: “It may not have been caught on the Lure, but everyone knows Keely Muir that size trumps quantity.”

Maria excited to be using her new Lure.

Maria showing off her catch of the day.

Steven still smiling after he admits defeat!

Maria trying out her filletting techniques.

Maria With the days line up.

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Exotic visitor shows her scars An exotic visitor arriving as deck cargo on the container ship Safmarine Nokwanda on February 12, presented the first opportunity for a closer look at the damage to the VO65 yacht Vestas 11th Hour Racing.

The yacht, with a crew of nine, struck a fishing boat 30 miles from Hong Kong on January 20 at 1.23am local time.

Vestas 11th Hour Racing was in second place and closing on the finish of the fourth leg of the Volvo Ocean race. It was sailing at 20 knots in 23 knots of breeze when the collision occurred.

The collision sank the fishing boat and killed one of the ten crew, who were thrown into the water. Other media reported that three fishing boats were involved in the incident with two being well lit and visible to the Vestas 11th Hour Racing crew.

The third was unlit, with Vestas 11th Hour Racing striking the boat’s wheelhouse. No details have been officially released regarding the incident, which is still under investigation.

Vestas 11th Hour Racing was unloaded at Sulphur Point and trucked to

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Auckland, where the intention is to of the hull and attach the new section under repair the yacht in time for the March the supervision of an independent surveyor to 18 departure of the fleet on stage seven adhere to the class rules. of the race from Auckland to Itajai in Brazil.

The port side is ripped in places down to the core laminate, which can only be repaired by building a new port topside and bow section and then marrying that into the existing hull.

Because of the strict one-design rule for the Volvo Ocean Race, a new bow section was built from existing moulds at Persico Marine in Italy and transported to Auckland.

The plan is to remove damaged parts

Photos taken in Tauranga and posted on social media, show the underside of the bow badly gouged consistent with riding over the gunwale of the fishing boat.

Olly eyes a windsurfing future At the age of 10, Olly Maidment joined a BoPSaT ‘Have a go at windsurfing’ session at the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club, and he has been windsurfing ever since.

Olly competing at his first overseas regatta in Brisbane in January.

Olly sailed Optimist and P-Class before he tried windsurfing.

“It’s definitely an advantage to have been involved in sailing,” says Olly. “When I trained in my Opti, I got to learn the various conditions, like wind shifts, tide and starts which I have been able to use in windsurfing too.

“But the reason I wanted to continue windsurfing is because of the speed, as speed is the best of windsurfing I can think of.”

Olly went to Brisbane in January for his first overseas regatta.

“It was very hot, with temperatures of 32C, and one day it reached 38C. The water wasn’t much cooler being 30C. During the regatta the wind averaged 10 knots, but for two days we were getting gusts of 25 knots.”

As he currently sails with a 6.8 sail on his Techno293 board, Olly competed in the mixed fleet of Techno’s 5.8/6.8 and 7.8.

“My goal was to finish in the top five, and I finished sixth overall. I was really happy with this, but I was the happiest with finishing second and thrid on the last day of the regatta.

“The most valuable lesson I learned from going to Australia was to start all the races.

When the wind picked up I came ashore to change to my smaller sail, but I didn’t get back out to the course for the start, so I got a DNC score.

“The Race Officer then called off the races for the day and I was unable to race.”

Overall, it was a great event and Olly liked being able to sail with sailors of his own age. He also made many new friends.

His goals for this year include winning the nationals, which are being held in Tauranga in April.

“Last year I was first boy at U17, and this year I want to finish first overall,” says Olly.

“I train as often as I can after school and when possible alongside Veerle and Max (NZ representatives at the 2017 and 2018 Youth Worlds).

“When our coach Alex Hart is in Tauranga, he runs clinics for us. I’ve also had a lot of tips and encouragement from the BOP Windsurfers and Bruce Kendall.”

Olly’s role models include Dorian van Rijsselberghe, who won Gold at the London and Rio Olympics for the Netherlands, and Lawrence Carey, who was the first New Zealander in many years to compete in the Professional Windsurfing Association World Tour.

“And that’s my dream goal: to compete in the PWA World Tour.”

Pauline ten Have

Olly Maidment; 13 years old, a member of TYPBC and a keen windsurfer.

42 Dive Cres, Tauranga | 07 571 1161

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Plastically polluted Raglan Raglan’s pristine surf beach reputation is taking a beating with the discovery of unexpectedly large amounts of plastic pollution.

Staff from the 5 Gyers Institute – an international organisation working to reduce plastic pollution –discovered hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic in just a few square metres while carrying out a survey on a Raglan beach.

“It looked like a very clean beach,” says institutes co-founder, Anna Cummins. “Some locals said ‘don’t bother, you won’t find anything’. But it’s when you get down on your hands and knees and move aside some of the natural debris that you see what we’re talking about.

“It was filled with small particles of plastic, with preproduction pellets that we call nurdles, so there was quite a bit in this one small area of Raglan that looked for all intents and purposes like quite a clean beach.”

New Zealand is not as clean and green as it could be, and needs better ways of managing plastic waste, she says.

“Some of the research that we have been sharing here about plastics shows it’s getting into the food chain and into the bodies of fish and shellfish.”

There is also evidence of micro-plastics in consumer products – “everything from sea-salt to beer, to honey, to drinking water,” says Anna.

Marcus Eriksen, 5 Gyres Institute research director, says while there were some great initiatives underway in New Zealand, single-use plastics are still causing a lot of problems.

He said using plastics that are designed to last forever only once is nonsensical.

Raglan unexpectedly polluted beaches.

Dr Eriksen and Anna joined iwi leaders and Greenpeace to hand over a petition to parliament calling for a ban on single use plastic bags. The petition has 60,000 signatures.

A plastic bag ban is low-hanging fruit in dealing with the problem, as it helps reduce waste and raises awareness, says Anna.

The ban is supported by the heads of both the Foodstuffs and Countdown supermarket chains, and they have already vowed to stop using plastic bags at their stores by the end of the year.

Around 100 million bags will be used in the meantime.

Anna says they are also looking at reducing packaging around produce - including whether cucumbers needed to be plastic wrapped.

“With cucumbers, the plastic I believe is put around it to give it good life because they bruise very easily,” she says. “We are looking at what else we can do.”

Foodstuffs business leader Chris Quinn says it is a similar situation with fruit and vegetables in their stores.

“The journey, to get where we are and to get to as plastic-free as we can, is to examine every one of those,” says Chris.

Shark man free dives for conservation New Zealand’s very own ‘Shark Man’ Riley Elliot has made international headlines with his shark free diving and work within Ocean Ecosystems.

In an interview with Stuff, Riley said: “I’ve spent my whole life learning how to free dive with sharks.

“I’ve learnt how to respect them as a wild animal, but also predict their behaviours to a point where I can co-exist with them.”

Based in Tairua, Riley and partner Amber Free diving, where a diver holds their Jones are living their dream - surfing, diving breath for an extended period of time, is and spear fishing while tagging more dangerous than swimming with and photographing blue sharks sharks, says Riley. for a satellite program as a part of At a large cost of $200,000, Riley’s Elliot’s PhD in Marine Biology at research has taken some considerable the University of Auckland. funding.

Elliot, who studied dolphins Increasing public engagement for his Masters, has a ‘science for through social media has allowed the people’ approach to his research pair to gain funding through allowing in the hope of changing people’s people to sponsor a tagged shark. perception of sharks.

The sponsor is then able to track the He also works to improve the movements of their shark around its health of the ocean. His research, natural habitat. and the awareness that he’s Riley and a group of university created, resulted in the banning of friends have set up a group called Riley Elliott swimming with a Blue shark at the Aldermen the controversial practice of shark Sustainable Ocean Society, which Islands, off the coast of Tairua. finning in New Zealand in 2014. allows people to get involved and A modern day ambassador, Riley is learn with a vision to improve the health with no voice. truly passionate about Ocean Ecosystems, of New Zealand’s natural seafood resources Riley walks the walk, risking himself and takes fear to fascination to create and reduce ocean pollution. while free diving near the Alderman Islands awareness, telling Stuff that he’s “never You can follow Riley’s journey via: www. off Tairua in the Coromandel, which is a had a close call”. rileyelliott.com natural breeding ground for blue sharks.

He started with a fear like anyone else, but soon realised that the fear was unwarranted.

The media hype created by movies such as Jaws certainly doesn’t help.

Using his strong social media following, Riley has utilised his passion for adventure.

Combined with an extensive knowledge of marine biology, he is a champion for those

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David (Kirky) Kirk with a King fish from Astrolabe reef.

Fantastic fishing Phil Phish

The fullness of an epic summer is upon us, with hot humid days and hot humid nights.

The future of fishing in Jae Brown with a superb snapper from Tauranga Harbour.

Russ Hawkins with two nice snapper straylining Tahua reef at Mayor Island.

The water temperature is sitting well into the 20s, and the warm water arrived in a hurry this year, possibly influencing the tropical weather conditions we are experiencing in our region.

There’s lots of swell - great for those of us that surf and fish, but not so good for bar crossings. As it stands, two boats have flipped on the Kaituna Cut trying to cross the bar in less than ideal conditions.

Both crossings were on days when the swell was around 1.5 to 2.0m. If you have the experience as a skipper to deal with that kind of sea state (and it’s understood one of them was hugely experienced), go for it. If you don’t, don’t. Fish are not worth being declared dead for!

There are so many places to check the weather and sea conditions, and learning about swell and swell periods is very important when attempting to cross any river bar situation.

Contact the Coast Guard or attend one

of their bar crossing training courses they do.

Putting yourself, your family, your mates and those that will come and help you at risk is just dumb boating.

The Bay and our harbour is over flowing with fish. The game fishing is in full swing, with some fantastic catches being recorded by the local clubs.

An early run of yellow fin tuna saw the weigh stations busy for a few weeks at the beginning of the year as anglers chased down these epic fish. Marlin are also showing in better numbers.

Some of the weather recently has limited opportunities, but anglers that have chased them down have been rewarded with some memorable captures. A good showing of short bill spearfish and mahimahi make for an excellent catch.

The king fish have been very active in the harbour and in close along the beaches as well as the outer reefs that dot our area.

Snapper fishing in Tauranga Harbour is very good, with some solid fish showing up and good bins to keep the fridge full.

Long may it continue! Tight lines.

Alternative online charts The New Zealand charts formerly available on LINZ have been stitched together and uploaded to a website.

All of the charts are at the different scales, allowing a zoom-in facility.

From the Bay of Plenty, for example, you can move onto the islands of Tuhua/ Mayor, Motiti or White Island/Whakaari.

At East Cape, the larger scale chart incorporates the smaller scale Hicks Bay chart and moves down the coast to Waipiro Bay, Tokomaru Bay, Anaura Bay, Tolaga Bay and Poverty Bay. LINZ Land Information New Zealand 16

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no longer produces the downloadable electronic charts.

For the last few years, the chart database has only been downloadable as Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) - digital vector charts specifically designed for use in electronic navigational systems onboard ships.

The other format was as NZ Mariner, which LINZ publishes in BSB format as an annual chart base file plus a monthly cumulative chart update file of corrections published in Notices to Mariners. NZ Mariner can only be used

Wetmaps showing the different chart scales.

in conjunction with compatible viewing software: Electronic Charting Systems (ECS) or Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (ECDIS).

The charts are no longer available to download onto a computer.

The charts are viewable via: https:// www.wetmaps.co.nz/#6/-40.567/172.244

Fighting for the Manukau Harbour Keely Muir

A group of concerned locals got together in 2011 and started the Manukau Harbour Restoration Society. Have you heard of them?

Before starting research on the health of the Manukau Harbour, I hadn’t. After a bit of investigation, I was surprised to learn what they do, and how passionate they are about getting the harbour back to its original water quality and environmental state.

Jim Jackson and Bronwen Turner are the chair and deputy chair persons of MHRS, which is a membership organisation and a registered charity. Both Jim and Bronwen grew up on the Manukau Harbour.

“I have an affinity for this place,” says Jim. “I know the area intimately and I love it.”

But the objectives of the society are not just water quality and the harbour’s environmental state. MHRS is also here to represent all communities and organisations that border and are influenced by the harbour, to recognise sensitivities and aspirations of the Manu Whenua, to prevent pollution, and to establish recreational access and navigational aids for the harbour. They also aim to establish a Manukau Harbour Authority with responsibility for maintaining the harbour and its facilities and to enable the harbour to become a recreational asset to the city of Auckland.

Ponder this…

Jim Jackson: Watercare’s Mangere treatment plant releases the equivalent of 20,000 10-tonne truck loads of treated wastewater into the harbour every day. And while one could argue that this is okay because it’s treated, it’s been discharging at Puketutu Island for over 50 years and its apparent that freshwater is affecting the natural salinity of the seawater. We’re told the tidal movement takes 12 days to shift the water from the Puketutu outlet to the Tasman Sea. So it’s in the harbour for quite a while - certainly long enough to change the composition of the seawater.”

What are they doing?

With a focus on water quality, access and infrastructure, management, and changing attitudes and the way decisions are made by the Auckland Council, MHRS have been keeping themselves very busy.

They opposed the Central interceptor - a pipeline bringing Waitemata’s storm and wastewater over and into the Manukau Harbour. They then appealed this decision, and negotiated terms for tighter controls on emergency discharges into the harbour.

Bronwen is very strong on this matter, saying: “Our top priority is water quality, and we have been pretty active on this.

“We believe that urban wastewater and stormwater discharges are degrading the harbour’s water. It’s not acceptable anymore to think that you’re just going to stick it into the harbour.”

Right: Watercare’s sewer network works well except during storm events.

One of the Manukau Harbour’s beautiful beaches.

A hydrodynamic model of the Manukau Harbour is now under development by NIWA on behalf of Watercare. This will show every aspect of the harbour, sandbanks, tide levels, currents and harbour floor. Events such as rain, stormwater and wastewater will be introduced into this sophisticated and complex model, and will hopefully give a clearer understanding of issues like sedimentation and nutrients in the harbour.

“It’s not a case of asking ‘is Watercare complying with their consent?’ We’re not questioning that. What we question is, what effect will those discharges on our harbour?” says Bronwen.

Ponder this…

MHRS: “Why are our fish stocks declining? ARC documents showed that only two per cent of the snapper in our west coast fisheries is coming out of the Manukau, and 98 per cent coming out of Kaipara. Why is that? Our harbours are similar.

What’s happening to our fish stocks? Is it illegal fisheries, lack of enforcement, sedimentation, water quality? Is it freshwater discharges coming out of Mangere? We want to find out.”

Why is this important?

It is not known at this point what the effect of continuous freshwater discharges have on the shallow, tidal harbour. Jim Jackson believes that habitats have been compromised in certain areas and marine life has moved away.

“There are places where the birds no longer feed,” says Jim. This, he believes, is due to the saltwater crabs that have moved away and are no longer able to live in the freshwater conditions.

“There are sewer overflow pipes which, during heavy downpours, discharge directly into the harbour because Auckland Council’s stormwater Onehunga Lagoon, discharge from system has not been Watercares manhole. 12th March 2017. separated from the sewer The Water quality readings taken during system,” he adds. this event went to extreme contamination.

“It’s so bad that when the Onehunga foreshore was being rebuilt, Watercare insisted we remove a sandy beach and replace it with rocks to prevent people from using it because of the overflows.”

A consent application is currently with council for a wastewater pipeline that will be discharged into the Waiuku channel of the Manukau Harbour.

This will be on the seabed out from the Clarks Beach golf course, discharged on the outgoing tide, and consented for 35 years.

Ponder this…

MHRS: “The Manukau Harbour is the most important habitat for shore birds in NZ. In our backyard we have an incredible inventory of birds. Every spring and fall they gather here for their annual migrations. The 2011 summer census figures of shorebirds by the Ornithological Society strengthened the importance of this, by revealing the following figures: Manukau Harbour 26,171, Kaipara Harbour 20,488, Farewell Spit 17,323, Tauranga – Maketu 10,536, Firth of Thames 9,803.

What can you do to help?

Start by checking out The Manukau Harbour Restoration Society web site at: www.mhrs.org.nz as well as their Facebook page. Like the Friends of The Manukau Harbour Facebook page, and check out The Onehunga Enhancement Society (TOES). These are all groups trying their best to give the harbour an independent voice, bringing awareness to the issues of the harbour and their impact on the community, while actively moving towards practical solutions. waterline March 2018

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PUREKRAFT - Pure genius

on display all over the PURKRAFT-550,

by Hall Marine Design, exhibited by the visible welding all around and tidy branding machined into each cleat.

Every detail exclaims quality and passion. I could spend time expounding on the impressive amount of space saving Before commencing a detailed tour and brief innovations that have been masterfully of the many special features, the next thing placed in nearly every usable square that stands out is the quality of workmanship inch of these craft, but that would really Sunny Peeters

On arrival at the ramp, the first thing that caught my eye was the outstanding graphics and finish on the craft that was ready for scrutiny.

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detract from the main feature itself.

Before I go into that, I think it’s only fair to mention some of the unique items that attracted me to the PUREKRAFT-550 centre console.

Consider the modular features that can be swapped out to transform a “game fishing” set up into a “dive vessel” set up, to a family day out or water sports with mates.

There’s a folding t-top with inbuilt speakers and lights, streamline low profile windlass and tidy anchor well with easy access hatch, and a front casting deck that offers multiple fishing platforms around the vessel.

Even with the sneaky slideaway, out-of-sight dive ladder, multipurpose reversible driver’s seat and lunch table the PUREKRAFT-550 is thrust ahead of its time by a designer and team that are committed to providing clients with a craft that will go the distance.

While I was talking with Jarrod Hall, it was easy to see that the only thing that came close to the level of passion he has around creating exquisite quality and adaptable vessels, is his frustration around some of the “off the shelf ” options that are available.

Jarrod and his team tirelessly invest

time and energy into researching applicable issues such as stability, loading and safety in real-time. That data is fed into specialist software to ensure that regular calibrations provide up-to-date information on demand for the design team.

This offers unique value for the sophisticated boat owner who seeks personalised boating class.

Clearly the main feature of Hall Marine Design is not just the PUREKRAFT-550 - it’s the team and their ethos around safe and durable boating.

Offering customised and pre-set turnkey packages, Hall Marine Design deliver top of the range construction, quality and resilience that you need to see for yourself. View the photos, inspect the craft and meet the team at Hall Marine Design.

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Outlawing the Coromandel mangroves Coromandel MP Scott Simpson’s Mangrove Management Bill will have submissions heard in Thames, to enable local people to more easily have their say.

The bill aims to wrest control of mangroves on the Coromandel from Waikato Regional Council and put it in the hands of Thames Coromandel and Hauraki District Councils.

The impetus comes from the special mangrove management rate, which Waikato Regional Council has imposed for the last six or seven years on the people of Whangamata.

“It’s raised about $1.5m - maybe more - but very little of that money has actually been spent on physically managing the mangroves,” says Scott.

“Most of it has been spent on consultants, on reports, on appeals and objections and that sort of stuff.

“The good folk of Thames Coromandel, where mangroves are a huge issue, are saying this is a really poor use of the money. Why can’t we create our own mangrove management plan, bypass the process and just get on and deal with it ourselves?

“So that’s what the bill aims to do.”

Scott says the bill is not providing a “scorched earth” policy to remove every mangrove, and insists it is just about managing them in places where they Mangrove management may be undergoing a law change on the Coromandel.

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are having a negative impact on people’s lives.

The bill will only cover the Thames Coromandel Districts, but Scott understand the Western Bay of Plenty District Council is interested, as are some others.

“This is not a debate about why the mangroves are there, how they got there or what’s causing their proliferation,” adds Scott.

“This is about the fact that the mangroves that are there are causing real problems in people’s day-to-day lives, and we have to have efficient ways of managing them.”

Parliament’s Governance and Administration select committee will travel to Thames to hear submissions on March 16.

Low numbers in Taupo Shane French

The Taupo district, like everywhere else in New Zealand, has not been spared the rain and foul weather over the summer. In fact we haven’t had a summer. All the rivers have been in flood or in a state of high water from December onwards.

This has meant a total emptying out of all the rivers with very few trout entering them. To be totally honest, it has been a disastrous start to 2018.

When it comes to the good old Waitahanui, the river, as many of you will know, stays clear when most others run high from the rain. This is due to the fact it is spring fed and only has two tributaries (one of these is right near the entrance to the lake).

However, it has coloured up twice since December and is running at winter levels. Normally it gets a good run of rainbows over summer. These fish enjoy the cold oxygenated water and great insect life to feed on.

Low numbers This year they have not entered in any numbers and the Rainbow fishing has been hard. The Brown trout have just started to show up in the river system and they are overdue. It does mean, however, that you should be hooking browns in the river all the way into July and they do add something special to the catch.

A friend of mine flew a drone over the river mouth the other day and they are stacking up like sardines in a can out there.

Hopefully, by the end of March, we will get one or two good runs of rainbows, signalling the start of the winter runs. These can be big fish and are in there early to sort out their territory.

The Hinemaiaia was in full spate 14 days ago and has only now come back down to normal summer flows. They release water from the dam when we get rain like that and the river can really rage for some time.

This will have emptied all the trout that had gone in there over summer to feed on the huge insect hatches this small stream offers at this time of the year. In the past I have had fantastic fishing in the evening on the Hine with a size 14 Royal Wolff and my 5# Rod. Have a look up from the river mouth for the browns that stack up there! The Hinemaiaia gets a right flogging over winter as one or two of the guides in the area hit it hard continuously with clients. As a guide myself, I understand the importance of getting clients trout but when those anglers come back time and time again, bringing their friends, the river gets a beating and I am waiting for this fishery to take a massive dive in fish numbers.

Trying to get the DOC to reduce the winter fishing limit back down to the State Highway One bridge is like smacking my head on a brick wall. They can’t see the damage this will do to the fishery.

Like all rivers, the Tauranga Taupo has been up in volume many times over summer. In fact, it almost broke the record for high

water at one stage, going well over two meters.

I had a really good look there recently as the river was dropping.

Some of the pools from last year have been flattened and are six inches deep, while other parts of the river have opened up and will hold trout over winter.

I love the TT over the summer months and although the trout can be a bit spooky, it is good fun spotting them and casting over the top. But it’s a different beast this summer. The tracks have had to be recut numerous times as they get closer to the pine trees on the True Left.

I am looking forward to fishing the Tauranga Taupo over the winter months, as I believe the fish fight the hardest from this piece of water and the runs and pools are divine to cast into.

Mighty Tongariro As for the Mighty Tongariro, all I can say about this river is damn! There were fish everywhere over December - you couldn’t miss. In fact, I had my best day ever on this river in late December, and I lost count of the hook ups. Most of the fish were fresh silver run fatties.

Then we had a flood that shot the level up to 700 M3/sec, (normal flow is 25 M3/sec) and boom - all the trout disappeared

Gorgeous Rainbow trout caught on Glo bugs made by Taupo Fishing.

overnight. Standing on the Major Jones bridge the sound of the boulders smashing down the river was scary to behold and it is no wonder the trout high tailed it back out to the lake.

The browns have just started to show up but not in any great numbers yet. I have fished this river a few times since the flood and have really struggled to hook up!

Out on the lake I have had some good reports from the lake itself, and with all the rivers being empty I would like to think they are all out there getting ready to run over winter. All the methods seem to be taking fish, and if you can find where the smelt are, then you are sure to have fun. That seems to be the key at the moment.

I am very sorry for the negative report - I would have loved to have given you positive news, however that is fishing. Hopefully we will have a brilliant winter, on the back of an excellent one last year. This will kick-off very soon, and by the time I report for this magazine again, I hope to have a more positive outlook.

For all the best flies that catch trout in New Zealand go to: www.taupofishing.co.nz Tight lines and be safe on the water. waterline March 2018

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BOAT OF THE MO

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NTH

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Tauranga-built classic on the market Willie O was built at Sulphur Point by John and Willie Oliver, and with the solid timber mahogany coamings completed by Ted Gilpin, Willie O was the pride of the fleet with its sleek lines.

Built to survey for Willie Oliver’s own use as a game fishing charter vessel in 1974, Willie O chartered out of Tauranga, Tutukaka and the Bay of Islands, with many gamefish landed.

Built of kauri strip planked and solid timber coamings, Willie O is powered by a 210hp caterpillar diesel.

It is game rigged, with a custom game chair, two pilot stations, a roomy cockpit, an enclosed fly bridge, a walk-through transom and auto anchoring.

Willie O has accommodation for six singles and one double berth. The galley is equipped with a fridge freezer and a two burner oven/grill. The bridge is also equipped with modern electronics.

Willie O is a well-known, proven vessel with a great history, and is on the market at $129,000.

The owner would sell the marina berth with this vessel if required. Contact Brian Worthington at Gulf Group Marine Brokers Ltd. Willie O before the fly bridge was added.

TAURANGA MARINA 24

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Ray riders, kingis and fly rods They call them ray riders - it’s a habit of yellowtail kingfish, to swim along over stingrays as they prowl across the Tauranga Harbour flats on the incoming tide.

“There’s an association there that I don’t completely understand,” says salt fly fisher Dick Marquand, “but the kingfish swim with short trailed stingrays.

“One of the ways we catch them in the harbour is we look for the short tailed stingrays because these kingfish swim with them.

You see these big black shapes out there on the water so you sneak up on them and pop a fly over them. And when you retrieve the fly, that’s how you catch them.

“You may see six stingrays in a day and see 100 eagle rays, but very rarely will they swim with eagle rays.

“If the stingray is moving quite fast you will see the kingfish swimming right over the top of the disk. But if it is going along at a normal, slow sort of speed, the kingfish will range out five metres from the stingray.

“If the stingray is going really slow and stopping and resting quite a bit, and if it’s in knee deep water, the kingfish will put their heads down the holes to get the crabs, and you see their tails out of the water.”

They only do so until they are about five kilos and before they get into bait fish. Generally, says Dick, most of the kingfish that are on the stingrays would be undersized.

“We do get big ones, but the average would probably be 4.7kg - when five kg is about 75cm,” he says. “It doesn’t make any difference. People call small kingies rats but I don’t like that word because I don’t see the difference between a fish that’s 76cm and 74cm. It’s still a kingfish and I still let them go.”

Like most salt water fly fishers, Dick is a tag and release fisher.

For salt water fly fishers catching yellow tail kingfish on a trout rod is the ultimate fishing experience.

“Most of the people don’t fish for food, they fish for their soul,” he says. “They don’t want to kill the fish because that’s just not the way they do it. They are more interested in being out there with nature and actually having the big thrill of landing it and letting it go.”

He caught one at Ferguson Park recently that was tagged by Lucas Allen last year at Te Puna.

“Tagging shows that some of them are hanging around being caught close to where they have been tagged. Lucas has had a number of recaptures.”

Tauranga fishing guide Lucas Allen likens salt water fly fishing for kingfish to hunting - high risk in terms of spending hours stalking a cunning fish and make or break on one opportunity.

“It’s not like popping a line over the side and pulling them up,” says Lucas.

Lucas Allen casting for kingis.

Another kingfish tagged and released.

But he gets a lot of overseas fishers keen for the experience - a lot of Australians because they are closer as well as Belgians, Americans, and Japanese people.

“It’s definitely not an everyday sort of thing.

“The shallow water ones - they require quite a lot of tact, a lot of approach. Good old fly fishermen are always meticulous about making the presentation of the cast. Some days they can be dead easy, while other days they require a lot of effort and even then you don’t come away with the prize.

“They are pretty smart. We are fishing shallow water so they are very wary and super smart.

“They liken ray riding by kingfish to a bus coming along.

“The kingfish will be up on the flat hunting with the incoming tide. Anyhow, they tag along with the stingrays, not the eagle rays. They basically follow them as cover, ambushing prey.

“They are particularly fond of little baby flounder that get stirred up by stingrays so they will dart off and grab anything that gets kicked out of the way by stingrays, or baitfish happily going about their business and suddenly finding themselves inside the gob of a kingfish.”

They have been running a tagging programme at Collingwood, Manukau, Waiheke and Tauranga for three years and they are starting to get recaptures.

“We’re starting to see habits and patterns they are favouring,” says Lucas. “A lot of recaptures have been relatively close by within the same little stretch of the harbour.

“I had one hooked and lost it, before going back to same spot - same ray, same fish. I put a tag in it and went back a couple of days later - and the same fish was there with a tag in it happily going about its business. They don’t get too put out.”

A couple of Manuaku fish have travelled - one right around the top of Northland to be caught in Rangaunu Harbour and the other one was caught at Awakino.

He’s guided quite a lot of travelling anglers - people who have fished all around the world and have been amazed and impressed with what a great sport fish the kingfish are.

“It’s kind of an emerging fishery really, which is cool,” says Lucas.

Andrew Campbell Happy angler Australian Rob Alfredi with his catch.

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Tauriko Business Estate, 60 Whiore Avenue, Tauriko, Tauranga Ph: 07 579 4240 or 022 6013 165 | sales@mastertech.co.nz | www.mastertech.co.nzÂ

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Tim Taylor paddles in strongly after 70 kilometres to meet his waiting team mate for the final cycle leg.

Bay athletes win at Coast to Coast The Bay of Plenty has long been home to top athletes, however multisporters have flown relatively low on the radar.

Over recent years, a growing number of multisporters have chosen the Bay as their home thanks to easy access to trails for running, hills for cycling and rivers for kayaking – all of which has allowed these people to train hard in preparation for races such as the Coast to Coast.

Coupled with the environment, local athletes are supported by local business like Ruahine Kayaks and Beyond PT. They also have access to regular races, like the Motu Challenge or the Waihi Nugget.

These have all helped them to achieve some great results, with the 2018 Coast to Coast showing our growing dominance in the sport.

The Coast to Coast is New Zealand’s iconic multisport race. It’s a race that’s known to challenge, if not break all competitors who come before it. Anyone who crosses the finishing line can consider themselves a true champion, no matter how long it takes them.

Starting on the beach near the tiny Westcoast settlement of Kumara, the race consists of multiple stages that cross the Southern Alps with competitors ultimately finishing 243km later on the beach at New Brighton in Christchurch.

Done as either a one or two day option,

the course consists of a 2.2km run, 55km cycle, 30km mountain run, 15km road cycle, 70km whitewater kayak, and finishes with a 70km road cycle.

The best one-day athletes do all this in around 11 hours, while many amateurs take around 20 hours spaced out over two days.

Bay of Plenty kayaker Tim Taylor competed in the winning three man team.

“The 70km whitewater paddle is a thing of both beauty and fear,” says Tim. “The sheer distance makes it a challenge for anyone, however, when combined with your race nerves, the towering Waimak Gorge, and numerous dead ends through the braided section, it’s a tough paddle.”

This year’s Coast to Coast was run over February 9-10. A huge congratulations to

the following Bay of Plenty athletes for their results: Sam Clarke, winner of the 2018 (as well as 2017 and 2016) Elite Men’s Longest Day. Oliver Thompson, winner of the Open Men’s (18-39) Longest Day. Team Ruahine (Tim Taylor, George Williams, James McTavish), winner of 2 Day Open Men’s Team.

Team Jaggs (Dave and Sophie Jaggs), 3rd place, Open Tandem Teams.

Bobbie Dean, 6th place, Elite Men’s Longest Day. Ben Tallon, 2nd place, Veteran Men’s Longest Day. Corrinne O’Donnell, 5th place, Elite Women’s Longest Day. Anna Barret, 7th place, Elite Women’s Longest Day.

Team Ruahine Tim Taylor, George Williams, James McTavish, winner of 2 Day Open Men’s Team.

The start of the paddle section at White’s Bridge is a chaotic scramble to get in your kayak and power away from the competition.

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Colourful fishing Tom Mayne

Due to the spell of inclement weather in February, the team at Blue Ocean Charters has had a bit of a quiet time.

However, the two trips I did to Mayor Island on Te Kuia provided some quite interesting results.

The first trip consisted of a mixed group of keen anglers wanting to get out and have a bit of fun and experience Tuhua (Mayor Island) close up. Most people see the island in the distant haze from shore and those that venture out love seeing it close up.

Fishing near to the island, the crew managed to put together a good feed of tarakihi, porae and snapper.

Neil Olive.

Shinae Kim with her impressive catch of the day.

Some of the worst tangles still produced some good fish.

Travelling to and from the island gives the opportunity to pick up some skippies to add to the bait selection for the day.

The second day was a little bit slower with a group of locals from Tauranga. We headed off to Mayor Island in search of trevally and kingfish with some mixed results. We managed to catch a few trevally and a great number of undersized kingfish which were returned to potentially grow to their full size – this being dependent, of course, on their penchant for schooling under boats and sampling the baits on offer.

Although playing with kingfish is a lot of fun, our attention turned towards getting fish for the table before the call came to wind up and head for home.

Sashimi enjoyed A good number of colourful species came on board; rainbow wrasse, pink maomao, granddaddy hapuka, along with tarakihi and porae. We decided to head back towards home to catch a bit of evening fishing close to shore in some shallower water. A few skippies took the lures on the way back which added to the excitement. They promptly got turned into sashimi.

We first stopped at the 10mile to pick off a few tarakihi then stopped at about the 30m mark only a few miles out for a cheeky evening fish for snapper. This is where one very lucky lady managed to get the fish of the week. Shin Ae Kim managed to land a nice 9lb snapper, resulting in a great end to the day.Â

Happy snapper catcher.

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Bonus day-off Ratahi headed out on an inner-reef fishing trip on Waitangi Day. Fishing in about 30m of water, the fishing fired up as soon as the anchor went down.

Small snapper and rat kingis were the main catch, with the odd takeable snapper coming up in the 30-35 cm range. Moving a bit further out, the good fishing continued and over the course of the day three people actually got their limits on snapper. Everyone else took home a good feed for dinner. What a great way to spend a bonus day off work.

Path to Olympics through AIMS What started as an intermediate schools sports competition for kayakers is now a solid step on the path to the Olympic Games.

Tauranga’s AIMS Games is helping to select the next generation of Olympic kayakers, with the current youth Olympics selections including five kayakers from the Bay of Plenty.

Rotorua’s George Snook and Rivey Mutton and Tauranga’s Kahlia Cullwick, Finn Anderson and Oliver Puchner join Hawke’s Bay’s Henry Hall for the Youth Olympic Games qualifying event in Spain in April, with a ticket to the October’s Youth Olympics in Argentina at stake.

“It’s because we have got a very strong club here,” says Sue Clarke from Canoe Slalom Bay of Plenty. “We have three dedicated coaches, and I guess you could say that is their primary job. We have worked hard on programmes for young kids, particularly starting at the AIMs level.”

Starting young Selection for the Youth Olympics is tight. They have to be 14 or 15 year olds, born between January 1 2002 and December 31 2003, making an early start in the sport all the more important.

CSBOP has organised a paddle passport programme to lift young kayakers’ skills levels and confidence, making them effective competitors in the AIMS Games competition, which is held on flat water.

Competitors have to negotiate buoys and perform an eskimo roll to finish.

“We’ve just had our second year, so it’s our third year this year,” says Sue. “That is paying dividends in terms of getting kids in younger, because this Youth Olympics was a young age group.

“The emphasis is on starting them younger, just like swimming.

They have kayak after school and on the flat water.

“The two kids who have come from Okere Falls (George Snook and Rivey Mutton) actually live right there at the Kaituna course, so they have started young.

“I guess what we are saying is the earlier you start the better.

The results will be in terms of progression through the Youth Olympics junior team.”

result of an application to the Olympic Solidarity Fund by Canoe Slalom NZ. The trials include head-to-head sprint racing over a figure-of-eight course, with a right and left turn in a sprint boat.

The trials slalom obstacle race involves about ten turns involving 270 degree turns round buoys.

“This is more challenging for the kids because they had to do both the slalom and the sprint in flat water. So the sprint boats were a bit foreign to some of them.

“It’s a nice marry up of the two disciplines at this young age. Who knows what the future might hold for them. They are getting a taste of international competition in both disciplines.”

Andrew Campbell

Finn Anderson.

Lachie Aitken.

Pathway of success The kayak programme for the Youth Olympics starts with the AIMS Games. The Youth Olympics are every four years, and there is a junior development squad team.

“So there is a clear pathway of success starting at intermediate level,” says Sue. “We are really focussed on it here. We’ve had some champions from here with Luka Jones and Mike Dawson and we have got the next echelon.

“With the senior and junior teams about to be announced, there will be a huge number from this area as well.”

The opportunity to travel to the Barcelona trials came about as a Cole Anderson.

Henry Hall.

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Waka off to the festival A re-powered Hinemoana waka made the return voyage to the recent Wellington Festival to be part of the fleet of waka celebrating Kupe’s first arrival in New Zealand.

Kupe is traditionally credited with being the first Polynesian navigator to arrive on New Zealand shores in the tenth century AD. “We will be doing day sails promoting the re-education of mainstream society about the voyaging navigation traditions of the first sailors,” says Hinemoana skipper Pat Mohi.

“It is a way to get awareness out there, and to do away with the old conversation about drift voyaging.”

They will be talking about sailing against the wind, star navigation and how early navigators used environmental clues in finding their way across the Pacific.

“We’ll be promoting New Zealand’s own voyaging history as well as enhancing awareness of the correct story as we see it, as opposed to what is promoted,” says Pat. When the endeavour replica revisits New Zealand in 2019 to mark the 250th year since the first encounters between Maori and Europeans with Cook’s circumnavigation of New Zealand, the story of the

feats of the Polynesian navigators will be out there, says Pat. “I think it’s going to be a first for Wellington, where all the waka turn up at once, promoting hosting and really highlighting the event.

“For me, everybody’s culture at some stage has taken to the water. It’s something we can all relate to.”

Hinemoana departed Tauranga in mid-February with 19 on board; five crew and a number of students and teachers. A port call was planned for Gisborne on the way down, with a threeday voyage considered for the Wairarapa Coast.

It is the waka’s first major coastal voyage since being repowered with twin diesels running bio-fuel.

It gives them more flexibility entering and departing harbours, particularly Tauranga, where Hinemoana can now comfortably enter port against the tide.

“It is definitely making the job easier for us as far as getting to places when there is no wind,” says Pat. “It is giving the kids really good value for the day sails. In 24 hours we can get to Mayor Tuhua and Slipper. It’s opened up the value.

The sails remain the main propulsion for the blue water says Pat. “Last week we sailed to Tuhua, with no motors, in two-and-three-quarter hours,” - 20 nautical miles at six-to-seven knots on average.

“We picked the wind up perfectly on the beam and we were on the way. There is always a place for sailing, and without it we have lost the experience.”

Andrew Campbell

Hinemoana waka, back in the blue water.

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Arriving at Te Toro via Boat Haulage for the launch.

Le Voyager continued Classy Lady arrived at the port of Auckland on May 24, 2008. Her journey on-board the ship ‘Cap Martin’, which departed the port of Savannah, South Carolina, had taken 22 days. From Auckland Harbour, she was transported via Boat Haulage to the town of Waiuku.

internal issues such as rib/chine gussets were addressed.

Over 100 were replaced, as fresh water had got through the upper deck after inconsiderate marina handling when the boat was lifted out of the water each year for winter storage.

Spreader bars were not used, straining the bulwarks, crushing the sides in and opening up the decks around the engine inlet and exhaust vents. To effect a proper repair, the upper rubbing strake had to be removed, which had originally been screwed onto the timber and through the deck beam and rib.

Here is where she spent the next three years, having a total Now the deck, hull and bulwark junction are one structure, replank and systems rebuild. New owner John Crighton, along bolted to the frames that go down to the chine. Side decks have with a boat builder friend, set to work to bring Classy Lady back been replaced with a single plank, routered to look like original to life and restore her to the original name Le Voyageur. planking.

“The fact that she had sat in freshwater, with little or no paint John says: “Coupled with the 10x2 plank that runs from the and bad maintenance, meant that she required a total overhaul,” stem to the stern, that area of the boat is immensely strong and says John. “The only thing that saved her was the good bones that totally water proof. they hung the planks on.”

“The new Malaysian Kauri planks have been edge glued, screwed and glued to the frames. The underwater The Hull caulking was routered out by a special machine Le Voyageur was 80 per cent re-planked from the designed and engineered in the workshop.

“The only thing chine to bulwarks. During this restoration, 2500 “The hull is now splined and edge bronze screws that held the original caulked that saved her was glued, with multiple coats of penetrating planking were removed. These were all cleaned preservative, then fared with epoxy resin. She and reused. the good bones should be floating around long after you and To buy them new would have cost around that they hung the I have gone.” $10,000, and according to John the quality of the ‘old’ screws far exceeds the new silicon bronze planks on.”

The Stern equivalent. With the planking removed, a few During the reconstruction of the hull, the stern was removed and internally rebuilt. The stern post was strengthened, and a towing hitch was included.

The The stern door was centred and widened, and a four-foot duck newly board was attached. Stainless steel rails were added for safety centred reasons, and a boarding ladder now slides into a cradle under the stern duck board. door.

“This is designed to be deployed if you are in the water, and it’s also out of the way,” says John.

The Engine, shafts and propellers Le Voyageur still runs with the same 2x120 horsepower Ford engines that were installed in 1969. “When the systems rebuild began, the motors had only done 4500 hours, which was very little considering Le Voyageurs’ age,” says John.

Shafts and propellers have been re-engineered by Gordon Litchfield, including new engine mounts, dripless seals on the shaft logs and strut re-alignment. Depth and surface area of the rudder blade was increased by 40 per cent, resulting in better control and turning ability.

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The new shafts are stainless steel, and the propellers have been reshaped and balanced. John adds: “The boat now runs so smoothly that a glass of beer sitting on the back deck while cruising won’t spill a drop!”

The Portuguese Bridge This has been rebuilt, also due to the rot that had gotten into the wings and travelled around the curved corners that make the Alaskan very distinctive from all other Grand Banks.

“With large clamps, screws, blocks and perseverance we laminated 3 x 6mm sheets of marine ply around the compound curves of each wing,” says John.

The original mast was then removed, rebuilt and now has the capability to be lowered onto the rear deck. The distinctive funnel, which appears on all original Grand Banks Alaskans and is only ever used for storage, has also gone. This has been replaced by solar panels to keep batteries charged during moored times.

Le Voyageur can carry 1200 litres of water, and 3000 litres of diesel. At 8.5 knots she uses 15 litres of fuel - a range of just over 1700 nautical miles. Without fuel or water, she weighs 27 tonnes.

The Launch and future of Le Voyageur On November 25, 2011, Le Voyageur was finally ready for launch. She was again picked up by Boat Haulage, and delivered to the Te Toro boat ramp, where she entered the Manukau Harbour for the first time.

Since her launch she has made more than 30 double crossings over the Manukau Bar, and eight double crossings of the dangerous Kaipara Harbour bar. She is currently moored in Helensville, and has a very exciting future awaiting her.

John plans to eventually ship her to Australia, start from Brisbane, head up the east coast and venture to Darwin via the Gulf of Carpentaria and possibly Timor, Papua New Guinea.

Keely Muir

The Dinghy The Grand Banks had a Boston Whaler Dinghy that was lifted onto the top deck by a single davit on the starboard side. John had this removed and replaced with a small folding crane, capable of lifting the new 12ft inflatable out on the port side and into its cradle in the middle of the top deck.

John says: “Having the cradle centred allows for better rear vision from the bridge windows.”

The Mishap In December 2010, John took a fall from the scaffolding around Le Voyageur. He tripped, did a forward roll in mid-air, and landed feet first on the ground below.

This sent his femur through the pelvis, and tore out the hip socket, causing internal bleeding, heart stoppages due to clots and pulmonary embolisms.

Three months later John arrived home in a wheel chair and it took another three months before he could begin to walk with the aid of a walking frame. He credits his partner Carol, daughters Sally and Angela (both nurses) and his friend Les Atkinson.

“They were the ones that nursed me back to health, and got me to all my appointments. It was the middle of June before I could crawl back up the stairs of the boat, and my first job was to paint the engine room!”

The Internal workings The electric heater and stove have been replaced by a gas califont and gas oven. Gas bottles are stored under the galley bench top, accessible through the bench top or through the hatch on the external port cabin wall.

The galley also has a double door fridge/freezer that runs from house batteries via an inverter. The four solar panels on the bridge help to run this, with up to 150-200 amps per day being generated.

“This allows us to sit for three days without the need to run the genset to maintain lighting and refrigeration,” says John.

The vessel has a Lowrance navigation system/fish finder, a separate GPS, back-up depth sounder, auto pilot, 42-mile Raymarine radar and a full complement of charts for the North Island.

She carries 300ft of anchor chain, and a combination deck wash/emergency bilge pump capable of handling 6000 gal p/hr.

She also has three static bilge pumps capable of 2000 gal/hr each.

These are situated at three different levels in the hull, and John receives a text message to his cell phone if the second and third pumps are activated She comfortably sleeps eight, with a double bed in the forward cabin, double bunk in second, and a double bed on the bridge, with two singles in the saloon. There are two toilets with holding tanks and a walk-in shower.

Starting to remove the rotten sides.

The new four foot duck board. waterline March 2018

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Marlin Money mayhem Counties Sport Fishing Club recently ran their annual Marlin Money competition – a one-day fishing comp on Auckland’s West Coast between Raglan north head and Kaipara south head.

Saturday, March 3, the promote conservation and girls will be heading out on friendly competition. Having Auckland’s West Coast, the the club is also a way to keep members up-to-date with new Manukau Harbour or the Waikato River. With inshore techniques and happenings within the fishing world. They and offshore categories and awesome prizes up for grabs, have their own VHF channel it is set to be an exciting #5, with the repeater being competition. situated on the Port Waikato The “Counties Classic” hills, which gives the users a coming up on March 16-18 is wide coverage area.

Each boat registered for $120, another premier event for the They are a member of the and $100 of that entry fee went club. This comp allows anglers I.G.F.A, NZSFC and the straight into the prize pool. a stay-away day, giving them Pacific Ocean Research There were two prizes only a chance to travel further to heaviest Marlin and most tagged. foundation. The club holds catch that prize-winning fish. several NZ records, and the There were also spot prizes of current membership is around There are major gate prizes Lures and $100 cash envelopes. drawn daily, free camping 700.

After considerable rough for anglers, an auction, and weather on the days leading up Up-coming events a live band on the Saturday to the competition, the club The ladies premier fishing night. For more information was pleased to go ahead on the event “Fish’n chicks” is the check out the Counties Sports day with a forecast for Raglan next competition on the Fishing Club web page or of south-westerly 20 knots, Facebook page.

Keely Muir becoming north-east 15 knots in calendar for the club. On the morning, becoming variable Dion Watts Jack Dear, 10 knots in the evening and a looking pretty moderate south-west swell of two crew pleased after member for metres easing. tagging his Snowdrop, first Marlin.

“Teena Tuna” with Brocky, showing off his Simon Bullivant and Shane spotprize.

Coulter on board were the first boat of the day to tag and release a striped marlin. With a total prize pool of $3100, the boys were hopeful that they might scoop the pool.

This was not meant to be, however, as Junior angler Dion Watts on board “LAW” tagged his first ever Marlin. The pool was now split between Teena Tuna and LAW, with proof of catch required via digital image.

Lucky angler Leon Rossouw, on board “Snowdrop”, boated his first striped marlin. Caught on a 37kg line, this Marlin kept his angler entertained when Teena Tuna’s crew: Simon Bullivant, Brocky and Shane Coulter. the harness broke, followed by the rod snapping in two. Leon carefully reeled in the line until Craig Dear was able to grab the leader. This ended up being the only weighed fish at the comp, scooping the section at 94.6kg.

Leon Rossouw and his 94.6kg Marlin.

A bit about the club The Counties Sport Fishing Club has been in action since 1989. It was started with the aim of supporting safety awareness on the West Coast, Manukau Harbour and river bars, to waterline March 2018

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University land grab resisted Waikato University’s proposal to set up a commercial marine science centre on a grassed area at the north end of Sulphur Point is being firmly resisted by the boating population that already uses the area.

Council staff who set up an information kiosk on the spot on a recent Saturday morning found themselves facing a tough crowd.

“None of the people who turned up were in favour of the proposal,” says Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Commodore Nick Wrinch.

“There was a lot of anger at the meeting which was directed at council staff who, it was felt, were representing the university rather that the ratepayers.

“It is easy to understand why the university want this piece of council land and it has nothing to do with the proximity to good sea water and boat ramps.

“The ‘beauty’ of this site is that they will, in all probability, be able to negotiate a peppercorn rent with council which will save them a fortune. There are numerous other sites that have been suggested to them, including an area at a redeveloped

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Dive Crescent which would be the best place for this facility – but that would have to be a commercial lease, so not attractive.”

There was universal agreement that this valuable piece of land should not be used for the commercial purposes.

Nick says council staff are also breaking their own policy governing the look of the city and its recreational spaces.

“It is just too valuable for the future of recreation in Tauranga, and we mustn’t use greenspaces for that type of use,” he says.

“I really get where they are coming from, but these bits of grass are just so precious and to have a commercial organisation such as the university coming onto that seems wrong to me.

“There was quite a lot of energy there about it, and there was quite a lot of people that were fired up about it. There’s a lot of passion. They believe strongly that this is the wrong site and shouldn’t even be considered.”

Everyone at the meeting was supporting the campus in Tauranga, says Nick.

“But the overriding message was that this is not the right place and no-one wants to be asked ‘however did you let that happen?’ by their grandchildren in years to come.”

Council staff were unable to answer questions about the proposed marine

Sulphur Point in the early days.

centre’s size and height, or give a clear indication regarding how many people will be working there.

“One guy was asking, quite specifically, how many square metres of floor space they wanted. They just didn’t know, and that was quite disappointing,” adds Nick.

“We are asked to give an opinion on something when we are not being given the full information.

“It’s all a bit up in the air and there’s no good solid information coming out at the moment. I kind of get the impression that they don’t really know what they want.”

Sulphur Point was created from spoil from the major harbour dredging projects.

Older yacht club members say the western side of Sulphur Point was granted for recreational purposes. The city took ownership when the former Bay of Plenty Harbour Board’s non port properties were handed over in 1989.

What I love most about sailing Kirsten Moratz

It’s a question I get asked frequently, and a question that tends to be difficult to answer. It can be hard to describe a passion and a feeling that you feel with your whole being in a short sentence to a near stranger.

It can also feel like a very vague question that I could answer in a myriad of ways.

The way I look at it, I am a person who was born to coach, to teach, and specifically to teach children. I am also a person who was born to sail and be outside on the water.

So why do I think I was born to coach? For me, there is nothing that beats that moment when a child finally achieves something that they have been striving so hard to figure out. In sailing, it happens all the time.

When it finally clicks that a tack is upwind and a gybe is downwind, when they figure out how the wind is working together with their sail, when they are able to sail upwind to a mark in just one tack, anything goes.

Every little thing in sailing can be a huge victory to a child.

Everyone has their own struggles and everyone learns at different paces in different ways. I love the challenge of figuring out what works best for each and every one of them. Every new child who comes through the program is a new challenge and has their own story to tell.

I can’t stop sharing my love of sailing with others. The feeling you get when you are on a boat – there is absolutely nothing like it. The wind in your face, the adrenaline pumping through your veins as you hike out to flatten your boat.

Sailing is a passion as much as it is exercise and physical fitness.

It is also mentally challenging, pushing you to multitask and think about strategy and how to get where you want to go the fastest way you can.

It is an amazing sport that combines so many things together in one.

I look at some of the older members of the yacht club and hope that when I’m their age, I am still sailing as they are now especially the ones who still sail dinghies after all these years and still race every Sunday on their Zephyrs. It’s an inspiration to me.

I hope to continue coaching and continue sharing my passion for sailing with as many people as I can for as long as I can. My current goal is to get more sailors to stay in sailing without racing.

Many sailors drop out from sailing because they don’t want to race or buy their own boat, which is why I have invented several on-water sailing games and started a Sailing Quidditch League.

We will be continuing through the winter season with our programs for Sailing Quidditch, level two and three, and Race Team training.

Anyone interested can find information on all of our courses at: www.yacht.org.nz/sailingschool, or on our Facebook page: TYPBC – Courses. You can also check out our Instagram account at: @tauranga.coach for near daily photos of what’s going on at the Sailing School.

Hope to see you out on the water.

Team racing at TYPBC At Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club we have many different classes of boats that different sailors and different age groups have chosen to sail. One class in particular, though, has had a noticeable peak in attendance within the last year or so – the 420 teams.

Sailing school students in their Optis under tow.

At the college level of school, kids from Aquinas, Tauranga Boys’ College, Tauranga Girls’ College and Otumoetai have the unique opportunity of competing against each other in Teams Racing in 420 sailboats.

A 420 is a 4.2m doublehanded sailboat with a jib and a mainsail that can be used for either Teams or Fleet Racing.

In Teams Racing, each school has three boats, and two teams compete against each other at a time. The goal is for your team to end up with less points than the other team. Whatever place your boat comes in the number of points that go towards your team for the race, so the higher all three of your boats finish, the less points your team will have.

If your boats place first, second and third, your team finishes with six points and the other team finishes with 15 points (fourth, fifth and sixth) and your team wins the race.

It starts to get more interesting when your team finishes first, third and sixth, giving your team 10 points and the other team 11 points. In that instance, a single second between boats could make the difference between who wins.

This is a great way of racing sailing, especially for the teenage sailors, because they are competing as a team with strategy and precision. It is amazing for building teamwork and communication skills, as well as developing special awareness and multitasking capabilities. Not only that, but it is also excellent fitness.

The boats race around an ‘S’ shaped course that tests their abilities to sail upwind, downwind and reaching. They must control their speed, and also control the speed of the boats around them in order to help their teammates and slow down their opponents.

It requires great sailing skill and problem solving abilities to be good at team racing.

The intensity and excitement of Teams Racing has shot up greatly within the last year at TYPBC. Aquinas College has almost three complete teams of six, while Tauranga Boys’ also has almost two full teams, and each of Tauranga Girls’ and Otumoetai have one full team.

In addition, we have had several sailors start Fleet Racing 420s in their spare time. This means that the number of 420s down at the club has almost doubled within the past year. We especially appreciate BoPSAT, who saw the rising need for more Team Racing boats, and raised the funding for two brand new 420s that have joined our fleet for schools racing.

We hope to see this enthusiasm continue to grow, and hopefully more schools will join the rush and create their own teams in the future.

Coming up we have the North Island Regionals at Taupo from March 18-20, and to end off the season the NZ Teams Racing Nationals in Algies Bay will be from April 21-27. Good luck to all of the competitors from the Bay of Plenty. waterline March 2018

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Community support call Changing demands on volunteer organisations have led to a call for increased support from their respective regions, and Coastguard Eastern Region, located in Mount Maunganui, provides such support.

There are now more than 500 dedicated Coastguard volunteers in the Eastern Region - each involved in the safe operation of over 23 dedicated search and rescue vessels (plus an assortment of jet skis and IRBs), as well as Coastguard radio-affiliated channels.

All Coastguard Units are funded through donations, grants, memberships and sponsorship. Some units have good support in Coastguard Eastern Region provides support to the 15 terms of volunteer availability, while others have support in terms Coastguard units within the Eastern Region, which ranges from of community engagement.

Whitianga Unit down to Hawkes Bay Unit, and includes Lake However, most units in the region are always looking for more Taupo and Turangi Units, as well as volunteers from all walks of life.

Rotorua Lakes.

“The idea of being a Coastguard Recent years have seen compliance Volunteer attracts those who are very and training demands ramped up. strongly community minded,” says In response, Coastguard Eastern Sunny.

Region employs a regional manager “They are willing to serve. They get and four full-time support staff in a sense of satisfaction out of getting the shape of Murray Whitehead good results and enjoy increasing their (operations support), Nicole Harris knowledge and training. (training support), Ian Steel (health “Our unit volunteers most certainly and safety support) and Simon Tebby demonstrate a high level of skill, (communications and IT support). commitment and excellence in the Adjacent to the Regional Operations delivery of service to the end user - the Simon Tebby and Nicole Harris in the Eastern Region Centre is the Regional Radio Room, boating public.” communications centre. Photo: Andrew Campbell. which provides radio watch support to He compares commitment levels, the region and has over 25 volunteer training and camaraderie with those radio operators, as well as a host of volunteer duty officers. of the ambulance and fire service volunteer auxiliary, with the “A main part of our work here at Eastern Region is to support addition of water. with the training and compliance of unit volunteers,” says A Coastguard volunteer himself, Sunny understands the need regional manager Sunny Peeters. for support and guidance in negotiating the regulatory framework “Most of our volunteers are involved in Search and Rescue, that accompanies today’s volunteer throughout their Coastguard either on the vessels or on the radio, but increasingly we are journey. finding that there is also a need for administrative compliance and The region’s wide access to resources means that it can also financial skills within the Coastguard volunteer family.” support the units in bringing in extra volunteers, whether that’s Much of this need is based on the units’ requirements to skippers, crew or radio operators, during incidents of longer comply with health and safety regulations and Maritime New duration if necessary.

Zealand regulations, which involve being able to demonstrate an Sunny stresses that all rescue vessel crew and skippers are appropriate level of skill and training. volunteers, and each unit needs strong local support.

Many of the Eastern Region’s units were originally established by Sunny urges anyone who is interested in supporting Coastguard communities concerned with the lack of available marine safety, to get in touch with their local unit.

Andrew Campbell before they adopted the Coastguard.

Winter series invite from the mount Mount Maunganui Yacht Club is once again running its popular winter race series, and is encouraging everyone who has a yacht to give it a go.

The first race is on May 14, with races held every second Sunday until September 17. Start time is from midday, with races conducted under the Mark Foy handicap system.

This means that the slowest yacht will start at midday, with the fastest starting later. The order in which the yachts cross the finish line is their final placing in the race. The advantage is there are usually only one or two yachts starting at the same time, which relieves pressure at the start.

MMYC races in two divisions with the bigger faster yachts (A Division) covering

a slightly longer course. The courses are generally around the harbour and up as far as Omokoroa, but can include racing around Karewa. Courses vary depending on conditions, but are always interesting.

“Yachts of all ages and types are welcome,” says club member Barry Farr.

“This is not a flat-out racing series, but more like cruising racing with everyone having a chance to win a prize due to the handicap system.

“There’s an entry form to fill in and an entry fee to pay. If you are unsure if this is for you, come and give it a try.”

Call Mount Yacht Club on VHF Channel 77 after 11:30am and advise you are trying out and would like to follow the fleet. Race control will suggest a time for you to cross the start line and advise you of the course being sailed.

“So don’t sit at home on a lovely Sunday

afternoon wondering if you should mow the lawn, do the housework or paint the house,” says Barry.

“Instead, take your yacht off her mooring/marina, give her a treat and come sailing. After all, that’s what yachts are for.”

After the race there is a prize giving held at the MOSC club rooms in Pilot Bay, where it is great to get together with fellow sailors to discuss how fantastic it was being out on the water.

MMYC also runs a two-handed course for those who struggle to get crew. Those races start on Saturday, May 20, at 1pm and continue every third Saturday. These are no extra races, so no spinnakers allowed.

We are looking forward to an enjoyable winter sailing come and join us. Give our club captain a call on 021 552 010. waterline March 2018

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Club Events Bowentown ort Boating & Sp c In b lu C Fishing

Cambridge Yacht & Po wer Boat Club

• 2018 Easter Sunday 1st April 2018 Harbour Only Ph 07 863 5006

• Junior Saturday 21st April 2018 Harbour Only

• Club Competition Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd June 2018 Open Water

www.bbsfc.co.nz

• 18 & 25 March Club Racing Sunday 12.30pm

• 18-20 March : NZTSA Central North Island Teams Sailing Regatta Lake Taupo Yacht Club, Ferry Road, Taupo

• 21-27 April : NZTSA Teams Sailing National Championship Regatta Algies Bay

cambridgeyc@xtra.co.nz

ing Kawhia Boat g lin g & An Club Inc

• Kawhia 2 day Easter Fishing Competition Saturday 31st March & Sunday 1st April.

Entry fee is $25 Ph 021 163 9916

Mt Maungan u Sport Fishin i g Club

Categories are Snapper, Kingfish, Kahawai, Trevally and Gurnard. In Harbour Only.

Boating & Surfcasting combined.

smooth.torquer@xtra.co.nz

• ITM Pelagic Challenge Jan – April 2018

•C ontract Mechanical Kids Tourny 17th March 2018

• Ladies Tourny 24th & 25th March 2018

•A otea Electric Snapper Challenge 7th & 8th April 2018

• Kilwell Trout Tourny 18th – 20th May 2018

mtfish@actrix.co.nz www.mmsfc.co.nz

Ngaroto Sai ling Club

17 March 4pm - Pokeru 5 & 6 24 March 4pm - Teams Racing 4pm - Sailability Experience Sailing Dinner Gordon

Rotorua Fish in & Casting C g lub

7-8 April Club Weekend - Teams event

Graeme Dawber

Sailability Tauranga

Ph 027 370 4608

Ph 027 288 2790

Graham Roberts

9-10 June End of Season Fish-off

www.sporty.co.nz/rotoruafcc/Home

If you would like to find out about volunteering opportunities then please contact our lovely Volunteer Coordinator, Alice, at volunteers.stct@gmail.com

Ph 027 528 6009

Sailing remote control yachts on Lake Taurikura Saturday 11am until 4pm

21April 10am - Teams Sailing 10am - Sailability Experience Sailing 28 April 10am - 6 Hour Race Dinner

gordon.suzanne@xtra.co.nz

12-13 May Club Weekend - Heaviest Snapper

Our Summer Sailing Dates are available for bookings.

Please contact Susan, our Sailor Booking Coordinator if you would like to find out more about the sailing opportunities we offer.

Susan

Tauranga Radio Sailin g Club

8 April 10am - Teams Racing 10am - Sailability Experience Sailing 15 April 10am - Teams Sailing

sailors.stct@gmail.com

Wednesday 1pm until 4pm Scoria Close, The Lakes, Tauriko, Tauranga

Ph 0274 514 240

nz777gar@gmail.com

List your clubs events here for FREE - email kathy@sunmedia.co.nz with your events and contact details.

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waterline March 2018

Club Events Tauranga Anglers Clu

b

19 March Speaker - Andy Garrick, Manager Eastern Fish & Game 24-25 March Trip to Lake Rerewhakaaitu Phil Sinclair

ort Tauranga Sp b lu C Fishing (Inc.)

Tauranga Yacht & Po wer Boat Club

9-11 March Annual Ladies Tournament 3 Fishing Days 24-25 March Asaleo Care Tournament 2 Fishing Days

21 May Fly Tying by Umpqua, qualified Tyer Peter Carty 26-27 Trip to Blue Lake philsinc@kinect.co.nz

8-11 April - Western Bay Services Tournament 14 April - OKUMA Take a Kid Fishing Tournament 1-31 May - GFAB Trailers Broadbill Challenge

Ph 07 578 6203

21 March - Keeler/MH/TY Summer Series 21 25 March - Closing Day - CB Summer Series 21 - WOW 9 End Of Season Race 28 March - Keeler/MH/TY Summer Series 22 (final) 29 March - Opti Teams Racing Nationals 30 March - Tauranga - Cuvier - Mercury Race 31 March - Optimist Nationals QCSC - Easter Keeler Regatta Gt.Mercury Ph 07 578 5502

Whakatane g Sport Fishin Club

Ph 07 576 3823

23-25 March - Mount ITM Billfish Bonanza Tournament 21-25 March - Beach HOP 7 April - Contractors Federation Tournament Courtenay Robinson

16 April Speaker - Coastguard 21-22 April Trip to Lake Aniwhenua

www.tsfc.co.nz

1-2 April - Easter Keeler Div Regatta Gt.Mercury 7 April - Womans Keelboat Nationals Auckland 14 April - Open Keelboat Champs 15 April - Keeler/MH Closing Day 15 April - Karewa Series 4 15 April - MH Harbour Series 7 20 April - Boardsailing Nationals TYPBC 2 May

office@yacht.org.nz

12-13 May - Hunting & Fishing Snapper Classic Tournament

- Opti High Performace Camp Kawau 4 May - Prizegiving All Divisions 5 May - P Class Wihau Shield 8 May - Keeler & Trailer AGMs 13 May - Keeler/MH Winter Series 1 14 May - Keeler & Trailer AGMs 20 May - CB Winter Series 1

www.yacht.org.nz

14-15 April Surtees Boats Only Tournament 2 Fishing Days 28 April OJI Fibre Solutions Fishing Tournament - 1 Fishing Day

12-13 May Annual Trout Tournament

Wayne Hunt Ph 027 6999 111 office@wsfc.co.nz www.whakatanesportfishingclub.co.nz

Whakatane Trout Fishin g Club

15-18 March Waioeka River 8 April Ladies Day on lake Rotoma Alan Collins

Whangamat a Ocean Spo rts Club

07 312 4966

1-31 March Tag & Release Tournament 23-25 March Beach Hop Entertainment Phil Keogh

20-22 April Lake Rerewhakaaitu 6 May Club BBQ at Lake Rotoiti

12-13 May Whakatane Sports Fishing Club Trout Comp on Lake Rotoiti

acjc@kinect.co.nz

Every Sunday Live Music from 4pm Daily Meal Deals Meal Special & Drink only $20 0274 865 520

www.oceansports.co.nz

List your clubs events here for FREE - email kathy@sunmedia.co.nz with your events and contact details. waterline March 2018

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Classifieds Batteries - Battery Direct NZ www.batterydirect.co.nz sales@batterydirect.co.nz Phone 0800 267 468.

Boat Maintenance - Matamata Motor Trimmers & Upholstery. Boat clear, canvas work, upholstery. Phone 07 571 4421 Cnr Mirrieless & Cross Roads, Tauranga.

Mooring For Rent - Town Reach $35 per week, Omokoroa $28 per week. Phone 027 557 0400.

For Sale - Volvo MTR 200 HP x 1 $11,500. 130 HP $4,500 or to be run in. May Trade. Phone 07 843 392 or 027 620 9712.

For Sale - Second hand sails for sale. Ideal for club racing or cruising. Trailer yachts and small keel boats.

Headsails and spinnakers. Includes one Noelex 25 main. One large mylar genoa with 10 metre luff.

Very reasonable prices. Phone 027 454 7876.

For Sale - Steel launch 26.5ft.

Little use. View B46 Tauranga Marina. Ph 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712 Wanted - Volvo 200 or 230. Phone 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712.

List your classified here!

Contact Jo on 07 557 0506 or jo@thesun.co.nz

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waterline March 2018

Dead sperm whale beaches Sperm whales are not often found dead on Bay of Plenty beaches, so it’s no surprise the specimen found on Papamoa Beach in mid-February attracted attention from the Department of Conservation, iwi and even thieves.

The thieves arrived first, and cut off the jawbone and made off with its teeth. Police are currently looking for two men seen leaving the eastern end of Papamoa Beach Road in a flatbed truck.

They were contacted by members of the public who saw them leaving the scene at about 6pm on February 15, four hours after the finder contacted the DOC. DOC has agreed protocols with local iwi on managing marine mammal strandings and deaths. Seven iwi representatives had been notified of the whale death as the first stage of planning appropriate actions to be taken, says a police spokeswoman.

The thieves struck shortly before DOC staff and iwi representatives turned up, say senior DOC ranger Brad Angus.

“It’s a criminal act - an offence under the Marine Mammals Protection Act,” says Brad. “We are actively investigating that with police.”

The whale was a young adult, which was

buried nearby. Brad’s unsure if the whale was male or female and has no idea how it died.

“It’s pretty rare for us in our patch,” says Brad. “A mature sperm whale turned up north of Papamoa camping ground, but that was probably eight years ago. It is not a

The sperm whale on Papamoa Beach.

common occurrence by any stretch.”

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has banned international trade on sperm whale teeth.

John Howlett found the whale while heading along the beach to the Kaituna cut for a spot of fishing.

“It’s been dead for a while,” said John at the time. “On one of the sides you can see where sharks and squid have been trying to eat it. There are shark teeth marks in it definitely big, shark-sized bites.

“Its tail is quite rotten and the barnacles

appear to have fallen off it. The tail is all sinewy and the outer layer’s gone.”

Sperm whales have the largest brain of any creature known to have lived on Earth.

Females and calves remain in tropical or subtropical waters all year long, and apparently practice communal childcare.

Males migrate to higher latitudes, alone or in groups, and head back towards the equator to breed. Driven by their tale fluke, approximately 4.8m from tip to tip, they can cruise the oceans at around 23 miles per hour – which translates to a nautical 19kts.

They prefer deep water more than 200m, and are usually found offshore and in areas with submarine canyons. In the Bay of Plenty, the 200m contour is just north of the Mayor Island distance.

There are deep canyons further out.

The Tauranga Canyon starts North-East of Schooner Rocks and drops down from about 850m to 1km as it turns west round the Rangitira Knoll before the seafloor drops off to the 2km deep Tauranga Trough.

Sperm Whale dives have been known to last for over one hour and can be deeper than 1000 m. Most dives tend to last around 35 minutes, however, and extend down to 400m.

Andrew Campbell

waterline March 2018

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